News / National
Zimbabwe lifts ban on walkers in Mana Pools
09 Jul 2015 at 18:36hrs | Views
A controversial ban on walking without a guide in Mana Pools, one of Zimbabwe's most popular national parks, has been lifted after wildlife groups lobbied the authorities, a leading conservation group says.
Quoting a statement from Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Zambezi Society said: "The ban on unguided walks has been lifted with immediate effect."
Instead visitors would have to pay for a daily permit for "walking activities", according to the statement. Anyone found walking without a permit would be fined $100.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the Zambezi Society said it had worked with tour operators and the parks authority to develop codes of conduct for visitors to Mana Pools and the nearby Chitake Springs after a number of complaints.
News that the authorities had decided to ban walking without a ranger in Mana Pools, a UNESCO World Heritage site, caused consternation in April among the many frequent visitors to the area in the extreme north of Zimbabwe.
Quoting a statement from Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Zambezi Society said: "The ban on unguided walks has been lifted with immediate effect."
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the Zambezi Society said it had worked with tour operators and the parks authority to develop codes of conduct for visitors to Mana Pools and the nearby Chitake Springs after a number of complaints.
News that the authorities had decided to ban walking without a ranger in Mana Pools, a UNESCO World Heritage site, caused consternation in April among the many frequent visitors to the area in the extreme north of Zimbabwe.
Source - news24
