Mana Pools National Park

This park is named Mana Pools because of its four waterholes; Mana means four in the local language. However, it is not the four pools that are the most interesting, but rather the Zambezi River that makes the northern border of the park.

In the dry season, animals gather near the river in order to drink on a regular basis. The density of animals was rather high around the campsite, thus it was not even necessary to drive around to see elephants or antelopes.

Waterbuck.

Ground Hornbill.

Saddle-Billed Stork.

Eland.

Velvet Monkey.

This small snake was wandering on the tree that was on my campsite... I don't know if it is a dangerous species or not.

Elephants are very numerous in this park.

Baby elephant.

The eye of this elephant doesn't seem to be normal...

Here is an elephant that likes to take risks. The shoreline doesn't seem to be very solid.

Elephants wander around the camping

Here are a few pictures to show you how close elephants can come around campsites. They are accustomed to people, but one must still be careful when one of these giants gets too close...

My camping chair and table. Nice show while I was eating lunch.

He is nearly touching the tent.

Some landscapes

Tracking animals by their footprint

One of the big cats...

Even though some species of animals are not always seen, it is sometimes possible to see interesting footprints about them.

Elephant.

Hippopotamus.

A pack of wild dogs (painted dogs)

I stayed three days in this park and one day I went to explore the western side of the park. For nearly 20 kilometres, I practically saw no animals. But at the end of the track, I stumbled upon this superb pack of wild dogs.

There were about fifteen wild dogs scattered around me. They were resting in the shade when I found them. After a while, they probably left to begin their afternoon hunt.

Magnificent sunrises and sunsets