Mana Pools National Park + Hwange National Park + Victoria Falls - July 2023

[Nik63]

End of July 2023, my wife and I.

 

We spent 3 nights in the Mana Pools NP and 3 nights in the Hwange NP followed by 2 nights at Victoria Falls.

 

We flew from Milano (Italy) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and from Addis Ababa to Harare (Zimbabwe) with Ethiopian Airlines. About a month before our departure Ethiopian Airlines re-scheduled the flight Addis Ababa-Harare and our arrival at destination was delayed by a couple of hours (not a big issue...we just lost two hours of game drive!).

 

When arrived in Harare we collected our bags and very quickly we passed trough immigration and custom checks and then we jumped onboard the private flight operated by Grand Air Charter Service (the airplane was a Piper PA41) and in less than one hour we landed in the Mana Pools airstrip.

 

Our accommodation in Mana Pools was Ingwe Pan a great camp run by Machaba Safaris. The camp is located in a private area inside the National Park alongside a large pan (about 30 minutes drive from the Mana Pools flood plain and Zambesi River). In the camp there are 8 tents with ensuite bathrooms built on elevated platforms that provide a great view of the pan and wildlife around the camp. The food was excellent as well as the game drive activities and guiding. For two nights we were the only guests in the camp and we never had to share our car and guide with other guests.

 

Harare International Airport - Before boarding the plane that took us to Mana Pools

 

 

Before starting the engines up at Harare international Airport

 

 

Few seconds before entering the runway for departure

 

 

Approaching Mana Pools airstrip

 

 

Mana Pools Airstrip

 

 

 

I kept about 600 pictures of the Mana Pools safari. I will post some of them not in chronological order:

 

Common Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ssp. ellipsiprymnus)

 

 

Close encounter!

 

 

White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

 

 

Looking towards us!

 

 

African Hoopoe (Upupa africana)

 

 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Alcyon albiventris)

 

 

Our accommodation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking!

 

 

On the run!

 

 

Bathing!

 

 

Flying! 

 

 

Climbing the tree! --- Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus)

 

 

Grazing!

 

 

Ibis Hadada (Bostrychia hagedash)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiery-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus pectoralis)

 

 

 

Crowned Hornbill (Tockus alboterminatus)

 

 

The baby!

 

 

African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus)

 

 

 

 

Lilian's Lovebird

 

 

A busy Meve's Starlin (Lamprotornis mevesii)

 

 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

 

 

The shy Sharpe's Grysbok (Raphicerus sharpei)

 

 

Swainson's Spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii)

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 21 by Nik63

[michael-ibk]

Beautiful photos, and camp looks great! Great shot of the Grysbok, a tough animal in Mana.

[ricmiles]

Ciao @Nik63, great start and looking forward to seeing more from this trip. 

[Nik63]

White fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)

 

 

 

 

 

Smith's Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi)

 

 

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)

 

 

 

 

 

African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

[Nik63]

Gin and tonic before lunch!

 

 

Preparing for lunch

 

 

 

Waiting for commencing the lunch

 

 

Lunch interrupted!!! Elephants in the camp (actually they were all around our table)!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

[TonyQ]

A great start @Nik63.

A good way to have your lunch interrupted!

[Nik63]

White-crested Helmet-Shrike (Prionops plumatus)

 

 

 

Southern Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus rufirostris)

 

 

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur chalcospilos)

 

 

Mutable Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus mutabilis)

 

 

 

White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

 

 

 

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

 

 

The mighty Zambesi River!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

[AndrewB]

A wealth of gorgeous photos - thanks @Nik63 for posting your trip report.

[Nik63]

Common Eland [Tragelaphus (Taurotragus) oryx] and Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythorynchus)

 

 

No comment!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

[Nik63]

Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)

 

 

Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea)

 

 

Slender Mongoose [Herpestes (Galerella) sanguineus]

 

 

White-crowned Lapwing (Vanellus albiceps)

 

 

 

 

 

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

 

 

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

 

 

 

To be continued

 

[Nik63]

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)

 

 

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bush birthday cake for my wife!

 

 

 

Ready for the bush birthday party!!!

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

[Nik63]

 

Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)

 

 

An immature African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

 

 

Saddle-billed Stork, female (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)

 

 

Grey Go-away-bird (Crinifer concolor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

[Atravelynn]

Mosaic of Mana Pools!  Especially liked the jumping impala and yellow billed stork with graceful outstretched wings.  So many good lion up close portraits showing  their expressions.  The birthday girl's safari outfits are stunning!

[Nik63]

Double-banded Sandgrouse, male (Pterocles bicintus)

 

 

Double-banded Sandgrouse, female (Pterocles bicintus)

 

 

Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

 

 

Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

[Nik63]

Crested Francolin (Ortygornis sephaena)

 

 

Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus) is having lunch!

 

 

Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)

 

 

 

 

 

Side-striped Jackal (Lupulella adusta)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

[Nik63]

Let me introduce Boswell the "iconic" Elephant bull of Mana Pools National Park. Boswell has an got an oustanding pair of tusks and is the Elephant who stands on his hind legs! What a sighting! Boswell has got a radio-collar and is monitored 24/7 by the park Rangers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued

Edited April 21 by Nik63

[Atravelynn]

Boswell in action!  Score!

[Nik63]

Southern Greay-headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus)

 

 

Africa Spoonbill (Platalea alba)

 

 

 

Be careful!!! There is a Crocodile right behind!!!

 

 

 

Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

 

 

 

Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

 

 

 

 

 

 

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)

 

 

Yellow-billed Egret or Intermediate Egret (Egretta intermedia)

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

aaaaa

[Nik63]

Ready to leave Mana Pools and to join Hwange NP. Private flight operated by Grand Air Charter Service and the airplane is a Cessna 206. Flight time two hours. When we joined the airstrip the runway was still full of wildlife!

 

 

No more wildlife in the runway! The aiplane is cleared to land!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

 

Edited April 21 by Nik63

[Nik63]

Two hours flight time from Mana Pools airstrip to Robins airstrip (inside Hwange NP).

 

Lake Kariba dam

 

 

The western part of Lake Kariba

 

 

Robins Airstrip

 

 

Ready to go!!!

 

 

This Kudu bull welcomes us to Hwange NP

 

 

Checking in at Deteema Springs!

Deteema Springs is another top notch camp run by Machaba Safaris. The camp is located in a private concession in the northern region of the Hwange NP (very close to Deteema dam). The camp is built on a slight rocky rise above permanent water springs. Around the springs there are always large concentrations of animals. You can easily spot them from the main area of the camp or from the tents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guiding was excellent. We did game drives in a large area that encompasses Deteema dam, Masuma dam, Mandavu dam, Crocodile Pools, Big Toms, etc. Also in this we never shared our car with other guests.

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

[Nik63]

I kept about 800 photos of the Hwange Safari I will post some of them not in a chronological order

 

We spotted a huge amount of Elephants. I love this picture that was taken from a hide located at the Deteema pan

 

 

I like the colors of this bird. This is a Crimson-breasted Shrike (Laniarius atrococcineus)

 

 

A powerful male Lion is running!

 

 

A Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) very early in the morning

 

 

Crocodiles at Masuma

 

 

Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus)

 

 

A Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) on landing

 

 

They are just beautiful!

 

 

Four males!

 

 

Punk rock never dies!!! --- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

 

 

African Hopooe (Upupa africana)

 

 

 

Hwange sunset!

 

 

To be continued...

 

 

[Nik63]

Crossing the road!

 

 

Fork-Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)

 

 

 

Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus)

 

 

Drinking!

 

 

The (Hwange NP) moon!

 

 

 

 

 

A solitary juvenile Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

 

 

 

 

 

Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)

 

 

 

 

Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii)

 

 

 

To be completed...

[Nik63]

Magpie Shrike (Lanius melanoleucos)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)

 

 

 

Ready for Gin and Tonic!

 

 

 

Double-banded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicintus)

 

 

Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula)

 

 

Dinner!

 

 

 

 

 

Cape Turtle Dove (Streptopelia capicola)

 

 

Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax or Bush Hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei)

 

 

Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)

 

 

Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)

 

 

 

 

 

Red-crested Korhaan (Lophotis ruficrista)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

 

 

 

 

 

To be completed...

[Nik63]

Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)

 

 

 

 

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver (Bubalornis niger)

 

 

Meve's Starling (Lamprotornis mevesii)

 

 

Chacma Babbon (Papio ursinus)

 

 

 

 

 

I'm so proud of this spotting! The not so common Arnot's Chat [Myrmecocichla (Pentholaea) arnotti] --- Male is the one with the snow-white crown and female is the one the white on throat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relax in the camp!

 

 

 

 

Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) --- To much backlight - I apologize

 

 

 

 

Common Reedbuck/Southern Reedbuck (Redunca arundinum)

 

 

 

Arrow-marked Babbler (Turdoides jardineii)

 

 

 

 

 

To be completed...

[Nik63]

 

 

 

 

 

Greater Painted-snipe, male (Rostratula benghalensis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be completed....