HWANGE & MANA POOLS IN 2024
hosted by William Steel
16th to 24th April 2024
Join our first hosted Zimbabwe photo safari!
With Pangolin's very own William Steel.
We have teamed up with African Bush Camps to offer an amazing multi destination safari visiting Hwange National Park as well as the Iconic Mana Pools In the company of Pangolin Photo Host William Steel. This 9 day Itinerary starts and ends In Victoria Falls and then spends three nights at Somalisa Camp In Hwange and another four nights at Nyamatusi In Mana Pools.
Both of tehse parks offer the opportunity to blend game drives with time outside of the vehicles on foot getting shots that only be at ground level can achieve. As there will be an element of walking on the safari a moderate level of fitness and mobility will be required to attend.
We will be taking bookings on a first come first served basis and we only have room for two single rooms along with three rooms for sharers (maximum 8 guests). The camps we are using are not large and we will be occupying all of the rooms at the camps we are visiting.
Watch William's video from Mana Pools
The Itinerary
Victoria Falls (16th April)
We thought we would start this photo safari adventure with everyone meeting up In Victoria falls for a night before getting on the charter to Hwange. Apart from the fact that The Falls are going to be nearing their fullest at this time of year It makes sense with a group safari to allow everyone a bit of a buffer for late flights or delays. In addition to that with Victoria Falls being so close to the Chobe If you would like to add on a few days at our "HQ" before or after that's easy to arrange.
The group will be staying at the charming Mbano Manor (click here for details) which is in a secluded neighbourhood of Victoria falls Town and a short drive from The Falls. We will be having a welcome dinner cruise on The Zambezi River!!
Hwange National Park (17 - 20 April)
Our first safari stop is Hwange National Park which Is rather an underrated photo destination for reasons that are beyond us. It is teaming with game and like Mana Pools we are able to conduct walking safaris as well as spending time on the vehicles. This will allow for some low level photography opportunities which you can't get at most other destinations...even In The Okavango!
We will be staying at Somalisa Camp which Is owned and managed by African Bush Camps - an excellent safari outfit and a company we thoroughly enjoy working with.
While In Hwange we will have use of two game viewers with William alternating between them on each drive. We will tend to stick quite close together on the drives calling each other in to sightings and walking opportunities. Hwange has excellent elephant and predator sightings as well as plenty of wide open spaces for atmospheric landscapes...so bring a wide angle lens in your camera bag!
We have decided to visit these parks a month after the rains should have ended as we want to have some greenery around...which, we are sure you will agree, makes for much nicer imagery. Well fed happy animals (lots of young around) with verdant backgrounds and plenty of summer migratory bird species still in residence!
Mana Pools National Park (20 - 24 April)
Mana Pools (as you will have watched In William's video) is a very unique photo safari destination. It's most famous for its "acrobatic elephants" stretching into the trees but its so much more than that.
We will be staying at Nyamatusi Camp which William has chosen for its location and style. It's a very nice camp indeed but more importantly its close to all the places where William had his best sightings and encounters.
Once again we will have the use of two game viewers with four photographers in each with william rotating between them. Mana pools will probably afford us more "on foot" photo opportunities including some with the resident predators should the conditions allow. We will hope to run into some of the local superstar elephants like Boswell and Fred Astaire but William will also be encouraging you to think wider and taking more atmospheric shots - this is very much his forte!
The mixed and varied landscape of Mana Pools is uniquely recognisable and William will assist you throughout to get all the shots you need and would expect to get here.
As a reminder, a moderate level of fitness and mobility is required to make the most of this safari as the real advantage is being able to get low for the best angles...and on occasion making a strategic retreat to the vehicles!
On the last morning the group will fly back to Victoria Falls to connect with your international flights. Alternatively you could return to The Chobe with William for some water based photo safaris on The Chobe River!
The Price
Date: April 16th - 24th, 2024 | Cost: $7,950 per person sharing | Single $9,950
(Please remember that we are using small camps so we only have two single rooms available along with three doubles.)
What's Included
⊛ Transfers to/from Victoria Falls Airport or The Pangolin Chobe Hotel.
⊛ I night at Mbano Manor Hotel (dinner bed and breakfast).
⊛ Dinner cruise on The Zambezi.
⊛ Charter flight from Vic Falls to Hwange.
⊛ 3 nights Somalisa camp (Full Board).
⊛ Twice daily photo safari activities with William Steel throughout.
⊛ Charter flight from Hwange to Mana Pools.
⊛ 4 nights Nyamatusi Camp (Full Board).
⊛ Charter flight from mana Pools to Vic Falls.
⊛ Day time image review and editing sessions.
What's Not Included
⊛ International flights: please contact our office for any assistance on routing.
⊛ Clients must obtain comprehensive travel insurance for this trip.
⊛ Customary tips for guides and camp staff.
⊛ Anything else not specified as included.