Ruckomechi Camp is located in a wildlife-rich private concession bordering Mana Pools National Park, a true wilderness in the Zambezi River Valley.

The camp is sited on the southern bank of the Zambezi River in a lush valley characterized by floodplains, open grassland, open woodland, forests of albida and mahogany trees, and the rugged Zambezi Escarpment which rises up from the valley floor further from the river. Ruckomechi's position on the river and directly bordering the national park mean that its guests enjoy total exclusivity in this incredible ecosystem.

Activities offered at Ruckomechi include game drives in open vehicles, boating and canoeing on the Zambezi River, catch-and-release fishing, and walking with an armed guide. The camp is only open during the dry/winter months, as during the rainy months, the roads in the area become too difficult to traverse.

Wildlife is abundant and varied at Ruckomechi, with large numbers of elephant, buffalo, impala, waterbuck, and zebra. Eland and greater kudu are also seen regularly. Predators include lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, jackal, and African wild dog. The Zambezi River is also home to a very large number of hippo and crocodile. Birding in the area is excellent.

Ruckomechi offers 10 spacious tented accommodations, 2 of which are double units and ideal for families. The tented rooms are constructed atop slightly elevated wooden decking with sandy footpaths connecting them to the camp's main area. The guest rooms have outdoor decks with seating and all tents look out over the floodplain and across the river all the way to the escarpment on the Zambian side.

The main camp area includes a dining, lounge, and bar area on elevated wood decks to maximize the views in front of camp. There is also a star-gazing and campfire deck, as well as a separate partially-shaded pool deck, all with excellent views of the Zambezi River.

Wilderness Safaris are one of Africa's leading safari operators and they strive to minimize energy consumption at all their camps. Ruckomechi Camp is powered by a hybrid system, which combines solar power and a diesel-powered generator. Water for the showers is heated by solar-powered geysers and solar panels at each tent charge the 12V lights in the tents at night. Strict eco-friendly environmental standards are maintained so that no harmful chemicals or waste is allowed to enter the pristine ecosystem of the Lower Zambezi.

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 fo 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.