14 Nights / 15 Days
Dates: July 25 – August 6
Cost: $16,500 per person
- Initial Deposit: $3,200
Maximum Number of Participants: 6
Safari Leader: Buddy Eleazer
Email contact to sign up: [email protected]
Some safari destinations are special.
Others stay with you long after you have returned home.
Mana Pools is one of those places for me.
In 2024, I spent 10 days at Goliath Camp in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe. It was perhaps the most memorable safari I have ever experienced.
And then, while sitting on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi River, I watched elephants swim across the river into Zambia.
I began wondering:
What was waiting for us on the other side?
That question ultimately led me to Lower Zambezi National Park.
After visiting Lower Zambezi in August 2026, I now believe that combining these two extraordinary wilderness areas could create one of the most exciting photography safaris I have ever offered.
Mana Pools: A Safari I Will Never Forget
My 10 days at Goliath Camp in 2024 remain among my most memorable experiences in Africa.
The wildlife was outstanding, but it was the way we experienced that wildlife that made Mana Pools so special.
We were able to spend time on foot and remarkably close to elephants, including watching them stand on their back legs to reach seed pods high in the Ana trees.
We encountered wild dogs, lions, elephants, and much more.
But Mana Pools isn’t just about wildlife.
The Landscape Is Part of the Experience
Towering trees create an almost magical forest, filtering the sunlight throughout the day.
Early mornings and late afternoons can produce beautiful warm, golden light.
Then something fascinating happens as the day progresses. During mid-morning and mid-afternoon, the forest can take on a distinctive blue tone, creating a completely different photographic environment.
The photographs we brought home were extraordinary.
And because Mana Pools is so remote, we encountered very few other visitors. There was a wonderfully exclusive feeling to the experience:
Just us, the wildlife, and an enormous wilderness.
There was only one thing missing from an otherwise nearly perfect safari:
Leopards.
Discovering the Other Side of the Zambezi
While we were in Mana Pools, we watched elephants swimming across the Zambezi River into Zambia.
That river separates Mana Pools from Lower Zambezi National Park.
I began researching Lower Zambezi and quickly became intrigued.
The area also has the magnificent Ana trees—known as winterthorn trees on the Zambian side—and the style of safari sounded remarkably similar to Mana Pools.
But there was an important difference.
Lower Zambezi has a reputation for excellent leopard sightings and impressive wild dog encounters.
I wanted to see it for myself.
That curiosity led me to Lower Zambezi in August 2026.
Lower Zambezi: Everything I Hoped For—and More
Lower Zambezi exceeded my expectations.
We saw leopards every day.
We watched a pack of 16 wild dogs hunting.
And we spent time incredibly close to large numbers of elephants.
But what surprised me most was the diversity of the landscape.
I had expected Lower Zambezi to feel like an extension of Mana Pools.
Instead, I discovered that Lower Zambezi contains several distinctly different environments.
Along the River
Upstream, the landscape reminded me strongly of Khwai in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
The river, lush vegetation, and wildlife create a completely different photographic environment from the forests farther downstream.
The Winterthorn Forest
Downstream, we found beautiful winterthorn forest.
It is somewhat denser than the forest at Mana Pools and contains numerous large lagoons filled with wildlife.
These lagoons create excellent opportunities for both wildlife and landscape photography.
Jeki Plains
Slightly farther inland, the Jeki Plains offer yet another dramatic change.
The landscape becomes open, dry, and almost Namibia-like in appearance.
Yet even here, wildlife is abundant.
That variety is one of the reasons I am so excited about spending several days in two different camps in Lower Zambezi. Although the camps are not far apart, each provides access to different habitats and a different game-viewing experience.
For photographers, that means greater variety in both subject matter and landscape.
The Wilderness Experience
One of the things that struck me most about Lower Zambezi was how alone we felt in the wilderness.
Like Mana Pools, Lower Zambezi is remote.
During our game drives, we encountered very few other vehicles.
That matters enormously to me when designing a photography safari.
There is a profound difference between photographing a leopard while surrounded by a dozen safari vehicles and spending time with that same leopard in a quiet wilderness.
The latter is what I want our guests to experience.
Why Combine Mana Pools and Lower Zambezi?
I am not aware of many safari operators offering a trip that combines these two destinations.
The reason is simple:
Logistics.
Although Mana Pools and Lower Zambezi sit directly across the Zambezi River from one another, there are very few places where travelers can legally cross the international border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Fortunately, I have developed a strong relationship with the charter company that originally flew me into Mana Pools.
Working closely with them and with the camps we hope to visit, we believe we can arrange a series of charter flights that will make this unusual combination possible.
And that is what makes this trip so exciting.
The two destinations complement each other beautifully.
Mana Pools gives us:
- Magnificent forests
- Walking opportunities
- Extraordinary elephant encounters
- Wild dogs and lions
- Beautiful changing light
- A remote, uncrowded wilderness
- A landscape unlike almost anywhere else in Africa
Lower Zambezi adds:
- Excellent leopard opportunities
- Abundant wild dogs
- Large elephant herds
- Winterthorn forests
- Wildlife-filled lagoons
- Open Jeki Plains
- River and wetland environments
- An equally remote and uncrowded wilderness
Together, they offer an extraordinary range of wildlife, landscapes, behavior, and photographic opportunities.
Why 14 Nights?
Fourteen nights makes this a relatively long safari.
I believe it is also the right length.
These are not destinations that should be rushed.
Based on my own experiences—and conversations with guests who have traveled in these areas—I believe we need several days in each location to really appreciate what they offer.
Great wildlife photography often requires patience.
We need time to learn the area.
Time to understand where wildlife moves.
Time to experience different weather and lighting conditions.
And, most importantly, time to be in the right place when something extraordinary happens.
A leopard may appear at exactly the wrong time on one afternoon and provide the photograph of a lifetime the next morning.
A wild dog hunt may last only minutes.
An elephant may suddenly stand on its hind legs beneath the perfect light.
You can’t photograph those moments if you’re already packing for the next destination.
Fourteen nights gives us the time to slow down and let the safari unfold.
A Remarkable Value for Two Premier Wilderness Areas
This will not be an inexpensive safari when viewed as a total trip cost.
But at approximately $1,000 per night, I believe it represents an excellent value for two of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations—particularly because the internal charter flights are included.
We are also keeping the group deliberately small.
Only six guests plus a leader.
That allows us to maintain the flexibility and photographic focus that are so important in these remote environments.
Still Finalizing the Details
There are still a few details being finalized.
The biggest question is where the trip should begin:
Harare or Victoria Falls?
My previous Mana Pools trip began in Harare.
Victoria Falls, however, may be more convenient for many international travelers and would provide an opportunity to arrive a little early and experience one of Africa’s great natural wonders before the safari begins.
Once those final details are confirmed, the itinerary will be finalized.
The 2028 Mana Pools & Lower Zambezi Photography Safari
Group size: 6 guests + leader
Length: 14 nights / 15 days
Countries: Zimbabwe & Zambia
Draft Itinerary
| Date | Location |
| July 25, 2028 | Victoria Falls or Harare — TBD |
| July 26–31, 2028 | Goliath Camp, Mana Pools |
| August 1–3, 2028 | Chula Camp, Lower Zambezi |
| August 4–5, 2028 | Kutali Camp, Lower Zambezi |
| August 6, 2028 | Wild Dogs Lodge, Lusaka |
Estimated Cost
$16,500 per person
The price includes lodging and meals at the camps, as well as the following transportation and services:
- Flight from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls or Harare
- Charter flight from Victoria Falls or Harare to Mana Pools
- Charter flight from Mana Pools to Jeki in Lower Zambezi
- Flight from Jeki to Lusaka
- Flight from Lusaka to Johannesburg
- Laundry
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Not Included
- Gratuities for guides and camp staff
- International flights from the United States to Johannesburg
- Any required lodging in Johannesburg
Two Sides of One Extraordinary Wilderness
There is something particularly appealing about this journey.
We begin on one side of the Zambezi River, in a place that has already become one of my favorite safari destinations anywhere in Africa.
Then we cross that river—following, in a sense, the same path taken by the elephants I watched swimming from Zimbabwe into Zambia.
On the other side, we discover another extraordinary wilderness.
After visiting both Mana Pools and Lower Zambezi, I am more excited than ever about bringing these destinations together.
Two countries.
Two extraordinary wilderness areas.
Three very different habitats in Lower Zambezi.
An incredible diversity of wildlife.
And very few other vehicles.
Most importantly, this isn’t simply a trip designed to check two destinations off a map.
It is designed around the kind of experience that makes us fall in love with Africa in the first place.
Wildlife encounters that unfold naturally.
Landscapes that make you stop and stare.
Light that changes by the hour.
And enough time to simply be there when something extraordinary happens.
I believe this could be a truly unforgettable safari.