The hippo pools along the Tapoa and Mekrou rivers are among the most reliably productive wildlife-watching spots in the park. During the dry season, hippos gather in predictable numbers at the shrinking pools, surfacing and snorting in the late afternoon. Dawn and dusk visits are best, when they are most active.
The pools are reached by vehicle and then approached on foot with a ranger. Standing quietly at the bank as the sun drops and the hippos begin to stir is one of the park's quieter pleasures — though hippos are dangerous animals and the ranger's instructions should be followed carefully.
Crocodiles share many of the same pools, usually visible as dark logs at the water's edge until they are not.