 Wild Dogs in Mana Pools waiting for your visit If you’ve been dreaming of an unforgettable safari, 2025 is the year to make it happen!
Whether you’re drawn to Hwange’s abundant elephant herds, Mana Pools’ legendary predator sightings, or the remote and rugged beauty of Gonarezhou, we have the perfect adventure waiting for you! Our small-group safaris ensure intimate wildlife encounters and expert guidance every step of the way. Below, you’ll find our latest scheduled departures - reserve your spot early and get ready for the safari of a lifetime! We're always happy to tailor-make a safari itinerary to fit your wishes and timing and you can contact Mike for any bespoke trips. May 2 - 5 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 4 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. Space available May 6 - 10 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 5 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. Space available May 11 - 15 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 5 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. Space available May 24 - 30 Mana backed up trail hike. All luggage in the car we stroll between and slackpack between exclusive bush camps June A great month to visit all Zim parks. We recommend a Hwange / Mana Pools combo or tailor-make your own trip. Email us for suggestions and tips. July 1 - 9 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available July 11 - 16 Slackpacking on the Mwenezi River in Gonarezhou Space available July 16 - 21 Backpacking on the Bompadzi River in Gonarezhou Space available August A great month to visit all Zim parks. We recommend a Hwange / Mana Pools combo or tailor-make your own trip. Email us for suggestions and tips. September 6 - 10 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available September 11 - 15 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available Dates for end of 2025 to follow - stay tuned! Follow us on the Khangela Safaris instagram account for weekly updates.
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We hope everyone started off their 2024 in good health and good spirits. On our side, we are enjoying some off season rest and look forward to a year of adventure. We have many open slots for new trips and can accommodate any kind of request - the earlier the better. Have a look at our itinerary suggestions here and let us know which trip interests you. We have available seats to join other groups on the following tours that will take place. May 16 - 19 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 4 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. Space available May 20 - 23 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 4 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. 1 space available May 24 - 27 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 4 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. Space available July 1 - 4 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available July 15 - 19 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available August 2 - 6 Mana Pools National Park Transfers excluded (information on request) Great game viewing in a world heritage site Space available September 1 - 4 Hwange National Park Pick up and drop off in Vic Falls 4 days of fun and adventure in one of Zimbabwe's best parks. 4 spaces available  9 July to 27 July Niasssa backpack trail and canoe excursions Space available for adventurers 15 August to 21 August Backpacking trail Gonarezhou Space available! As always we are happy to accommodate your specific dates and customize a trip to you needs and wishes. Contact Mike to discuss.  Backpacking along Rundi River in Gonarezhou National Park As a company that focuses on offering customized walking safaris across Southern Africa, Khangela Safaris is highly dependent on the work of National Parks and conservation initiatives to ensure that there are spaces that we can safely and easily access to spend valuable time in nature, observe animals in their natural habitat and discover plants and creatures of all shapes and sizes. There is a careful balance between protection, conservation, and rehabilitation. We’re all responsible for leaving as little impact as possible on the environment. Here are five conservation groups we are thankful for and if you’re looking for an organization to support, this might point you in the right direction.  Photo Credits: Bad Rabbit Studio 1. Gonarezhou National Park: A conservation partnership A few years ago Zimbabwe National Parks teamed up with the Frankfurt Zoological Society to help manage and protect this unique National Park. According to the official Gonarezhou website (highly recommended to scroll through and have a look at what they do): “The Gonarezhou Trust is an innovative new model for protected area management drawn up between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). Built on the back of a strong relationship developed over 9 years of support by FZS for Gonarezhou, the Trust is directly responsible for management of the Park for a period of 20 years, and became fully operational on 1st March 2017.” This collaboration and a new way of approaching conservation can already be felt in the park and will hopefully continue to ensure a sustainable and long-term solution to protect the wildlife and beautiful landscapes for further generations to enjoy. It’s one of the reasons we love doing safaris to Gonarezhou and why we think you should include it on your travel bucket list.  Photo Credits: Luwire Wildlife Conservancy 2. Luwire Conservancy Foundation in Niassa This game reserve is so large it is hard to grasp over 42’000 km² (that's bigger than the size of Switzerland, which is 41,285 km² in case anyone needs a reference)! Conserving such a vast wilderness area needs all the help it can get. One such group committed to protecting Niassa is The Luwire Conservancy Foundation. Their community projects and wildlife protection find a balance between rest and adventure. Their “activity menu” ranges from adventurous tourism to quiet refuge - ensuring everyone finds their perfect experience. If canoeing past the giant Inselbergs of Ngolonge is not enough you can trail walk around to make sure you were not dreaming.  Photo Credits: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority / Nick Dyer 3. Matusadona African Parks This unique setup is not just another partnership: Africa Parks have a 20-year co-management agreement to rehabilitate this iconic National Park in Zimbabwe. The future of black rhino conservation is here. It always has been. The scenic sunsets on Lake Kariba have the backdrop of the rolling Zambezi escarpment as one of natures' best backyards making Matusadona one of the best parks to visit and enjoy.  Photo Credits: Bhejane Trust 4. Bhejane Trust in Hwange National Park The Bhejane Trust has been quietly assisting Hwange National Park with a multitude of resources. Keeping water pumps running and getting anti-poaching units out in the field are two of the most important conservation tools in Hwange. Another vast stretch of specially protected area that links up and becomes an integral part of KAZA TCFA. 5 countries have a shared conservation goal. Hard to believe? It is successfully happening now...  Photo Credits: The Tashinga Initiative 5. Zambezi Valley Ecosystem The Tashinga Initiative is a great example of successful conservation with an all-inclusive big-picture approach. Boots on the ground is always a great starting point and the Tshinga Initiative lives this and breathes this philosophy throughout their wildlife protection initiatives. Doing that over the whole Zambezi Valley is a real challenge and they have been able to coordinate with all stakeholders and players in the came. Having access to the latest communication networks available has proven to be the key. These are a few of the important components that make up the assistance the Tashinga initiative helps with. You can find our more about them on their website.  It is thanks to National Parks and conservation groups like this, that we get to offer amazing safaris to guests from around the world.
It's important to shed a light on these kind of initiatives and if you'd like to support or check any of them out on the ground, feel free to ask Mike to make the contact or organise a meeting with them on your next safari itinerary. 2023 Update: As of this year we have welcomed Pro Guide Peter Solomon to the team. This means we can schedule parallel trips and safaris to multiple destinations. If you have specific dates in mind - please reach out and we can make a plan! 11 March to 24 March, Zakouma National Park, Chad Freelancing for Pictus Safaris, reconnaissance for future safari destinations 13 April to 25 April Zimbabwe Safari covering Mana Pools, Matobo, Hwange, ending in Victoria Falls. Fully booked. 30 April to 3 May Hwange Safari. Fully booked. As from 4 May Mike will be training Learner Guides for the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust (GCT) on backpacking trails. These training trips welcome guests at a discounted rate. If you'd like to join one of these trips in our favorite park, reach out to Mike directly. During this period Mike will be researching bike trails and canoe trails on behalf of the GCT. Stay tuned for adventure updates. June, July, August: open for bookings of all shapes and sizes 30 August to 11 September Pick up: Victoria Falls, safari to Hwange, Matobo, Mana Pools. Drop off: Harare. Limited space available. Guide: Mike Scott. Book here. More trips to follow soon!  4 June to 10 June Freelancing for Imvelo safaris. A Jack Fleckney adventure. 28 June to 1 July Africa Exclusive Private guided safari to Gorongosa and Zambezi Delta, Mozambique 4 July to 8 July Hwange safari, fully subscribed 10 July to 20 July Gonarezhou safari, fully subscribed 22 July to 30 July Gonarezhou safari, space available for 3 maybe 4. Pick up and drop of Bulawayo If you'd like to join this Gonarezhou trip and see these amazing landscapes (and animals too) send Mike an email.  Gonarezhou National Park 1 August to 7 August Mana Pools safari, fully subscribed 9 August to 20 August Gonarezhou safari, fully subscribed, provisionally booked 29 August to 5 September Gonarezhou safari, fully subscribed. 8 September to 17 September Fully subscribed 18 September to 30 September Mana and Hwange Safari, space available for 6. If you and your friends/family would like to see the Mana Pools elephants and explore Hwange send Mike an email.  Elephants in Mana Pools As from 1 October to 12 December 2022 open for new bookings and happy to schedule trips for 2023. More information on safari destinations here. Gonarezhou is a national park located in Southern Africa that has managed to stay under the radar. The Rundi and Mwenezi rivers carve their way through this huge park that spans over 5053 km2 creating a scenic wonderland of cliffs, rich alluvial floodplains and natural water pans. The varying types of woodland and bush hold an immense diversity of creatures, which make it a rewarding park for walking, game drives and just enjoying the natural beauty it holds. This unique national park is located in South East Zimbabwe and forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation area, including other great parks in South Africa and Mozambique. It was established as a National Park in 1975 and is home to large herds of elephants, giving the park its name. The name Gonarezhou is from the Shona language and is translated as “the place of elephants”. Elephants aren’t the only reason to visit this highly underrated place, which is why we have collected our five reasons why this park should be number one on your list as your next safari destination.  Gonarezhou Panorama - Image Credits Matt Blair Conservation Storytelling 1. Gonarezhou National Park is still a well-kept secret Many visitors to Zimbabwe flock to Mana Pools and Hwange to see the big game, although both are wonderful parks with great reputations, there are many other beautiful places to discover. Gonarezhou has much more to offer and because all the hoards go to the other two parks, it means we have the vastness, diversity of flora and fauna and all the animals (mostly) to ourselves. The accommodation facilities available to us are strategically spread out through the park to allow access to the rich diversity and allow us to exclusively enjoy everything the park has to offer within 5 to …an unlimited number of days! There is always more to see and you can easily spend 2 full weeks in this park and stay entertained.  Elephant & Buffalo in Gonarezhou - Image Credits: Gary De Jong 2. The animal diversity in Gonarezhou is unbeatable With such varying soil types, permanent water year-round the natural vegetation is host to a large variety of animals. All creatures great and small are waiting to be discovered. The rivers and pans hold 50 species of fish. Bird sightings are up to 400. Large mammals 89 including endangered painted wolves, nyala antelope, along with the more common large mammals such as elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, kudu, waterbuck impala and warthog. Finding all these treasures in a single national park is what makes Gonarezhou the best one-stop spot.  Birdlife in Gonarezhou - Image Credits: Gary De Jong 3. The park is protected with an innovative conservation model Zimbabwe National Parks have teamed up with Frankfurt Zoological Society to help manage and protect this unique National Park. According to the official Gonarezhou website (highly recommended to scroll through): official Gonarezhou website (highly recommended site to scroll through): “The Gonarezhou Trust is an innovative new model for protected area management drawn up between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). Built on the back of a strong relationship developed over 9 years of support by FZS for Gonarezhou, the Trust is directly responsible for management of the Park for a period of 20 years, and became fully operational on 1st March 2017.” This collaboration and new way of approaching conservation can already be felt in the park and will hopefully continue to ensure a sustainable and long-term solution to protect the wildlife and beautiful landscapes for further generations to enjoy.  Baobab in the park - Image Credits: Bad Rabbit Studio 4. The riverside walks are unbeatable Both rivers in Gonarezhou are unique, attractive and wind there way through a wide variety of geological formations. Best of all, we can walk alongside all of these amazing features and enjoy them in full. Mwenezi River: The Simuwini gorge has remarkable potholes and waterfalls, wide meandering sandy sections fringed with tall riverine vegetation. To top this off are some stunning, deep, permanent water holes at Rossi pools. Plus the river winds around the aptly named Buffalo bend. Rundi River: Downstream from Chipinda Pools the Rundi river descends into the chasm of Chivalila Gorge, after a dramatic waterfall, the river continues through steep gorges as it winds its way ever closer to the Save river confluence where it widens to a huge meandering sandy river. The lush alluvial flood plain is dotted with Ilala palm forests huge mahogany, ebony and fever trees and iconic baobabs to set the scene where all types of wildlife abound.  Sunset over Rundi River - Image Credits Mike Scott Khangela Safaris 5. Gonarezhou has unique landscapes and photographic panoramas The Rundi river has carved its way through the sandstone to leave the well known Chilojo Cliffs which stand close to 190 meters tall. Close by are the two well-known natural pans Tembwehata and Machinwa. They host unusual African lungfish and giant freshwater terrapins, and are also both packed with birds, fish and large mammals. On the Mwenezi river, iconic places like Buffalo bend, Simuwini gorge and Rossi Pool are on our doorsteps and easy to access on a Gonarezhou safari trip.  Chilojo Cliffs - Image Credits Mike Scott Khangela Safaris These are our five reasons why this park should be on the top of your list next year. If you’re interested in a Gonarezhou safari send Mike an email today and he’ll set up a personalized trip itinerary tailored to fit your needs.
"Incredible Stay in Mana Pools" I spent five nights in Mana Pools with Mike Scott and the Khangela team, and was blown away with both the wildlife and how well the trip was executed. We spent two nights in Chitake Springs, where we had excellent views of lion and elephant on foot, as well as a wild dog kill near camp during the night. We then spent three nights at the waterfront on the border with Zambia - the setting for this camp was stunning - where we were lucky enough to encounter the famous Mana Pools dogs on foot, as well as the famous Boswell. Mike is an excellent guide, who was highly responsive to the demands of a group who had plenty of experience in Africa. He put real effort into finding the dogs, as this was very much at the top of our wish list. Mike is highly knowledgeable and conscientious, going out of his way to respond to my queries before the trip and being thoroughly accommodating throughout my stay. A huge shout out must also go to Bernard, whose tracking skills are unparalleled, and Mickey,who catered for us expertly. I'm already planning a further trip with Khangela in future - the cheetah of Hwangwe and rhino of Matobo are next on the list! *This review was originally published on safaribookings.com July 8 - July 12 Mana Pools. We have space for 4 additional people. July 20 - July 24 Hwange Trip. We have space for 2 additional people. Pick up and drop of Victoria Falls. 28 July - 11 August Mana, Matobo and Hwange. We have space for 1 additional person. Pick up Harare and drop off V.Falls. 12 August - 15 August Hwange Trip. We have space for 4 additional people. Pick up and drop of V.Falls. 14 September - 17 September Mana Pools. We have space for 4 additional people. 12 October - 17 October Mana Pools. We have space for 3 additional people. 12 November - 15 November Hwange Trip. We have space for 4 additional people. Space available for tailor-made trips between 1 July to 19 July and 27 August to 20 September. October Open for bookings. November Open for bookings. If you'd like to join any of the trips or start your own you can contact Mike here.  "Just arrived back in Harare after an incredible 5 nights in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. Mana is magical and all of my images were captured on foot, well mostly on my belly, quite close to my subjects. We managed to come across resting lions on one of our walks and sat with them for the afternoon. It is the first time I have been so close to lions on foot and without a vehicle in sight. The cats were very relaxed with our presence but did keep a close eye on us. Of course the highlight of the adventure was not captured with my camera, we had been trying to find Mana's Wild Dog pack but unfortunately had no luck. I was feeling a little disappointed about this but for anyone that has spent time with dogs in the bush you will know that they can be ghosts and hard to find at the best of times. We were in the middle of packing up camp on the final morning and I was walking around on the edge of the camp looking at the overnight spoor when I heard the sound of a stampede. I looked up to see a large herd of Impala running straight towards me and guess what was chasing them..... the painted ones. I was smack bang in the middle of a wild dog chase! The impala and dogs ran straight past me. I was completely frozen! The dogs looked like torpedoes of fur! It was an experience I will never forget. Massive thanks to Mike and the Khangela Safaris team for an amazing few days in Zimbabwe. I cannot wait to come back in 2019 and show this special part of the world to my guests." - Bobby Jo Clow from Duma Safaris (Mana Trip , August 2018) |