This year I was in Mana with a mission. I wanted to stay for a longer time and see how everything would evolve with the start of the rainy season. It got really very hot, although it already started raining every once in a while the end of November. On some of the pictures here in November you can already see some green starting to come out. But on these ones you clearly do!
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To start with I had to drive out again, to renew my visa and this time I decided to go to lake Kariba. I heard that was also a possible boarder crossing and there is a big advantage there. Since you don’t have to drive out of the country, there are no extra costs for the car and no visa for Zambia, only a new or extended visa for December. Perfect for me! And since I wouldn’t stay an entire month, I would be able to get everything I needed for resupplying right there.
Back in the park, I spent quite some time at Chisasiko Pool this time and saw some nice sightings, like a fish eagle catching a fish and attacking a grey heron, a baboon with a midlife crisis and the beautiful african skimmers. The panned photos are spoonbills.
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As you can see I have to position myself mostly in the sun, since the pools dried out quite a bit. And in these extremely hot temperatures, that is really a challenge! One day I decided to go to Long Pool and try to make photos of the hippos spraying water against the light. I figured I had to go there already in the afternoon, so they would get used to me. So I took all I needed (mat, water, cameras, binoculars) and I positioned myself on a sand bank. It took some sweat, concentration and patience, but I really enjoyed it. The spray sometimes has the form of a heart, don’t you think?
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A few days later, I finally saw my first cheetah after so many years returning to Mana! Truly a personal win!
One day I found a shy pride of lions at Mana mouth. They killed a buffalo and were feasting on it. A meal full of mud since the carcass was laying in the water. It was not easy to take pictures of them, because they were very cautious.
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The big advantage of being in Mana Pools in the December heat, is that it’s actually possible to spent a whole day alone with a pack of wild dogs. One of the best things there is! It was amazing to see them play in the water and to just stick around on my own.
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To end this final Mana post of three in a row (read here one and two) and so the story of almost three months straight, I want to show you some of my favorite African skimmer pictures. They are such graceful birds and so rare to see, that I love to take photos of them, as you might already have noticed here. I tried some panning and played with the light. Hope you like them too!
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It has been an amazing three months, were so much happened and I got to know so many great people. It only makes me want to come back even more. Mana feels a bit like home for me now and I count the days until my next visit. It won’t be that long, because I decided I wanted to see it again right after rainy season…
Hi Jens, after seeing your stunning photo’s I miss Mana Pools so much. The atmosphere, blue haze and heat… and the golden hour before sunset. There is nothing like a Zambezi and braai while elephants are passing next to your campsite. Thanks for sharing your memories. ?
Thank you for sharing your story and photographs. Mana stirs the soul like no other place.
We are planning on staying in Mana for a month next year. In August/Sept. I didn’t want to go there in the rainy season, but, your photographs are so good, I think we’ll have to return again! Enjoyed your blog.