Private4 days
Lake Kariba Houseboat Safari
Elephants at the shore, tigers on the line
From $1,400 per person
View this trip
Zimbabwe · Matusadona National Park
Lake Kariba
The world’s largest man-made lake by volume. Tigerfish, houseboats, dramatic sunsets, and the dead-tree forest of Matusadona.
Kariba is the largest man-made lake on Earth by volume: 5,580 square kilometres of inland sea, made when the Zambezi was dammed in 1959.
The flooded woodland still stands in many shallows, creating Kariba’s distinctive silhouettes. Houseboats move between bays, while Matusadona protects the southern shore; black rhino were reintroduced there in June 2026 and sightings are never guaranteed.
“If you've never been on a houseboat in Africa, do this. It's the way the country was designed to be seen: slow, from the water, with the sunsets to yourself.”
Best April to October 7 experiences Matusadona National Park
Recommended trips
Start with these.
Kariba is best done slowly and afloat. These trips are built around the water.
Private4 days
Tiger Fishing on Lake Kariba
Africa's fiercest freshwater fish
From $1,150 per person
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Why ZimTravellers
One person plans your trip. He lives here.
ZimTravellers is not a call centre. Josh Elliott, fifth-generation Zimbabwean and owner of Matobo Hills Lodge, writes every itinerary himself, drives these roads, and answers every email within one working day. That changes what a trip here can be.
One local point of contact
You plan directly with Josh from first enquiry to the trip itself: one point of contact, whether the day is run by our own team or a hand-picked local operator.
Generations deep
After five generations in Zimbabwe, the guides, the border posts and the fuel stops are known first-hand.
Direct WhatsApp line
WhatsApp Josh before, during and after the trip. Office hours Mon to Fri 08:00 to 17:00 and Sat 09:00 to 13:00 CAT, with replies within one working day.
Stories, not schedules
Routes built from scratch around what you want from the country.
Tell Josh what you’d want from a few days in Lake Kariba and he’ll write you a route. No template, no commission desk.
Make an enquirySignature experiences
What Lake Kariba does best.
Lake Kariba
Houseboat safari
Three to five days on a 12-cabin boat. Move from bay to bay. Sunsets over the dead forest. Game viewing from the upper deck.
Lake Kariba
Tigerfish (Sept to Nov)
Kariba is an established tiger-fishing destination. Seasons, permits and catch-and-release practice are confirmed with the operator.
Lake Kariba
Matusadona walking
A rugged national park on the southern shore. Black rhino were reintroduced in June 2026; sightings are never guaranteed.
Lake Kariba
Dead-tree sunset
Flooded woodland remains visible in many bays and creates Kariba’s distinctive silhouettes at low-angle light.
Recommended accommodation
Where we stay in Lake Kariba.
A short planning list, not a price promise. We confirm the right property, room and current rate for your dates before you commit.
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
Lake Kariba stay · availability and current rate confirmed before your proposal.
View this stay →Lake Kariba
Changa Safari Camp
Lake Kariba stay · availability and current rate confirmed before your proposal.
Ask Josh about this stay →Lake Kariba
Caribbea Bay Resort
Lake Kariba stay · availability and current rate confirmed before your proposal.
Ask Josh about this stay →
Speak to Josh
Plan your Lake Kariba trip.
Tell me your dates, your party, and what you want from Lake Kariba. I’ll reply with a route and honest advice on what to skip.
Make an enquiry
WhatsApp Josh
+263 777 963 710 · Mon to Fri 08:00 to 17:00 · Sat 09:00 to 13:00 CAT · Closed Sundays & public holidays
“I answer every email here personally, within one working day.”
Ways to travel
How do you want to do this?
Tailor-made
You choose the dates, the pace and the rooms. Josh writes the route from scratch around what you want from the country. Most guests travel this way.
On the map
The northern border, on the lake.
Charter flight to Kariba: 45 minutes from Harare, about 90 from Victoria Falls. The drive from Harare takes four and a half hours.
- Combine with HwangeExplore trips →
- Combine with Mana PoolsExplore trips →
- Combine with Victoria FallsExplore trips →
Every marker is a link: tap a region to open its page. Hold Ctrl (⌘ on Mac) and scroll, or use the buttons, to zoom.
When to travel
Twelve months on the water.
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April to October: peak. Stable lake levels, game on the shoreline, and tigerfish from September to November.
November to March: green season. Storm cells over the lake are their own spectacle. Some houseboats trim their schedules.
All trips
Every Lake Kariba experience.
14 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Epic Zimbabwe
Two weeks, every landscape that matters
From $12,150 ppView trip →
12 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Family Zimbabwe Safari: Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matobo & Kariba
A family safari with history between the game drives
From $9,900 ppView trip →
12 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Luxury Zimbabwe Safari: Matetsi, Kariba, Matobo & Singita Pamushana
Matetsi to Singita: Zimbabwe without compromise
From $24,050 ppView trip →
12 Days
Zimbabwe Walking Safari: Matobo, Hwange, Mana Pools & Kariba
Matobo, Hwange, Mana and Kariba, built around walking
Price on requestView trip →
10 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Victoria Falls, Lake Kariba & Mana Pools
The Falls, the lake and the floodplain, flown between
From $9,900 ppView trip →
4 Days · 2 to 10 guests
Lake Kariba Houseboat Safari
Elephants at the shore, tigers on the line
From $1,400 ppView trip →
4 Days · 2 to 6 anglers
Tiger Fishing on Lake Kariba
Africa's fiercest freshwater fish
From $1,150 ppView trip →
No trips match those filters here, so tell Josh what you’re after and he’ll build it.
Frequently asked
Lake Kariba, answered.
It's the iconic way. 3-5 nights aboard is the classic. Lodges on Bumi Hills or Spurwing Island are alternatives if you want a fixed base.
No. Bilharzia is endemic; crocodiles and hippos make it unsafe regardless. Plunge pool on the houseboat upper deck is the alternative.
Hwange is a land-based park focused on game drives and waterholes; Kariba is a slower, water-based experience that can include Matusadona.
Yes, by boat. The houseboats anchor in the dead-tree forest in the late afternoon, which makes for a photography masterclass.
Plan your trip
Slow water. Loud sunsets.
Tell Josh your dates and your party. You’ll get a route, straight answers, and a reply within one working day.