Lake Kariba

Vast Zambezi reservoir on Zimbabwe's northern border, where drowned teak trees rise from wildlife-rich waters.

Lake Kariba lies on Zimbabwe's northern border, 365 km from Harare, a vast artificial lake holding back the Zambezi River for 280 km. It covers over 5,000 square kilometres and is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, created when the Kariba Dam was completed in 1959 as a hydroelectric project.

The lake and its shoreline are strikingly beautiful. Thousands of teak trees were submerged as the waters rose, and today their skeletal branches jut from the surface like a drowned forest from another world. The Matusadona National Park along the southern shore is home to elephant, buffalo, lion, and large populations of crocodile and hippo. Houseboating on the lake — with a cook and captain aboard — is a Zimbabwean tradition and one of the best ways to experience the wildlife and landscape.

Kariba is famous for sport fishing, particularly for tigerfish, a ferocious fighting fish that draws anglers from across southern Africa. The town of Kariba sits at the dam end of the lake and has hotels, restaurants, and a casino. The hilltop above town offers a panoramic view over the lake, the dam wall, and the gorge downstream.

Guide

Things to Do

Houseboating is the quintessential Kariba experience — boats range from basic to luxury, hired by the night or the week, with a cook and captain included. Wildlife viewing from the water is excellent: crocodiles bask on the banks, elephants come down to drink, and hippos surface at dusk.

Sport fishing is world-renowned here. The tigerfish is the main prize — a powerful, aggressive fighter that puts up a spectacular battle — but bream and barbel are plentiful too. Fishing is best between September and November.

On land, game drives in the Matusadona National Park cover the shoreline and inland bush, with good chances of seeing elephant, buffalo, and lion. Boat-based safaris along the shore offer a different perspective and are particularly rewarding at sunset.