Region guide
Lake Kariba & Matusadona
A vast Zambezi reservoir of houseboats, fishing and long sunsets, with Kariba town at one end, Matusadona across the water and the quieter Sebungwe shore to the west.
Photo: Kariba Kapenta Rig.JPG by Zimrh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Provinces
- Mashonaland West (Kariba, Matusadona); Matabeleland North (Binga and Mlibizi)
- Main bases
- Kariba town; lodges in and near Matusadona National Park; Binga and Mlibizi on the western shore
- Best known for
- Houseboats, tigerfish angling, kapenta fishing rigs and sunsets over drowned forest
- Getting there
- Kariba town by road from Harare via Makuti; lodges across the lake usually by boat transfer or light aircraft
- Pairs well with
- Mana Pools; Harare
Where to stay in Lake Kariba
17 places to stay are currently listed here, each one checked before it was published.
Siesta Houseboat, Kariba
Rhino Safari Camp, Matusadona
Charming 3 Bedroom Guesthouse, Baobab Ridge, KaribaThe availability button opens a Booking.com search for Lake Kariba through Stay22, not one named property. Booking is made with an independent provider, which is the merchant of record; we may earn a commission on a qualifying booking.
Tours and activities in Lake Kariba
One guided experience here is currently bookable through our catalogue.
How the lake works for travellers
Lake Kariba was created when the Kariba Dam closed the Zambezi gorge in the late 1950s, and it stretches for more than 250 km along the Zambian border. On this site the lake is the region and Kariba is the town: most visitors arrive at Kariba town near the dam wall, and most houseboat charters leave from its harbours.
Matusadona National Park lies on the southern shore with the escarpment behind it. Its lodges and camps are mostly reached across the water rather than by road, and they combine lake frontage with game viewing along the shoreline. At the far western end, Binga and Mlibizi serve a quieter, more remote side of the lake and give access to Chizarira National Park inland.
Things to know
A houseboat is the classic way to see the lake: several nights moving between bays, fishing, watching wildlife on the shore and sleeping on the water. Shorter stays suit lodges in town or across the lake at Matusadona.
Crocodiles and hippos live throughout the lake, and bilharzia is a risk in many African freshwater lakes, so swimming is widely discouraged. Take local advice from your lodge or houseboat crew before going into the water.
Where to stay
Kariba town is the practical base and houseboat hub; Matusadona puts you on the wild southern shore; Binga and Mlibizi are for travellers heading to the remote west of the lake.
All Lake Kariba accommodationSearch this region in the finder
Boat transfer schedules, houseboat regulations, fuel supplies and the condition of the road via Makuti can change. Confirm arrangements directly with your lodge or charter operator.
Nearby regions
Sources and further reading: Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. Operational details such as fees, opening times and road conditions change; confirm them with the official source before travelling.