Nyamatusi is an upscale safari camp located on the banks of the Zambezi River in the remote and wildlife-rich Mana Pools National Park, which is part of a World Heritage Site.

Nyamatusi is adjoined to a smaller, family-oriented, sister camp (Nyamatusi Mahogany) and both camps are sited in an incredibly beautiful setting along the southern bank of the Zambezi River.

There are very few safari camps in Mana Pools National Park, and the Nyamatusi camps are located far from any other camp, giving guests here a very exclusive safari experience with no other tourists. Read all about Mana Pools below.

Wildlife is abundant around the camp, with seemingly endless numbers of elephant, which are regularly seen from the camp itself as they move along and across the river to and from Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park, which lies on the far side of the waterway.

The elephants in Mana Pools are typically extremely relaxed around humans, and often amble slowly right through the camp, allowing for up-close viewing, both in vehicle, on nature walks, and from the camp.

Other iconic species that are likely to be seen at Nyamatusi include buffalo, eland, waterbuck, greater kudu, impala, and many more. Commonly seen predators include lion, spotted hyena, leopard, African wild dog, and black-backed jackal. Cheetah are present, but seen less often. Hippo and crocodile are abundant in the river. Birding in the area is extremely good, with over 400 species recorded.

Activities at Nyamatusi Camp include twice-daily (or full-day) game drives in customized, open Land Cruisers, walking with an armed guide, canoeing on the Zambezi River, fishing (catch-and-release from the shore), and seasonal power-boat outings on the river. Wildlife viewing from the camp's main area and guest tents is also very good throughout the day between activities.

The camp offers six, luxurious, well-appointed, tented-suites, with comfortable beds (twin or double setup), an outdoor deck that includes lounge seating and a private, plunge pool, and fully-plumbed facilities with both indoor and outdoor showers, a double-basin vanity, and flush toilet.

The main camp area consists of a two-level wooden structure constructed atop wooden decking that overlooks the river and offers views all the way across the Zambezi River to the escarpment on the Zambian side. The slightly-elevated lower level features an indoor dining space, bar, and welcoming lounge area.

The indoor space opens at the front onto an outdoor deck used for dining and relaxing, as well as a sunken campfire area. The deck also offers a plunge pool with loungers for rolling off between activities. There is a safari shop offering African curious and safari gear.

Nyamatusi Camp is an eco-friendly safari accommodation that operates primarily on solar energy (guests can tour the impressive solar-panel array behind the camp), but a generator provides a backup power source and there is 24-hour electricity in the guest tents and the main area.

The Nyamatusi camps are owned and operated by African Bush Camps (ABC), a company founded by a professional African safari guide, who has a passion for protecting remote spaces and the wildlife that lives there.

African Bush Camps operates safari camps in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The ABC camps are fully sustainable, with minimal impact on the environment. The African Bush Camps Foundation runs local projects that empower the local communities wherever they operate safari camps. The company's aim is to conserve and preserve wildlife and natural areas in Southern Africa.

About The Lower Zambezi

Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park is located in the Lower Zambezi Valley, a remote protected area along the Zambezi River that covers land in both Zimbabwe (south of the river) and Zambia (north of the river). The Zambezi River forms the boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia in this area. The Zambezi Valley is flanked on both sides by the rugged Zambezi Escarpment, which rises over 3 300 feet (1 000 meters).

The lifeblood of the entire Lower Zambezi Valley, including Mana Pools NP, is the Zambezi River, which originates hundreds of miles away in far northwest Zambia. This mighty river flows south through Zambia, over The Victoria Falls, east into Lake Kariba and into the Lower Zambezi Valley.

The Zimbabwean side of Lower Zambezi includes Mana Pools National Park and the adjoining Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas further east and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The Zambian side of the river is protected by Lower Zambezi National Park and the Chiawa Game Management Area.

The combined protected areas of the Lower Zambezi are one of Southern Africa's most diverse wildlife destinations and one its most outstanding wilderness areas.

About Mana Pools

Mana Pools is part of an extensive, unfenced natural habitat that is home to diverse and abundant wildlife on the southern side of the Zambezi River. The combined protected area includes Mana Pools National Park (848 sq mi/2 196 sq km), Sapi Safari Area (456 sq mi/1 180 sq kms), and Chewore Safari Area (1 309 sq miles/3 390 sq kms) and stretches east to the Mozambique border.

The national park is named for four semi-permanent pools just south of the river that are remnants of a prior river course and are now a favored refuge for large numbers of hippo and crocodile. The word 'mana' means 'four' in the local Shona language.

Mana Pools is well known for its superb wildlife diversity, as well as its beautiful scenery. The park is one of the most remote in Southern Africa and one never need worry about many tourists, as the small number of safari camps means it can never be crowded. The area truly feels untouched by time.

Four of Africa's Big Five animals are found in Mana, including elephant, lion, leopard, and buffalo. Black rhino once existed here, but they are now gone.

Mana is perhaps most known for its elephants, especially the good number of extraordinary big bulls, which are very relaxed by nature and often wander through the safari camps, casually feeding while taking little notice of any humans. One popular sight which you may be lucky to see is one of these big bull elephants standing on only its two rear legs to reach high into a tree for tasty seed pods.

Buffalo are seen in good numbers, either in breeding herds or small groups of old bulls. Like the elephants, buffalos freely cross the Zambezi River back and forth between Zimbabwe and Zambia, often stopping on one of the numerous river islands to graze.

Lions are not difficult to find, especially during the dry season when they remain near the river floodplains, which are teeming with wildlife during the winter months. Leopards are more elusive but are seen regularly. Spotted hyenas are here in good numbers, as are black-backed jackal. Cheetah are present, but only seen occasionally.

Mana is one of the best places in Africa to see African wild dogs, with several oft-seen packs traversing the area. These entertaining predators are seen regularly as they hunt the floodplains along the river in the early morning or near dusk.

Besides the abundant predators, Mana Pools is home to a large variety of herbivores, including impala, zebra, waterbuck, bushbuck, greater kudu, and warthog. The region is one of the best places in Southern Africa to see eland, the continent's largest antelope. Giraffe are not found in Mana Pools and there is no evidence that they ever existed here.

The Zambezi River itself is home to a huge number of hippo and crocodile and anyone canoeing or boating on the river is sure to see plenty of both species. Pods of hippo can be seen sunning along the river banks are more often just wallowing in the shallows along the banks.

Bird life is abundant in Mana Pools, with over 400 species recorded. Large colonies of beautiful carmine bee-eaters use the river banks for nesting holes and African skimmers use sand flats for their nesting.