Exclusive 4×4 Rental Expeditions, Guaranteed Prime Sites & Best Experiences

No more messing around with roof tents, come “glamp” your ultimate Zambezi adventure in style and comfort at the same price-point as regular self-drive. Do it properly, our 8-seater pop-roof game-viewer 4×4 Rental is ideal for private groups of 4-8 with independent, 3rd-party driver/chef on exclusive fully-catered hires. We have pre-booked prime, exclusive Campsites at Mana & Chitake and coordinated Sail with Elephants (Matusadona from the water) with confirmed Kariba Ferry sailings lined up to give you the ultimate Zim trip at unbeatable value.

Ultimate Zambezi Glamping Expeditions:

 

How Glamping works:

We pre-book prime, exclusive campsites at Mana Pools and Chitake Springs so you are guaranteed the best spots and the best secret experiences. From Mana/ Chitake,  head through the bush to Lake Kariba to board Safari Catamarans & experience Matusadona National Park the best way – from the water. These nimble, stable, silent game-viewing boats cruise the shoreline next to swimming elephants and sail the open water. You can game-walk or drive Matusadona directly from the boat and you will dine on remote sandy beaches then sleep on board surrounded by grunting hippos in 360-degree pristine wilderness. Two nights on the safari catamarans then a “rock-star mid-water transfer” to that old Zim classic, The Kariba Ferry for the 22 hour overnight voyage the length of the lake disembarking at Mlibizi next morning. Route through the heart of Hwange National Park for 3 nights then terminating in Vic Falls. We have all the ducks lined up in a row for your adventure of a lifetime.. Route runs perfectly in either direction.

You can game-drive the vehicle yourselves inside National Parks.  You contract directly with your Driver/Camp assistant. All Guiding/ walking by Zimparks Rangers inside National Parks (for guests’ account).

Sample Itinerary:

(Reverse Itinerary also available VFL-HRE)

• • Start Harare
  • 3 nights Mana Exclusive Mobile Camp
  • 2 nights Chitake Exclusive Mobile Camp
  • 2 nights Sail with Elephants (Lake Kariba/Matusadona NP)
  • “Rockstar” Midwater Transfer to Kariba Ferry – just like Mick Jagger!
  • 1 night Kariba Ferry
  • 3/4 nights Hwange NP Mobile Camp (or Chizarira NP)
  • End Vic Falls

•  

Rates:

Total cost works out from only USD185 per person per day, fully catered. Costing includes:  4×4 Rental, accommodation, all Zimparks fees, catering and supply of wine/beer/soft drinks, fuel & independent driver fees . All guiding inside Zimparks by Zimparks Rangers at standard rates. Pricing varies with group size (6-8 is ideal) and direction. Private groups only.

Routes run in both directions (Harare-Vic Falls or Vic Falls-Harare) with set start dates to co-ordinate all the moving pieces (we lost hair making this happen for you but we are so proud!):

Remaining Availability:

Harare-Vic Falls Direction:

• • 1 Jun’26
  • 8 Jun’26
  • 29 Jun’26
  • 6 Jul’26
  • 3 Aug’26
  • 24 Aug’26
  • 28 Sep’26
  • 19 Oct’26
  • 26 Oct’26

Vic Falls- Harare Direction:

• • 15 Jun’26
  • 22 Jun’26
  • 10 Aug’26
  • 17 Aug’26
  • 7 Sep’26
  • 5 Oct’26
  • 12 Oct’26

Contact Ant@manapools.com Now

Arrive and Drive Zimbabwe: Your Self-Drive Safari, Sorted

What Is “Arrive & Drive?”

Forget juggling cash, paperwork, and confusing route planning. Our Arrive & Drive package gives you:

• A rugged, fully equipped Land Cruiser
• A custom-built itinerary with prepaid park campsites and ferry crossings
• Local support, backup contact, and logistical tips
• The joy of freedom without the risk of getting it wrong

It’s the ultimate self-drive safari — without the stress. Enjoy authentic Zimbabwe at a fraction of the cost of private camps. We can also arrange for a third-party driver/chef. We offer fuel, booking, and catering solutions nationwide. Land Cruiser 76/78 (4PAX), Custom Pop-roof Land Cruiser + Bush Trailer (8PAX) options available.

What’s Included:

✔️ Land Cruiser 76/78 (manual, diesel, fully kitted)
✔️ Rooftop tent, fridge, tools, bedding, chairs, gas, braai grid
✔️ Pre-booked national park campsites
✔️ Route planning & consultation
✔️ Permit handling and backup support
✔️ Optional ferry crossings, glamping add-ons, or guide inclusion

All vehicles depart from Harare. Custom routes available.

Important Documents:

Reviews From Happy Clients

Sample Arrive & Drive Itineraries

6-Days Mana Pools – Arrive & Drive – Self Drive

The best of Mana Pools and Chitake wildness without the high prices.  This is our most popular Arrive & Drive trip. $850 per person (4PAX)
$1100 per person (3PAX)
$1600 per person (2PAX)

Includes: 4×4 Rental & Campsite Fees.
Excludes: Fuel, Food & Activities

Can be customized to your requirements.

6-Days Self-Drive Mana Pools & Kariba Sail With Elephants

The best of Mana Pools and Kariba/Matusadona  National Park on our amazing safari sailing catamarans. $1,331 per person (4PAX)
$1,705 per person (3PAX)
$2,455 per person (2PAX)

Includes: 4×4 & Sailboat Rental & Campsite Fees. Sailboat portion is Catered
Excludes: Fuel, Mana Food & Activities

Can be customized to your requirements.

12-Day VFL-Hwange-Kariba Ferry, Sail with Elephants, Mana, Chitake & Harare in Pop-Roof Game Viewer

Customized 8-seater Land Cruiser with pop-roof for game viewing plus bush trailer. Driver and camp cook contract directly with you and vehicle is rented  under our Arrive & Drive program. $2,098 per person (8PAX)
$2,288 per person (7PAX)
$2,581 per person (6PAX)

Includes: 4×4 Rental, Fuel, Campsite, Chalet, Driver & Cook Fees + Meals as indicated
Excludes: Activities, certain Meals as specified

Itinerary can be customized to your requirements.

13-Day Mana, Chitake, Sail with Elephants, Kariba Ferry, Hwange & Vic Falls in Pop-Roof  8-seat Land Cruiser with Driver/Chef

The ultimate Zim trip taking in Mana. Chitake, Kariba and Hwange in our Customized 8-seater Land Cruiser with pop-roof for game viewing plus bush trailer. Driver and chef contract directly with you and vehicle is rented  under our Arrive & Drive program. $2,166 per person (8 PAX)
$2,328 per person (7 PAX)
$2,716 per person (6 PAX)

Includes: 4×4 Rental, Fuel, Campsite, Ferry, Driver & Cook Fees + Meals as indicated
Excludes: Activities.

The itinerary can be customized to your requirements. Other Mana Pools Solutions

Unsupported 4×4 Hire

We also offer fully equipped, Zim-registered 4×4 rentals at competitive rates (season & term-dependent). Land Cruiser 76 Wagon & 78 Troopy layouts available for unsupported hires.
Zim-legal, comprehensively insured & licensed with Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.

REMEMBER:

• No Fresh Fruit allowed at Mana, Ellies can smell it a mile away and stop at nothing to get it.
• Never feed the animals; this puts you and them at risk.
• Zimparks regulations stipulate that you are not allowed to drive off the road network.
• South African Tour Guides: please note, Zimparks regulations state you may not guide paying clients in the park without being accompanied by a registered Zim pro guide. If Zimparks suspect you doing this, they will throw you and your guests out the park. DO NOT take a chance; they are monitoring this closely.

Want to experience Zim by road, but don’t want to drive?

HIRE A DRIVER  

All itineraries are also available with a third-party professional driver who will transport you in  luxury. We have a great selection of experienced Zim drivers with extensive bush knowledge to recommend.

ACCOMMODATED ITINERARIES

Why camp and why even rent a 4×4 when you can shuttle to Kariba, Sail with Elephants (Matudadona NP),  Transfer midwater onto the Kariba Ferry, then glamp Chizarira NP in Meru Tents, shuttle to Hwange or Vic Falls and fly out. Fully catered and no camping, a step up from Self-Drive. Reverse itinerary also available.

Please contact us for details.

Arrive & Drive Zimbabwe FAQs

It is best to fly into Harare or Vic Falls and drive from there. Self-driving from South Africa, Zambia or Botswana can be dangerous due to narrow, unkept roads with heavy traffic and time-consuming with congested border posts.

The roads in Zimbabwe have steep drop-offs on the edge and no emergency lanes. The road surface is full of potholes and undulations,  particularly for the last stretch within 200 km of Harare. We strongly advise against driving at night due to road conditions and animals. Timing your journey can be challenging, as this is Africa, and unforeseen circumstances are impossible to calculate.

Zimbabwe Seasons:

Fuel Solutions

Currency

Catering Solutions

We pre-purchase your food and drinks for you in Harare, pack them appropriately, ready for you to load and go, saving you time and ensuring availability:

Food – Select items you want from our tried and tested shopping list, and we will have them ready for you in Harare upon arrival. We charge a basic service fee of 15% of the value of goods purchased.

Drinks – We source and pack drinks for you in Harare, ready to go. Choose from a variety of local beers, cool drinks and spirits. Canned drinks are preferable as they are lighter and easier to compact and carry out, and they are also less likely to break in transit. A service charge 15% is levied for this service.

Camping Kit Solutions

All Zimparks sites are un-fenced and inside the park. Wild animals move freely through them. Chalets and exclusive sites book up over one year in advance for peak season. It’s best to book these with us as early as possible.

Standard Campsites

Each National Park has a main camp with well spaced campsites with braai-places usually under the shade of large trees. Sites are serviced by ablution blocks.[/vc_column_text]

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