Lake Kariba

One of the world's largest man-made lakes, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, with houseboat cruises, sunsets over drowned trees and lakeshore safaris in Matusadona.

Lake Kariba lies on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was formed when the Kariba Dam was built across the Zambezi River in 1955–1959, and at about 280 km long it is one of the world's largest man-made lakes by volume. On the Zimbabwean side, the town of Kariba is built on the hillsides at the lake's northeastern end and serves as the base for visitors: you can visit the dam and the Church of Santa Barbara, board boats from the town's harbors, or rent a houseboat to cruise the lake for several days. The drowned forest of dead trees silhouetted against the setting sun is Kariba's classic image. Along the southern shore, around Matusadona National Park, Fothergill Island and Bumi Hills, boat trips reveal elephants, hippos, buffalo, crocodiles and flocks of waterbirds, while tiger fishing and kapenta fishing boats are other lake highlights. The best time is the April–October dry season, when wildlife gathers along the shore; September–November is the hottest period, perfect for cooling off on a houseboat, and December–March is the rainy season, hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms. Getting there: it's about a 5–6-hour drive from Harare (about 365 km), and charter flights serve Kariba Airport; you can cross into Siavonga in Zambia at the border post by the dam. Plan on 3–5 days. Note: the lake is full of crocodiles and hippos, so never swim; elephants often roam the town, so don't walk around at night.

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