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For a long stretch of its middle reaches, the Zambezi River separates Zimbabwe from Zambia. Downstream of Lake Kariba and Chirundu, on the southern (Zimbabwean) side of the great river, lies a vast wilderness complex that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its outstanding natural beauty and its magnificent ecological and cultural qualities.

Three separate state-protected areas together make up this huge wilderness complex and front onto the Zambezi River: Mana Pools National Park and its downstream neighbours, the Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas.

Wildlife
Wildlife populations and wilderness landscapes here are second to none in Africa. Healthy populations of many large Africa mammals are present, except for giraffe and wildebeeste (which are not found anywhere in the Zambezi valley), and the black rhinoceros which is endangered and now restricted to a few specially protected areas like the Matusadona and Hwange National Parks.

While Mana Pools is a fully protected National Park where only photo-safari and limited fishing activities are allowed (no motorboats), in Sapi and Chewore there is a mixture of hunting, fishing and photo-safari activities. There are a number of attractive camps and safari lodges along the river frontage where boat launching facilities are available.

Fishing
Fishing is excellent in deep waters of the Zambezi River here. Apart from Tigerfish and Bream, there are excellent specimens of catfish to be caught, including giant Vundu, as well as Bottlenose, Cornish Jack, Chessa and Nkupe. Many excellent fishing spots on the Zambezi River can be accessed by boat, including the spectacular Mupata Gorge, where the river narrows considerably and the flow is deep and swift.

Fossil remains
In the Sapi and Chewore areas, west of Mupata Gorge, there are extensive "forests" of fossil wood.

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