The largest man-made lake by volume, Lake Kariba is famous for its sunsets, tiger fishing and scenery dotted with wildlife. Located on the Zambezi River, the dam offers secluded luxury escapes in National Parks boasting big game and big fishing.

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Lake Kariba is a beloved local hangout and a tribute to human innovation. The man-made reservoir is well known for its monstrous crocodiles and tiger fish and is the location of the annual tiger fishing competition in the heat of October.

However, Kariba has another side to it as well. Along its shores lies the outstanding Matusadona National Park and Bumi Hills on a private concession. It is adorned with exclusive lodges set atop hills from where one can watch elephants frolicking in in the water below. Matusadona is an excellent pairing of safari excitement and fishing experience. Nestled in between the dramatic Sanyanti Gorge, the Matusadona mountain range and the Ume River it is a perfect base from which to go on a private game drive or walking safari, meet local communities and go boating on the mighty lake.

Kariba is also home to a selection of isolated islands, the most famous being Fothergill and Spurwing, each offering bespoke and uncrowded experiences against breathtaking vistas of the lake.

Our Top Experiences In Lake Kariba

Best Time To Visit Lake Kariba

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The Dry Season

April to August
Because of its location on the Zambezi, Kariba is warm year-round and can get very hot at certain times of the year. However, its seasons can be distinguished into 3 subsets. mid-April to mid-August is the dry season, this is a great time to explore the lake and go in search of big game on safari. A little local insight is that any month with an ‘r’ in it is great for fishing, so from roughly September to April.

August to October
From around mid-August, the winds pick up and temperatures start to rise and peak in October, which is by far the hottest month with temperatures climbing as far as the high 40s (celsius).

The Green Season

November to March
As November arrives, so do the rains, which last until mid-April, with the heaviest rains occurring from December to February. A little local insight is that any month with an ‘r’ in it is great for fishing, so from roughly September to April.

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