Houseboat safaris on Africa's largest man-made lake, with lion on the shoreline and a wild, rarely visited park.
Enquire About MatusadonaMatusadona National Park runs along the southern shore of Lake Kariba, the enormous man-made lake that forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The park is most often experienced from the water: houseboat safaris on Lake Kariba combine game drives on the shoreline with fishing, swimming and watching the sunset from the deck as hippo surface nearby.
Kariba is Africa's largest man-made lake by volume, formed in 1958 when the Zambezi was dammed. The drowned trees in the shallows are the iconic Kariba image, their silver trunks rising from flat blue water, and they make for striking photography, particularly at dawn.
The shoreline of the park holds good populations of lion, which hunt the buffalo and elephant that come down to the water, and leopard are seen in the woodland above. Matusadona is also a significant conservation success for black rhino, with a small population protected in the park.
The houseboat experience is genuinely different from any land-based safari: slow, quiet and at water level, with game drives launched from the boat to the shore and returns for sundowners on deck. It suits travellers who want variety and a pace that land lodges cannot offer.
The shoreline and surrounding woodland hold lion prides that track the buffalo and elephant herds, and leopard are common in the hills above the lake. Matusadona has one of Zimbabwe's few remaining black rhino populations, carefully protected.
Elephant and buffalo wade the shallows and move along the shoreline, easily watched from the houseboat. Hippo are common in the lake itself, and Nile crocodile line every bank.
Birding from the water is rewarding, with fish eagles, herons, cormorants and the African skimmer along the lake edge, and the submerged trees attract a range of species using them as perches and nest sites.
August to October is the prime time, when low water concentrates game on the shoreline and the wildlife is most visible from the boat. The heat of October is significant on the water but the game viewing is at its best.
June and July are cooler and pleasant on the lake, with good game. The green season from November to April brings higher water, dispersed game and fishing that is best then for tiger fish, but the houseboat experience is less concentrated.
Several fully catered, crewed houseboats on Lake Kariba combine comfortable accommodation with game drives ashore, fishing and nights under the stars on the deck.
A small, intimate camp on a private island in the lake, combining land and water safaris with the outstanding Kariba birdlife and fishing.
A comfortable lodge above the lake with game drives, boat trips and sweeping Kariba views at an accessible price.
Lodges and guesthouses in the town of Kariba serve as bases for self-drive boat hire and day trips into the park.
The Kariba drowned forest, lion on the shoreline at low water and fish eagles over the lake make for a distinctive photographic palette quite different from the bush-country parks. Golden afternoon light on the water is the Kariba signature.
Matusadona suits travellers who want a different pace: slower, water-based and combining fishing, birding and game drives from a houseboat base. It pairs well with Hwange or Mana Pools for a varied Zimbabwe circuit.
Matusadona lies on the Kariba shoreline in northern Zimbabwe, reached by charter aircraft to the camp airstrips, by boat from Kariba town, or via the small airport at Kariba itself.
We arrange every detail, from the right camp to flights and transfers. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest.
Plan My Safari WhatsApp UsA fully crewed, catered boat that serves as your accommodation on Lake Kariba. You sleep aboard, take meals on deck and launch game drives to the Matusadona shoreline, combined with fishing and wildlife viewing from the water.
Yes. The shoreline lion prides are well known and regularly seen from the boat as they hunt buffalo and elephant at the water's edge, particularly in the dry season when game concentrates on the shoreline.
Yes. Matusadona has one of Zimbabwe's few remaining black rhino populations, carefully protected within the park.
August to October, when low water levels concentrate game on the shoreline and the houseboat experience is at its most wildlife-rich.
Lake Kariba is famous for tiger fish, one of the most hard-fighting freshwater species in Africa. The fishing is best from October to January.
Yes. Matusadona adds a water-based dimension to a Zimbabwe circuit that would otherwise be all game drives and walks. It pairs naturally with Hwange from the Victoria Falls gateway.
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel and what you most want to see. Every enquiry is answered personally by Jarryd, a former Sabi Sands guide and Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, usually within 24 hours. No set packages, no booking fees.
