Mana Pools & Tafika Trip Report - October 2018

[Tedx2]

Greetings all. In October 2018, our younger daughter and son-in-law from Australia joined us for an exciting trip to Mana Pools and Tafika (lower Zambezi), we experienced a number of highlights. Please feel free to join us on our journey. For those that are interested, I have completed the trip report on the attached .pdf file, we have been inspired by many others that share their knowledge and experiences on this forum. We hope you enjoy the trip. Many thanks John and Linda.

[Mal Hannes]

Enjoyable read!

Beautiful photos!

Lots of jealousy!

Felt like I was there.

[Tedx2]

Enjoyable read!

Beautiful photos!

Lots of jealousy!

Felt like I was there.

Hey Hannes, thanks for compliments, I'm pleased you enjoyed the journey!!

[ortelius]

Another report of your very high standards, John. And excelent photography. Thank you!

We should be in Zimbabwe right now, Mana and Ghonarezou included. But covid-19 somehow didn't agree, so we had to postpone to next year. But our advanced payment for camping in Mana (one of the highest camping tariffs in whole Africa for foreigners!) has gone down the drain. They were only willing to offer us 6 months credid, which is of no use for us. Luckily, Ghonarezhou management was much more flexible, we can use our paid camping fees anytime untill the end of next year.

So, I can hardly wait for our trip next year. I only hope this pandemic mess will somehow be resolved by then...

[Tedx2]

Another report of your very high standards, John. And excelent photography. Thank you!

We should be in Zimbabwe right now, Mana and Ghonarezou included. But covid-19 somehow didn't agree, so we had to postpone to next year. But our advanced payment for camping in Mana (one of the highest camping tariffs in whole Africa for foreigners!) has gone down the drain. They were only willing to offer us 6 months credid, which is of no use for us. Luckily, Ghonarezhou management was much more flexible, we can use our paid camping fees anytime untill the end of next year.

So, I can hardly wait for our trip next year. I only hope this pandemic mess will somehow be resolved by then...

Hi Jurij, thanks for the acknowledgement of my report, it is a pleasure to do, you may be interested in my Gonarezhou report posted a few minutes ago.

Your experience with Zimbabwe National Parks is wrong on so many fronts, please see my PM that I will post shortly. Yes, we hope this pandemic ends soon, but we have many doubts, things in Southern Africa are not looking too good at present.

[Frans 90]

Thanks John for keeping us on the road during these times.

[Tedx2]

Thanks John for keeping us on the road during these times.

Hi Frans, I had just directed you to this report from my Gonarezhou thread, I thought you would be interested, thanks for reading

[Xtreme 4x4]

Hi John and Linda, A big thank you for all the time and effort taken to write such brilliant and equally beautiful trip reports. Thank you for sharing your special experiences with us. Love your style of writing.. think I've read all your reports and wholeheartedly wish you many more pleasant travels through Africa which you'll make us feel a part of once we get to read the reports.. A BEEG THUMBS UP!!

[Tedx2]

Hi John and Linda, A big thank you for all the time and effort taken to write such brilliant and equally beautiful trip reports. Thank you for sharing your special experiences with us. Love your style of writing.. think I've read all your reports and wholeheartedly wish you many more pleasant travels through Africa which you'll make us feel a part of once we get to read the reports.. A BEEG THUMBS UP!!

Hi Xtreme, wow what a generous comment on our trip reports, its comments like this that make all the effort worthwhile knowing that we are creating enjoyment for others, thanks, greatly appreciated. I notice from previous posts of yours that you are a keen fisherman, you must have enjoyed the tiger/vundu photos, the memory of my 20lb 4oz (9.2kg) tiger will stay with me for the rest of my life . Way back in 2004 I caught a 13lb 10oz (6.2kg) bass in Zimbabwe, see picture below, all my fishing dreams have been satisfied, others are bonuses.

[Xtreme 4x4]

You are most welcome, my words are only what I felt from reading yours. And as they say work is only for those who don't know how to fish so Yes, I do like the idea of throwing a line out with the hope of reeling in a mermaid one day, till then I'll just keep casting. Am also blessed to have travelled to many of the places you've visited so can relate to some of your experiences. To mention just one. Mana Pools. absolutely a magical mystical place. Stayed on our first occasion at Nyamepi camp and on one of the nights had a pride of 17 lions in camp for a period of 2 hours roaring their guts out. On the same trip had an opportunity to send a jerk bait out at mana mouth, promised my nervous wife that I'd make only 3 casts as the suns last rays turned the sky into an orange glow and Boom! On the 3rd cast, a 4,5 kg tiger from the bank! What a rush!! On our second trip we stayed at Rukomechi Camp and had made good friends with the management couple Thys and Amy.. Needless to say, most of our days were spent drifting down the mighty, rod in hand with some lovely game viewing and screeming reels.. not as lucky as yourself with a 9.2kg!! Congrats on that one!! But managed to bag a few 5 and 6ers.. and a monsterous Vundu of 30kg on my 6ft Berkley bass rod.. would never have managed to land it without the help of our skillful skipper who obeyed all my instructions to steer the boat and followed the fish as it peeled line like a Bugatti on take off. My wife had to hit the oar against the side of the boat as this beast pulled us towards a pod of hippos.. and as my forearms and back started to feel the strain this not so pretty fish eventually surfaced, showing some whiskers and decided to make another dash zweeeee..we..weeeee.. love that sound.. 55 mins since hook up, timed by the mrs. And we eventually managed to get this beast on board. Memory of a lifetime! ( if I ever relate this fight and say it took me an hour, I get told it was 55mins and I shouldn't exaggerate!!) Glad that the lodge had a working butcher scale that we could weigh the fish on before it lazily swayed and danced it's way back into the depths of the Zambezi. Congrats on a Beauty of a Bass too!! My guess would be that it was caught at Mteri?

[Xtreme 4x4]

[Tedx2]

You are most welcome, my words are only what I felt from reading yours. And as they say work is only for those who don't know how to fish so Yes, I do like the idea of throwing a line out with the hope of reeling in a mermaid one day, till then I'll just keep casting. Am also blessed to have travelled to many of the places you've visited so can relate to some of your experiences. To mention just one. Mana Pools. absolutely a magical mystical place. Stayed on our first occasion at Nyamepi camp and on one of the nights had a pride of 17 lions in camp for a period of 2 hours roaring their guts out. On the same trip had an opportunity to send a jerk bait out at mana mouth, promised my nervous wife that I'd make only 3 casts as the suns last rays turned the sky into an orange glow and Boom! On the 3rd cast, a 4,5 kg tiger from the bank! What a rush!! On our second trip we stayed at Rukomechi Camp and had made good friends with the management couple Thys and Amy.. Needless to say, most of our days were spent drifting down the mighty, rod in hand with some lovely game viewing and screeming reels.. not as lucky as yourself with a 9.2kg!! Congrats on that one!! But managed to bag a few 5 and 6ers.. and a monsterous Vundu of 30kg on my 6ft Berkley bass rod.. would never have managed to land it without the help of our skillful skipper who obeyed all my instructions to steer the boat and followed the fish as it peeled line like a Bugatti on take off. My wife had to hit the oar against the side of the boat as this beast pulled us towards a pod of hippos.. and as my forearms and back started to feel the strain this not so pretty fish eventually surfaced, showing some whiskers and decided to make another dash zweeeee..we..weeeee.. love that sound.. 55 mins since hook up, timed by the mrs. And we eventually managed to get this beast on board. Memory of a lifetime! ( if I ever relate this fight and say it took me an hour, I get told it was 55mins and I shouldn't exaggerate!!) Glad that the lodge had a working butcher scale that we could weigh the fish on before it lazily swayed and danced it's way back into the depths of the Zambezi. Congrats on a Beauty of a Bass too!! My guess would be that it was caught at Mteri?

Thanks for sharing your vundu experience, I felt like I was with you willing the fish into the boat, they do give a very good tug and are fun to catch. Great tiger near Mana too, well done. My bass was caught in Darwendale (Manyame) about 50kms from Harare, 15 years ago the bass fishing there was as good as anywhere in the world but unfortunately illegal netting, the hassle with many Zimbabwean waters, has decimated the bass and bait population and fishing today has never fully recovered.

[ortelius]

But our advanced payment for camping in Mana (one of the highest camping tariffs in whole Africa for foreigners!) has gone down the drain. They were only willing to offer us 6 months credid, which is of no use for us.

I'm more than happy to report, that Zimparks have actually changed their covid-19 cancellation policy. Credits for pre-pandemic reservations will be respected through 2021, so provided that travels will be possible next year, we will not need to pay twice for our stay at Mana Pools.

Big thanks to John (Tedx2) and Ant to help me sort this mess out. And thanks to Zimparks for their sensible decission.

So, if there is someone else in simmilar boat there (paid to Zimparks for their stay this year, but couldn't travel to Zim due to covid-19 restrictions), you can use yourpayments for the trip next year.

[Tedx2]

I'm more than happy to report, that Zimparks have actually changed their covid-19 cancellation policy. Credits for pre-pandemic reservations will be respected through 2021, so provided that travels will be possible next year, we will not need to pay twice for our stay at Mana Pools.

Big thanks to John (Tedx2) and Ant to help me sort this mess out. And thanks to Zimparks for their sensible decision.

So, if there is someone else in similar boat there (paid to Zimparks for their stay this year, but couldn't travel to Zim due to covid-19 restrictions), you can use your payments for the trip next year.

That's an absolute pleasure Jurij, happy that we could assist you. I'm very pleased that common sense has prevailed and that Zimparks have altered their policy. I believe that Zimbabwean residents are already being allowed into National Parks, hopefully by the start of next year we will all be able to return to the bush in Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries.

[Andyandcal]

Greetings all. In October 2018, our younger daughter and son-in-law from Australia joined us for an exciting trip to Mana Pools and Tafika (lower Zambezi), we experienced a number of highlights. Please feel free to join us on our journey. For those that are interested, I have completed the trip report on the attached .pdf file, we have been inspired by many others that share their knowledge and experiences on this forum. We hope you enjoy the trip. Many thanks John and Linda.

Hi John
Have just been catching up after our last chat. What a super trip. I remember the stories when you came back, but the read is even better! What a super video of the lion kill.
The tafika trip and the fishing...what a super catch.. I don't know how you do it ! Patience maybe , which certainly is not my strength

Wonderful report and makes one want to pack up and get out there.
All the best
Andy

[Tedx2]

Hi John
Have just been catching up after our last chat. What a super trip. I remember the stories when you came back, but the read is even better! What a super video of the lion kill.
The tafika trip and the fishing...what a super catch.. I don't know how you do it ! Patience maybe , which certainly is not my strength

Wonderful report and makes one want to pack up and get out there.
All the best
Andy

Hi Andy, only just seen this, thanks for posting, I never knew you had joined the forum. Yes, we too just want to get out there, still holding thumbs for Linda's ankle.

Chat soon
John

[ortelius]

I'm more than happy to report, that Zimparks have actually changed their covid-19 cancellation policy. Credits for pre-pandemic reservations will be respected through 2021, so provided that travels will be possible next year, we will not need to pay twice for our stay at Mana Pools.

Big thanks to John (Tedx2) and Ant to help me sort this mess out. And thanks to Zimparks for their sensible decission.

So, if there is someone else in simmilar boat there (paid to Zimparks for their stay this year, but couldn't travel to Zim due to covid-19 restrictions), you can use yourpayments for the trip next year.

Further to this, I can report that Zimparks has fully respected our Mana Pools payments (camping and conservation fees), paid back in 2020, and took it into account for our visit this year. Our trip was postponed two years in a row due to Covid, but thanks to Zimparks and Ant from manapools.com, we haven't lost a single dollar paid.

Kudos to both and now fingers crossed that nothing unexpected comes between us and Zimbabwe before August.

[Tedx2]

Further to this, I can report that Zimparks has fully respected our Mana Pools payments (camping and conservation fees), paid back in 2020, and took it into account for our visit this year. Our trip was postponed two years in a row due to Covid, but thanks to Zimparks and Ant from manapools.com, we haven't lost a single dollar paid.

Kudos to both and now fingers crossed that nothing unexpected comes between us and Zimbabwe before August.

Great news Jurij, so pleased that Zimparks have kept their word, we have had similar joy with our Bots trip originally booked for May 2020 and now happening in October/November 2022. We will be going to Mana/Tafika/Chizarira/Matusadona/Hwange/Kazuma in September 2022. Travelling in our recently acquired LC79.