Lake Kariba
Kariba is located in the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe on
the northeastern border with Zambia. The 365 km drive from the Zimbabwean
capital Harare goes along the Great North Road to Makuti, where
access to the densely wooded Zambezi Valley is via a tightly winding
road.
The township of Kariba was established
in 1957, after the damming of the Zambezi River gorge to supply
Hydro Electric power to Zimbabwe and Zambia. The resulting man-made
lake, Lake Kariba, is 280km long with an area of 5 200 sq.km. Kariba
has a population of 30 000 concentrated in the Nyamhunga and Mahombekombe
townships, with smaller communities on The Heights, Chawara, Charara
and Camphill. Kariba is the starting point for most activities on
Lake Kariba, and one of Zimbabwe’s main holiday resorts.
The picturesque flood plains comprising
the shores of Lake Kariba play home to herds of elephant, waterbuck,
buffalo and impala, while hippos and crocs inhabit the shallows
of the lake. Year-round, there is an abundance of wildlife, and
the big five can be viewed up closer than the average tourist would
imagine. Elephant curves break the tree line, and the cry of the
fish-eagle hangs in the clotted air.
In addition to game viewing, there
are plenty of aquatic activities including fishing, sailing and
lazing on a live-aboard houseboat.
The view across the lake at dusk
towards Matusadona National Park is a spectacular sight, as the
upper limbs of drowned trees in the waters of the lake provide a
stark contrast to the colours of the African sunset.
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