'The Lower Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe is the location of several conservation areas including the iconic Mana Pools National Park. Past Makuti one soon comes to where the main road to Chirundu starts to drop down the steep escarpment that is the Southern boundary of this group of conserved areas. The view from the top is spectacular and spread out in from of one are the Urungwe CHA (controlled hunting area), the Nyakasanga CHA, Mana Pools National Park, Sapi CHA and the Chewore CHA. The status of these CHAs can change periodically such as the Sapi CHA which was used for only photographic safaris for many years by a conservation organization. Whatever your opinion on hunting I believe that what is ultimately more important is that habitat is conserved as it is in these areas where no settlement is allowed. Mana Pools is an blockbuster destination. But there is more to the Zambezi Valley than Mana Pools. For example, forty kilometers downstream there is the Sapi floodplain and pools which is a smaller, lesser known equivalent of Mana Pools.
I hope this unique agglomeration of conservation areas will survive the many non-wildlife plans that have been proposed for this whole area. This painting of elephants at Sapi is one of several I have done as an ongoing appreciation of my many happy safaris in the Zambezi Valley since 1965.'

.