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There was once a time when Zimbabwe was blessed with every natural asset except one: within its borders were mountains, deserts and rivers galore but, being landlocked, the country had no coastline it could call its own. In 1958 that all changed. With the completion of the Kariba Dam, a jewel of an inland sea was created - 200km long and 40 wide covering in total some 5000km squared, of what was once the hills and dales of the hot Zambezi valley.
Lake Kariba now serves as the source of countless pleasures, fishing, canoeing, sailing or simply drifting by boat through the scattered islands to labyrinthine estuaries, shimmering with birdlife. The wildlife on the banks is also a sight to behold. Elephant, buffalo, crocodile and a host of smaller game are abundant - many of them descended from the refugees of Operation Noah which translocated thousands of animals in preparation for the waters sprawling across the landscape at the creation of the dam - while the waters of the lake itself support more than 40 species of fish as well as flotillas of crocodiles and pods of hippo.
The lake is studded with islands and flanked by mountains. Of the forests which fringe the shores, the most intriguing are found at the shores of the Matusadona National Park. Once on dry land, these thousands of giant teak trees now create a ghostly forest of silver-grey skeletons whose branches jut into the sky from another world.
Just off the shoreline of Matusadona National Park, the luxury tented Musango Safari Camp is situated on its own island with a commanding view of the lake. Like most of the shore lodges in the vicinity, Musango offers its guests a wide range of activities including game walks in the Matusadona National Park and the surrounding Wildlife Sanctuary. Exploring the many bays and rivers by boat and canoeing along the shoreline and adjacent creeks provides guests with an opportunity to game watch from the water or marvel at the petrified woodlands which make picturesque perches for birds. Night-time spotlight cruises can be arranged.
A nearby black rhino orphanage where guests can view baby rhino at close quarters, a dinosaur fossil site and an early Stone Age site make for especially interesting excursions. Also adjacent to the Matusadona National Park and at the mouth of the Sanyati Gorge is the lovely Sanyati Lodge where chalets, privately situated in a tranquil, shady grove, have French windows that open onto timber viewing decks and a wonderful view across the lake. The lodge is a romantic haven from where to explore the surrounding terrain and the lake.
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Fishing tackle is available for those guests wishing to experience the challenge of taking on the world's most exciting freshwater game fish, the tiger. But perhaps the most graceful of the Kariba lodges nestling beneath the Zambezi escarpment is Katete Safari Lodge, a period reconstruction of the indulgent era of the early 1900s that offers all the professionally guided adventures Kariba has to offer. |
Spending time in the watery wonderland of Kariba is a blissful experience. Whether staying on a houseboat, Southern Belle paddle-steamer or in one of the shore lodges beautifully integrated into the surroundings, you can expect visually-rich days of exploration and to see the sun rising or setting over a crimson lake as statuesque storks and herons pick their way through herds of elephants wading in the shallows.
Just South-east of Kariba lies another of Zimbabwe's smaller national parks, Chizarira. The park has some of the most majestic and varied scenery in Zimbabwe with diverse birdlife and an abundance of game including good concentrations of elephant. Inaccessibility has made the park a wilderness lover's delight. Rock strewn hills, springs, water holes and gentle valleys contrasted by dramatic deep-cut gorges are all characteristics of the area and make for excellent walking and hiking adventures out of charming lodges such as Jedsons Camp.
For superb walking and more serious canoeing Mana Pools National Park and its floodplains offer Zimbabwe's best.
KAB3 - Lake Kariba & Matusadona National Park
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