Six tented suites look out onto the Zambezi from the southern bank, in the far eastern reaches of Mana Pools National Park, on a private wilderness concession that sees markedly fewer vehicles than the park’s busy central floodplain. Across the water, the Zambezi Escarpment climbs into Zambia, in full view from every suite and from the main lodge decks.
Six tented suites look out onto the Zambezi from the southern bank
Here the guides work on foot as a matter of routine rather than exception, and the concession’s low traffic means a sighting can unfold without another vehicle anywhere in view. Elephant, buffalo and African wild dog move through the surrounding woodland and along the river, tracked at close quarters by guides trained for big-game country. Mana Pools is one of the few African parks where tracking on foot is standard, and it is the wild dog packs ranging through the eastern concession that draw guests who come for the walking above all.
The camp is built into a grove of old-growth mahogany and sausage trees from timber, thatch and other indigenous materials, so that it seems to have grown there. The light fittings are handwoven, the furniture made by local artisans. Each suite carries air conditioning, a mini-bar and a private plunge pool, set on a deck that looks directly onto the river, and the whole camp runs on solar power alone.
The light fittings are handwoven, the furniture made by local artisans
Life gathers in a two-level main area, the lounge upstairs and the bar and dining below, both opening onto viewing decks over the water, with a sunken firepit and a wine cellar completing the layout. The design is contemporary rather than rustic, canvas and timber pavilions with clean lines and a restrained palette, built to sit quietly among the trees rather than compete with them. Air conditioning and plunge pools sit alongside the walking and canoeing that define Mana Pools, never replacing them.
The guides at Nyamatusi lead walking safaris across the floodplain, following the tracks of elephant and, when conditions allow, packs of African wild dog. The park takes its name from the Shona word for “four,” after the four permanent pools the Zambezi carved into the floodplain over millennia. Game drives run morning and afternoon, and the concession’s limited vehicle access keeps every sighting quiet, a world away from Mana’s central section, where the day can turn on how many others have found the same animal first.
Canoeing on the Zambezi offers a different vantage on the same wildlife. Hippo pods surface alongside the boat, crocodiles bask on the banks, and elephants come down to drink at the water’s edge, while on the riverbank catch-and-release fishing works for tigerfish, bream and vundu. The birding is prolific along the river corridor, where the African skimmer, the southern carmine bee-eater and the Narina trogon are all drawn to the water and the riverine woodland. Walking safaris and canoeing are open to guests aged sixteen and over.
Canoeing on the Zambezi offers a different vantage on the same wildlife.
Dining moves between the main lodge, the viewing decks and the floodplain itself, with private meals possible in the wine cellar. Because the suites face the river directly, wildlife often appears without anyone leaving the deck, and sunset over the Zambezi marks the daily turn from afternoon activity to evening, after which the calls of hippo, hyena and baboon carry across the water. It is the kind of place where the wilderness comes to you as readily as you go to it.
Access is by light aircraft to the Mana Main airstrip, then a game drive down to the river. Children aged seven and over are welcome at Nyamatusi, while a sister camp nearby suits younger children and families wanting interconnected suites. All of this keeps the walking, the canoeing and the river life that define Mana Pools intact, delivered with air conditioning, plunge pools and a curated wine cellar close at hand. Little here feels like a compromise, and nothing feels like a hotel.
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accommodation
Six tented suites face the Zambezi, each with a bedroom under mosquito nets and an en-suite bathroom that runs to twin basins, a bathtub and both indoor and outdoor showers. A writing desk and ample storage take care of the practical hours, while air conditioning, a mini-bar, a tea and coffee station and a safe attend the rest, and every suite opens onto its own private viewing deck and plunge pool set over the river.
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activities
Guided walking safaris and canoeing on the Zambezi lead the offering, both open to guests aged sixteen and over, alongside morning and afternoon game drives, catch-and-release fishing for tigerfish and bream, and birding along the river corridor. The private concession's limited vehicle numbers keep sightings uncrowded compared with Mana Pools' central floodplain.
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conservation
Through the African Bush Camps Foundation, a levy on every stay helps fund the Mana Ranger Programme, a fully equipped anti-poaching base that adds patrol capacity to the national park's own rangers, alongside education and community projects across rural Zimbabwe. The camp itself runs entirely on solar power and was built from indigenous timber, thatch and other natural materials.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
You reach Nyamatusi by air, flying into Victoria Falls or Harare and connecting on a light aircraft to a Mana Pools airstrip, where the camp collects you for the transfer to the river. We build the flights and transfers into your itinerary as one journey.
The charter flights are shared and the exact departure is fixed the day before, once the airline sets its routing, and luggage is soft bags of around 20kg per person including hand luggage. If you would rather not share, we can arrange a private charter for the same leg, typically a Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC-12, timed to your international connections. The camp runs seasonally through the dry months, roughly April or May to October, so we plan your trip around the open season, which is also the strongest time for the walking and the wildlife.
Yes, this stretch of the lower Zambezi is a malaria area and is not malaria-free. Because the camp runs in the dry season, mosquito numbers and the risk are lower, though the risk is still present and rises in the wet months.
We suggest checking the current advice with a travel clinic or your doctor before you travel, taking antimalarials if they recommend them, and using repellent and covering up after dark.
The dry-season days run warm to hot with cool early mornings, so bring a warm layer for the first activity and light clothing for the heat later. From September the valley becomes very hot, and October can reach 40 degrees. Each suite has air conditioning, which helps at night in the warmer months.
Pack light neutral clothing, closed shoes for walking, a hat and strong sun protection, and drink plenty of water. Use a soft bag rather than a hard case, as the light aircraft cannot carry rigid suitcases.
Mana Pools is one of very few parks where tracking big game on foot is standard, and here working on foot is the everyday way of things rather than the exception. Days follow elephant, buffalo and the wild dog packs that range through the eastern concession, and canoes take you along the Zambezi past hippos and feeding elephants.
Both the walking safaris and the canoeing are for guests aged sixteen and over. If you have teenagers with you, let us know their ages and we will confirm what they can do.
The camp takes children from about seven years old, and its sister camp nearby is set up for younger children if you are travelling as a family with little ones. The suites have air conditioning and their own plunge pool, which younger guests tend to appreciate in the heat.
Walking and canoeing are for ages sixteen and over. Tell us your children's ages and we will make sure the camp and the activities suit them.
No. The camp runs on solar power and does not offer wifi, and there is no mobile signal in this part of Mana Pools, though there are points to charge cameras and devices in the main area.
Plan to be offline during your stay, which most guests come to treat as a welcome break. If you have a real need to stay reachable, tell us before you travel and we will let you know what can be arranged.
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