Dowmstream from the Victoria Falls, across one of its deepest and most precipitous gorges, the mighty Zambezi has been dammed to create an inland sea - a vast expanse of water which until fairly recently, ranked as the world's largest man-made lake. It stretches 282 km (175 miles) from end to end; to skirt its perimeter involves a 4000 km (2,486 miles) trip, and its usually placed, occasionally stormy, waters serve as one of Africa's most popular playgrounds. The dam, which was formally inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 17 May 1960, is Zimbabwe's major source of electrical power.

More than a million cubic metres of concrete were used in the construction of Kariba's massive dam wall during the 1950's and over 50,000 Gwembe Tonga were displaced by the rising waters. So, too, were countless animals large and small, many of them saved from drowning by the renowned conservationist Robert Fothergill and his rangers in an inspiring, and internationally acclaimed, exercise known as Operation Noah. The village communities and the wildlife now draw life-giving sustenance from the lake. The drowned forests of the shallows encourage a proliferation of insects and provide perches for cormorants, kingfishers, darters, herons and fish eagles.

Kariba is a magnificent wilderness of water, of lush islands and secret inlets and of charming little harbours that, together combine to create a paradise for the yachtsman and the boating enthusiast, the fisherman and the water sportsman. And for the lover of wildlife, flanking the lake's southern shores are two of Africa's finest game sanctuaries.

The Matusadona National Park occupies nearly 1500 m2 (579 sq miles) of wild and scenically spectacular Zambezi escarpment countryside extending southwards from the lake's lower reaches - a pristine wilderness of bush-covered hills and woodlands that supports elephant, rhino, buffalo and a wide variety of antelope. Matusadona has two camping sites and accommodation is offered at Ume and Mbalabala close to Tashinga, and Muuyu near elephant Point.

Chizarira National Park, set 50k (31 miles) inland from Lake Kariba, is the finest wilderness area for backpacking in Zimbabwe. National Parks operates six exclusive camps and offers two five-day wilderness trails, and daytime walks. The park is home to sizeable elephant populations, and other wildlife includes tsessebe, black rhino and zebra.

Commercial venues are dotted along and near the lake's shore and on two of its larger islands. Bumi Hills, set high on a bluff west of Matusadona National Park, and the attractively Mediterranean-style Caribbea Bay Hotel and Casino, to the east of Kariba, are the most sophisticated.

Sanyati, set in a forested river-gorge, is good for bird-watching, painting and for those who like to commune with the quieter spirits. Spurwing and Fothergill islands are for big-game aficionados, and Tiger Bay attracts the serious fisherfolk.

An enticing alternative to terrestrial living is offered by the 50 or so lake houseboats and cruisers available for charter, spacious and well appointed, even luxurious, craft that vary from six-berthers to huge multi-deck Mississippi monsters.

The Kariba Ferry is an especially attractive means of travel from one end of the lake to the other and, at the same time, of taking in some memorable sightseeing. The two largish car-ferries ply the 282 km (175 miles) route between Andora harbour - a busy little place of leisure yachts and cruisers, house-boats and fishing rigs - and Mlibizi at the western end. The voyage lasts 22 hours, and the vessels offer full bar facilities, comfortable saloon chairs ( there are no cabins), good food and superb viewing from the deck.

Fishermen come from afar to try their luck, and test their skill, on Kariba's waters. The lake is home to 22 types of bream and to carp and black bass, but the real star of the show is the tigerfish, a razor-toothed fighting species that can weigh up to 15 kg (33 lb).

Kariba      J     F     M     A     M     J     J     A     S     O     N     D     

Average     78    78    78    76    71    65    65    71    80    85    83    79    
Temp F                                                                              

Average     26    26    26    21    21    19    19    22    27    29    29    26    
Temp C                                                                              

Hrs of Sun  7     7     7     9     10    9     10    10    10    10    8     7     
Daily                                                                               

Rainfall    8     6     5     15    0     0     0     0     0     0.5   3     7     
ins.                                                                                

Rainfall    196   160   121   35    5     0     1     0     1     16    80    189   
mm                                                                                  

Days of     17    14    10    4     1     0     0     0     0     2     8     16    
rainfall                                                                            

go back