Mana Pools
Photo Safari –
7 Nights

Signature Photo Safari series

Photograph elephants, wild dogs, and life along the Zambezi River in one of Africa’s most immersive wildlife environments.

Secure Your Place
4 – 11 May 2027

Overview of This Mana Pools Photo Safari

7 Nights
Mana Pools
Zimbabwe
From $10,945
pps
6 Guests
1 Photo Host

This ten-day photo safari is led by professional wildlife photographer Eric Van Staden, and is designed to immerse you in one of Africa’s most rewarding photographic landscapes.

Located along the Zambezi River, Mana Pools offers a rare combination of open floodplains, riverine woodland, and seasonal water sources that naturally concentrate wildlife . This creates exceptional opportunities to photograph elephants, predators, and river-dependent species in an environment where behaviour unfolds naturally.

By spending extended time within the same ecosystem, the focus shifts from covering ground to building opportunity, allowing for deeper encounters, repeat access to wildlife territories, and the chance to photograph authentic moments rather than fleeting sightings.

Activities are structured around light and wildlife movement, creating space to observe, anticipate, and capture meaningful images under the guidance of an experienced photographic host.

The Photo Safari Experience in Mana Pools

Mana Pools is one of Africa’s most immersive photographic environments.

Wildlife gathers along the Zambezi’s floodplains and inland pans, creating consistent opportunities to photograph elephants, predators, and interactions shaped by the dry-season landscape.

Here, photography becomes about presence rather than pursuit.

Each day is built around the natural ecosystems, with activities timed for optimal light and wildlife behaviour. The small-group format allows flexibility at sightings and the freedom to work scenes properly rather than simply observing them.

Between activities, there is time to review images, refine technique, or reset for the next session.
This is a safari designed for photographers who want to engage deeply with wildlife, learn in the field, and create images that reflect genuine encounters.

This safari is limited to just six guests and typically fills well in advance.
If this departure fits your plans, we recommend securing your place early.

Secure your place with a deposit. Flexible payment options are available.
Your place is confirmed once your deposit is received.
View full booking terms.

Secure Your Place

Who This Safari Is Designed For

Photography Experience

Confident photographers.
Refining technique and creative vision

Pace & Activity Level

Balanced photo safari.
Structured activities with
downtime

Travel Style

Intimate group.
Shared wildlife encounters with expert guidance

Comfort Level

High-quality safari lodges.
Comfortable wilderness accommodation

Nick Wigmore on African photo safari gives thumbs up, representing About Photo Safari Company.
Meet Your Photography Expert

Your Photo Host On This Safari

Nick Wigmore is a professional wildlife photographer, safari leader, and co-founder of Photo Safari Company, with years of experience guiding photographic journeys across Africa .

With a background that blends technical precision and creative observation, Nick’s approach is centred on helping guests move beyond snapshots and capture meaningful wildlife moments in the field .

Throughout the safari, he provides practical in-vehicle support, from composition and timing to camera settings and storytelling, ensuring you are in the right place, at the right time, with the confidence to create your best work .

His focus is simple: helping you connect more deeply with the wildlife you encounter and return home with images that truly reflect your experience

More about nick

Why Book With Us

Small groups. Big guidance. True purpose in every journey.

We design our safaris with photography at the core, from light and wildlife behaviour to vehicle positioning and pacing.

Every itinerary, from luxury to mid-range, is planned around optimal light, seasonal wildlife activity, and positioning for the best shots. With max 6 guests per group, you’ll get real support in the field, whether you’re photographing a leopard on a kill or your first sunset silhouette.

  • 1.

    Two decades of experience

    20+ years of experience in photography, conservation, and safari design

  • 2.

    Small group photo safaris

    Small groups only (max 6 guests) for better shots and shooting room

  • 3.

    Handpicked lodges and camps

    Exclusive locations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya and beyond

  • 4.

    Conservation focused travel

    From supporting wildlife conservation to ethical guiding

  • 5.

    On-trip pro guidance and mentoring

    Photo safaris built for photographers at all skill levels

  • 6.

    Customer focused, always!

    We build our safaris around our clients, focusing on your needs and comfort

Lion resting in the African savanna during a photo safari.

About the Signature Photo Safari Series

The Timeless Series photo safaris are designed around the classic wildlife experiences that have defined Africa for generations. These journeys take photographers into some of the continent’s most iconic ecosystems, where enduring landscapes, remarkable wildlife behaviour, and powerful seasonal moments combine to create extraordinary photographic opportunities.

With carefully chosen destinations and a strong emphasis on visual storytelling, these safaris are ideal for photographers who want to experience and document the defining wildlife scenes that make an African photo safari truly unforgettable.

Learn aBOUT Signature series

Why Travel With Photo Safari Company

Travel with confidence on professionally hosted safaris designed for small groups and exceptional wildlife experiences. As members of ATTA, we partner with carefully selected camps and lodges, provide expert photographic support in the field, and offer transparent pricing with clear booking protection, so you can focus entirely on the experience.

  • ATTA membership
  • Small group guarantee
  • Professional hosts
  • Curated camps & lodges
  • Price protection
Explore all Scheduled photo Safaris

Secure your place with a deposit. Flexible payment options are available.
Your place is confirmed once your deposit is received.
View full booking terms.

Secure Your Place

The Photo Safari Experience

Twice Daily Safari Activities

Guided Nature Experiences

Small Group Experience

Hand Picked Safari Lodges

Photographic
Support

Time To Unwind

Balanced Safari Pace

Transparent Pricing

Photographic Opportunities

This safari offers exceptional photographic conditions across a range of wildlife behaviours, lighting environments, and dynamic field situations.

  • Elephants along the Zambezi floodplains
  • Predator interactions shaped by dry-season movement
  • River-edge wildlife encounters
  • Golden light across open landscapes
  • Behaviour-driven photographic opportunities
African wild dog looking back during a photo safari.

Photo Safari Information

Photo Safari Information Summary

7 Night Photo Safari

safari Cost

From US$10,945
pps

Destination/s Visited

Mana Pools National Park
Zimbabwe

6 Guests

US$3,500 Deposit

Safari Starts In:

Harare (HRE)

Safari Ends In:

Harare (HRE)

Safari Plan & Details

Immersive Seven-Night Photo Safari in Mana Pools National Park

This seven-night photographic safari in Mana Pools National Park is designed around depth rather than distance, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in one of Africa’s most iconic wilderness landscapes along the Zambezi River.

By staying at Machaba Safaris’ Mana River Camp for the duration of the safari, guests gain repeated access to highly productive wildlife areas known for exceptional photographic encounters, including:

  • Elephants feeding and interacting along the Zambezi floodplains
  • Lions and other predators moving through the riverine forest
  • African wild dogs that regularly hunt across the open plains
  • Hippos and crocodiles along the riverbanks
  • Exceptional birdlife and dramatic river landscapes

Daily safari activities are scheduled around the best light and wildlife movement, with a flexible approach that allows extended time at sightings, ideal for photographers looking to capture behaviour, storytelling moments, and unique wildlife interactions.

Running from 21 May to 28 May, this safari takes place during the early dry season when wildlife begins concentrating along the Zambezi River and floodplain habitats, creating excellent opportunities for photography in golden winter light.

By remaining based at Wilderness Little Ruckomechi for the duration of the safari, guests benefit from consistent guiding, small-group travel, and extended access to the riverine forests and floodplains that define Mana Pools. The result is a photographic safari designed for travellers who want time, space, and repeated opportunities to experience one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic wildlife destinations.

Photo Safari Cost

Occupancy

sharing

SOLO

Price

*US$ 10,945

*US$ 13,178

Small Group Pricing

*This safari is priced on six guests sharing a room.
**Minimum of 4 guests required.
***If fewer than 6 guests travel, a small group adjustment of $1,550 per person applies to cover vehicle, guiding, photographic hosting, and logistical costs being shared across fewer guests.

Important Information

Safari booking Terms

What’s Included & What’s Not

Included

  • Accommodation
  • All meals
  • All camp transfers
  • Twice daily activities
  • Professional photo host
  • Drinks (house wines, local brand spirits, beers and soft drinks)
  • Refreshments on game drives
  • Wifi
  • Laundry
  • Conservation levies & Parks fees
  • Tax

Excluded

  • International flights
  • Visa’s
  • Travel insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Staff and Guide gratuities
  • Single supplement
  • Aircraft landing and departure fees, if applicable
  • Passenger Taxes, if applicable
  • Anything not mentioned in the Included section

Secure your place with a deposit. Flexible payment options are available.
Your place is confirmed once your deposit is received.
View full booking terms.

Secure Your Place

This Photo Safari Itinerary

Please note: This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, logistics, or wildlife conditions. Your guides will adapt daily plans to maximise photographic opportunities and guest comfort.

Fixed wing air transfer from Harare to Mana Pools airstrip.

Short road transfer/game drive from airstrip to lodge.

Arrive into Harare, where you will be met and assisted for your light aircraft transfer into Mana Pools National Park.

A scenic flight brings you to the banks of the Zambezi River, your home for the next several nights.

On arrival, settle into camp and enjoy your first sunset on the floodplains before a welcome dinner and safari briefing.

Your first full day begins with an early morning activity as the floodplains come alive.
Expect elephants moving through the albida forests, buffalo herds gathering near the river, and rich birdlife in the morning light.

Afternoon activity introduces you to the rawness of Mana Pools; slow, immersive, and deeply photographic.

Morning exploration focuses on the Zambezi shoreline, a prime location for elephants, hippos, and predator movement.

Afternoon activity ventures deeper into the forests, where iconic winterthorn trees create dramatic photographic compositions.

Today offers the opportunity for one of Mana Pools’ defining experiences, exploring on foot with expert guides.

Walking safaris reveal the small details often missed from vehicles and offer an intimate connection to the landscape.

Afternoon activity returns to vehicle-based exploration.

Focus shifts toward tracking lions, wild dogs, and other predators known to frequent the floodplain ecosystem.

A deeper exploration of Mana’s vast open areas. The contrast between forest shade and open light offers varied creative opportunities for photographers.

Golden light and dust-filled air often create exceptional photographic opportunities.

Photographic exploration continues with opportunities for low-angle shooting near waterholes and river edges.

With familiarity now built, the day is shaped around photographic priorities:
• Returning to strong sightings
• Waiting for light
• Working behaviour

This is often where portfolio images are made.

Elephants feeding, drinking, and interacting provide some of Mana’s most iconic imagery.

Your final full day allows for one last immersive experience in this wild landscape.

Time to revisit favourite areas and follow ongoing wildlife movement.

Whether by vehicle or on foot, the goal is to maximise your remaining photographic opportunities.
A farewell dinner closes the journey.

Enjoy a final morning activity before your light aircraft transfer back to Harare for onward travel.

Short road transfer/game drive from lodge to airstrip.

Fixed wing air transfer from Mana Pools airstrip to Harare.

This safari can be extended with additional nights in Victoria Falls before or after the main itinerary, or combined with further destinations in Zimbabwe, Botswana, or Zambia. Our team will be happy to tailor pre- and post-safari extensions to suit your travel plans.

Enhance your safari with our optional Victoria Falls Adventure Package, designed to complement your photographic journey with some of Southern Africa’s most iconic experiences.

This curated package combines wildlife, landscapes, and adventure, giving you the chance to experience Victoria Falls and the surrounding region from multiple perspectives, on the river, from the air, and on safari.

Our recommended Adventure Package includes:

“Flight of the Angels” Helicopter Flight over Victoria Falls, 13 minute flight.
Sunrise Zambezi River Cruise – ideal for bird photography, soft morning light, and river scenes
Chobe Day Trip – combining both land-based and water-based safari photography in Botswana’s famous Chobe National Park

These three experiences form our core Adventure Package and can be added to your safari at an additional cost of US$440.00 per person.

Note, this package does not include a professional photo host. It is an additional add on whereby you can take what you have learnt during the scheduled photo safari and put these new skills into practice.

“Mana Pools had been on our list for years as wildlife photographers, and it absolutely delivered. What stood out immediately was how well the photo safari was structured around light, behaviour, and time with the animals. We had multiple chances to photograph elephants along the Zambezi floodplain, and one afternoon spent nearly an hour working different angles on a lone bull walking through the winterthorn forest. That kind of time is rare on a typical safari. The guides really understood photography and were happy to position the vehicle or simply wait for the right moment. For anyone serious about an African photo safari, Mana Pools is an incredible place to work.“

Lars & Ingrid, Stockholm Sweden

A Glimpse Into This Photo Safari

This gallery offers a window into the extraordinary, from once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters to the elegant camps and lodges that redefine safari luxury.
 
While specific properties may vary by itinerary, each has been handpicked for its exceptional service, comfort, and immersive connection to the wild.

Wilderness Little Ruckomechi Fact Sheet

Wilderness Little Ruckomechi is one of the most exclusive safari camps in Mana Pools National Park, set on the banks of the Zambezi River with sweeping views across the floodplain. Known for its exceptional guiding and intimate tented suites, the camp offers privileged access to one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic wilderness areas.

Download the Wilderness Little Ruckomechi fact sheet below to explore details about the camp’s accommodation, facilities, wildlife experiences, and safari activities available during your stay in Mana Pools.

download fact sheet

Photo Safari Map

Photo Safari Booking & Travel FAQs

Your place is confirmed once your deposit has been received. After completing your registration, you will be guided to our secure payment page to pay the required deposit and finalise your booking.

A deposit of ~30% of the safari price is required to confirm your place. The remaining balance is payable prior to departure, with full payment details provided after booking confirmation.

Our safaris are designed to suit a wide range of photography experience levels — from enthusiastic beginners to experienced photographers. Guidance and support are provided throughout the safari.

Inclusions vary by itinerary but typically include accommodation, guided activities, photographic hosting, and many meals and internal transfers. Full details are clearly outlined on each safari page and in your booking information.

Yes. Most camps and lodges can accommodate dietary requirements and reasonable special requests when advised in advance. Please provide details during registration.

International flights to and from Africa are typically not included unless specifically stated in the itinerary. Internal safari flights and transfers may be included depending on the safari — full details are provided for each departure.

Yes. Many guests choose to add extra destinations, private extensions, or additional travel before or after their scheduled safari. These arrangements can often be organised alongside your booking.

If a safari is full, you may be able to join a waitlist in case of cancellations. We can also recommend similar departures or alternative travel dates.

Accommodation varies by safari and series, but all properties are carefully selected for comfort, location, and access to exceptional wildlife areas. Full details are provided within each safari itinerary.

Because group sizes are small and departures are limited, many safaris fill well in advance. Booking early is strongly recommended to secure your preferred travel dates.

Once your deposit is received, your place is secured. You will receive booking confirmation, detailed travel information, and preparation guidance to help you get ready for your safari.

Yes. Comprehensive travel insurance is required for all guests. In most cases, it is a mandatory condition of the camps and lodges we partner with, and must be in place prior to travel.

Recommended equipment varies depending on destination and wildlife, but guidance is provided after booking to help you prepare the most suitable gear for your safari.

Book Your Photo Safari Today

​​Whether you’re an amateur or seasoned safari-goer, this photo safari offers the perfect balance of luxury, adventure, and photographic freedom. With small group sizes, flexible safari schedules, and access to exclusive locations, you’ll leave with a memories of magic – and a heart full of Africa.
​
Availability is extremely limited for peak predator season.
Reserve your photo safari experience and capture Africa’s Big 5 and apex predators like never before.

Secure your place with a deposit. Flexible payment options are available.
Your place is confirmed once your deposit is received.
View full booking terms.

Secure Your Place