What it is
A World Heritage site on the southern bank of the Zambezi below Lake Kariba, where the river has left a flat terrace of pools and open winterthorn woodland. The trees drop pods that elephants stand on their hind legs to reach. There is almost no undergrowth, so you can see a long way at ground level.
Why go
Walking and canoeing, not driving. Zimbabwe's guiding qualification makes serious walking safaris possible, and Mana is one of very few parks in Africa where experienced visitors may walk unguided at their own risk. Canoe trips run downriver for two to four days, camping on sandbanks, with hippo the thing you take seriously. This is not a first safari: the camps are simple, the heat is real and the appeal is walking, which suits people who have already done a few game drives.
When to go
The park effectively opens around April or May once the roads dry, and closes again with the rains. August to October is the best game viewing and the hottest, with October in the valley over 40C. From December to March the access roads are usually impassable and most camps shut. Bed numbers are limited and it books out a year ahead for the good months.
Most people stay 3-4 nights.