Lake Kariba Review (all you need to know about visiting it) Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe

NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences. 

VISITS ARE STRICTLY BY BOOKING.

Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:

1. Introduction
2. Booking & contact details
3. Directions to Kariba, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
4. Arrival & experience with the staff members
5. Accommodation & fees
6. Restaurant, meals & fees
7. Activities in Kariba & fees
8. Our six days itinerary
9. Kariba Dam Wall Construction (1955-1959)
10. Negative impact of the Kariba Dam Project
11. Positive impact of the Kariba Dam Project
12. Why the Kariba Dam wall is being Rehabilitated (2019-2024)
13. Conclusion

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Introduction

The first time I ever visited lake Kariba in 2015, I knew even while I was there that I definitely had to visit again. The  heat really stung but not even that deterred me from enjoying the outdoors.   So when the opportunity to revisit this glorious nature haven presented itself this year, I jumped on it so quickly. I was ecstatic.

Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake in terms of capacity. It holds a volume of  180.6 billion cubic metres of water when full. That is an insane amount of water to be held back by an artificial wall considering how much force water exerts. Which is why the Kariba Dam wall is by far the most superior architectural masterpiece of a dam wall to ever be created by humans.  No other dam, with that much capacity, has ever been built after this one and survived the test of time.

The wall is a double curvature concrete arch which stands 128 m tall and 579 m wide. Any arch dam wall is not the easiest to construct but especially the double curvature concrete arch. It requires expert engineers and highly skilled constructors to bring it to life without veering even a millimetre from the  design.

All this to say that when the opportunity to visit Lake Kariba again came up, especially considering that the timing was coinciding with the ongoing maintenance of the wall, (which is expected to end in January 2024 and has left the entire wall exposed), the decision to visit was a no brainer. I was not going to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity for anything.

Kariba town itself is also a literal nature hub, with all kinds of wildlife such as elephants moving freely in the residential areas along the game corridor. Who would not want to experience such magic.

Booking & contact details

When choosing accommodation, I had a couple of factors I was considering – firstly, that it was right on the game corridor and secondly, that it was exactly by the lakeshore. I wanted to be in close proximity to the wildlife as much as possible and also wake up to the view of the lake every single morning. You can imagine just how therapeutic that is. We of course also wanted all the above without breaking the bank so we found just the perfect option and that was Warthog Safari Camp.

I contacted Warthog Safari Camp on +263775068406 via WhatsApp and they were timely with their response. They gave me all the information I needed which I was happy with so I went on to make the booking and secured it by paying the deposit. From this day onwards, all I dreamt of day and night was our visit and it was the best feeling ever. 

Directions to Kariba, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use

The travel date finally came but because we had combined this trip with our visit to Mana Pools National Park, we were actually driving from Mana Pools.

For details about the road conditions from Harare to Makuti and other advice about that section of the road trip, click here. We covered that section on our way to Mana Pools National Park. In brief though, from Harare you take Kariba road A1 and drive 291 km until you get to Makuti Energy Park service station.

If you are getting low on fuel, you might want to refuel in Makuti as it is the only service station until Kariba. The distance from Makuti to Kariba town is about 69 kms.

Coming from Harare, you turn left at the Makuti Energy Park service station to go to Kariba. The road from Makuti to Kariba is quite a breeze as it barely has any potholes. You need to be mindful of the curves though which are sharp in some parts.

If you are only visiting Kariba (and not Mana Pools National Park) you do not necessarily need a 4 wheel drive.  However, the potholes on the Harare/Makuti road are so bad that you need a vehicle with really good ground clearance to maneuver through them with as little damage to your car as possible. I did see some small vehicles driving on that road though, struggling but it seems they were making progress.

Arrival & experience with the staff members

We arrived at Warthog Safari Camp at around lunch time and we received a very warm welcome from the staff. We were shown to our tent and on our way we were introduced to Louisa, one of the ladies running the project. At this point, I was now feeling really exhausted from the drive so I just wanted to shower and relax. 

Later on that day we met Barbara, the second lady running the project and she was so kind, helpful and made us feel at home. She told us about all the cool places to visit in Kariba and organised the boat game viewing for us. We felt comfortable to even ask her about Matusadonha and she shared so much helpful information with us. She is such an angel.

Something else I really loved about Warthog Safari Camp is how the staff are always available to assist you at any given time but not in a clingy way at all. They do not knock on your door every two minutes, even for room service. It is offered but per your request so that is greatly appreciated. When I’m on holiday, I really don’t like to feel like I’m at a boarding school, needing to follow certain timetables and routines. This level of flexibility at Warthog Safari Camp allowed me to get as much relaxation as I needed that afternoon that we arrived.

Accommodation & fees

Warthog Safari Camp offers a variety of tented accommodation options as follows:

• Camping person (with own tent) – $10 low season/ $12 high season
• Compact dome (1 pax) – $20 low season/ $25 high season
• Standard Safari Tent (2 pax) – $60 low season/ $70 high season
• Classic en-suite safari tent (2 pax) – $70 low season/ $80 high season
• Deluxe en-suite safari tent (4 pax) – $110 low season/ $125 high season

Our choice of accommodation was the Classic ensuite safari tent which looked pretty inviting. We were in the Zebra one. It overlooked the Kariba lakeshore which honestly was a dream waking up to. It was not only the mesmerising lake that made it so magical but there would also always be hippos, zebras, waterbucks and bushbucks grazing on the tender grass. 

The reed couch on the verandah immediately caught my eye as I climbed the steps to get into the tent. I knew this was going to be a big hangout place for hubby and I. 

The tent door flap was opened and I was super  impressed. First it was the immaculately clean brown carpet on the floor. In general, I hate carpets in shared accommodation however, this one was so clean that it made me second guess my hatred. 

The conspicuous double bed could not be missed of course. The finishing touches of the base were of varnished timber which gave quite a unique look. A white crease-free bed spread was covering the bed and inside was freshly washed airforce blue linen. I am quite sensitive to different mattresses nowadays. I don’t know if it’s age catching up with me or something else but with the amount of travel we do, a good mattress will not go unnoticed for sure and this one was definitely among the best.

On both sides of the bed were wooden side tables, one with a bedside light and the other one with mosquito repellent products. In one corner of the tent was an elegant chest of drawers made from reeds which added texture to the room while increasing its total storage space. In the other far end corner, a large fan could be seen which is a definite need in Northern Zimbabwe. The temperatures can surpass 40°C in summer and our visit was in October (the peak of the dry/hot season) so that was greatly appreciated. 

The en-suite bathroom was nothing short of a dream. Starting with the bright red shiny cemented floor, which led the eye right straight to the grooming area. I really loved the thought that went into the design of this area. The cabinet that holds the stunning basin has open triangular compartments where the drying towels were kept. There was a mirror on the wall which is quite functional as it has lights lining its sides. A lot of natural light also came into the bathroom through the transparent roofing sheets that they used for the roof, in addition to the space that was left open between the wall and the roof (but with mosquito gauze).

The bathroom is so spacious with the showering section on one end and the toilet on the other. The entire tent and bathroom were spotlessly clean. Being on the game corridor and right by the lakeshore just made it extra perfect for us.

Restaurant, meals & fees

We were so excited to find an affordable  accommodation option on the lakeshore which has a restaurant with such a diverse menu and fairly priced food. I do not mind self catering (for affordability reasons) but if we can get something within our budget where we do not have to cook, Oh! it’s a definite win and this was the case.

From the outside the style of the restaurant structure looks worrisomely shabby though. So as we were driving up we both exclaimed with concern. Given that I am the one who had chosen it I was quite anxious about what awaited us on the inside. 

To our surprise, the restaurant actually looked pretty beautiful on the inside, particularly due to its open plan design which reveals the remarkable lake. 

It gave such homely vibes, thanks to the warmth of the staff and the team running it as well. It felt like we had just visited an aunt and we were having a meal in her garden as a family. Only that at Warthog Safari Camp you actually have the view of the biggest man-made lake in the entire world in addition to animals like hippos, elephants and other herbivores casually feeding. 

It is a well thought out space with a water misting system all over which keeps the area cool and moist. You can find the different food options and prices below.

Activities in Kariba & fees

* Activities are priced per person & they include:

1. Guided Game drive – $25 locals/ $30 internationals

2. Sunset cruise – $25 locals/ $30 internationals

3. Parasailing (excl Nat Parks fees) – $70

4. Guided Dam wall & town tour – $45

5. Speed boat hire – $65 half day/ $90 full day

6. Sailing boat cruise – $120

7. Quad biking – $25

We were in Kariba for six days and our itinerary went like this:

• Day 1 – (check in day) Town visit to get accustomed (free)

First day was our arrival day from Mana Pools National Park so I just wanted to rest and make sure to accustom ourselves to our new environment. We therefore drove out to Nyamhunga (the central business district) to check out where the banks, supermarkets, pharmacies and other vital services are located. I find this to be quite important in case something drastic happens that requires a certain service. It means that we will not get into a state of panic trying to figure things out in the time of emergency. 

We also had lunch at one of the fast food outlets there called B24 Chicken. We got back to our accommodation in about a couple of hours and enjoyed sitting on the verandah of our tent, listening to birds singing, watching hippos and zebras on the lakeshore and just enjoying each other’s company. 

• Day 2 – Dam wall visit (free) & watching the sunset at Kariba heights (free)

On the second day we woke up quite early in the morning and enjoyed the sunrise and the animals grazing by the lakeshore (which they do to avoid feeding in the extreme daytime heat). After breakfast we then drove to  the famous Kariba Dam wall. I have been to this dam wall before but this time around was different. From the time of planning the trip I knew I was not going to miss this opportunity to see the entire wall exposed. The complete exposure of the wall is due to the maintenance work being done on it which started in 2019 and is scheduled to end in January 2024.

We did not know if we had to pay anything to see the wall or not and so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that we did not need to pay anything. I guess what really pleased me is that they decided to open up to the public, not for fundraising purposes but just to involve us in this historical process. 

We got to the Customs & Immigration offices on the Zimbabwean side and we got a walking gate pass for two. The gate pass is to be presented when returning otherwise without it they can’t allow you entry whether into Zambia or Zimbabwe. 

Kariba Dam Wall Construction (1955-1959)

The dam wall is the epitome of architectural excellence in the world of dams. No wonder Kariba is the largest dam in the world in capacity. The construction of this double curvature concrete arch dam wall commenced in 1995 and was completed in 1959. It was then officially opened in 1960 and filled up to its full capacity of 180.6 billion cubic metres in 1963.

The amount of strength required to hold back such quantities of water on a river by a wall is insane. Even just to mathematically and physically construct something with this much strength is unimaginable. Which explains why the Kariba dam wall is a top tourist attraction because even other dams that were built around the same time are no longer standing. The total cost of the project was around US$480 million at the time and is equivalent to about US$4.8 billion today.

Negative impact of Kariba Dam Project

The construction of this dam, like many which are similar in nature across the world, did not come without its set of devastating losses and setbacks. Many people lost their lives during the construction. At least twelve of the Italian constructors got stuck in the wall before the cement was dry and with no way of getting them off, they are still a part of that wall.  Another eighty-six constructors were swept away by the Zambezi river  when the coffer dam was destroyed due to heavy rains. A coffer dam is a temporary dam that diverts the river from its original pathway where the main dam wall is being constructed.

Many Tonga people who lived in the vicinity also had to be relocated and some lost their lives as they did not accept to move. Life became so much harder for those who moved because the new areas were so much drier as they were further away from the river. This resulted in livestock dying and a significant reduction in available food. Funding in the form of food and medication were directed towards the affected people to try and curb the new challenges they were facing. However, life was never the same again for them. They felt a huge sense of loss including of their ancestors as they had to leave their graves behind. Many wild animals died from drowning even though many others were saved and rescued during Operation Noah.

Positive impact of the Kariba Dam project

On the positive side, the dam was life changing to millions of people particularly those in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Due to the construction of the dam, hydroelectric power plants were built which generate electricity for the two countries. Zambia gets around ⅓ of its total installed electricity generation capacity of 2’800 megawatts and Zimbabwe nearly 70% of its electricity. Employment was also created for millions of people due to the tourism and fishery activities which skyrocketed after the dam was built.

Why the Kariba Dam wall is being Rehabilitated (2019-2024)

Visiting this dam wall is definitely a must if you can. No amount of explanations will ever equate to the actual experience of witnessing it in person. We absolutely had a mind blowing experience as we saw the work being carried out to reshape and strengthen the plunge pool. The plunge pool is 80 metres deep and would have continued deepening had the rehabilitation not started in 2019. It was full of 300’000 cubic meters of rocks which was a result of water falling from the spill gates on the dam wall hitting the same place for 60 years.

The strength of that water falling basically broke down the rock on the surface until an 80 meters deep hole was formed which is the plunge pool. If left unattended, the hole was potentially going to weaken the dam wall which would result in its collapse.  The consequences of the collapse of that wall would be unimaginable, including the death of thousands of people and wildlife. Cahora Bassa dam which is downstream from Kariba Dam on the Zambezi River would possibly experience the impact too.

The execution of the reshaping of this plunge pool is of course way more nuanced and complex than I have explained it above. The whole rehabilitation project is estimated to cost a total of US$294 million. The funds have so far been contributed as follows: $19.2 million from the Zambezi River Authority, US$70 million from the Africa Development Bank (loan & grant), US$100 million from  European Union (grant), US$20 million from the Swedish government (grant) and US$75 million from the World Bank Group (loan). 

• Day 3 – Crocodile farm visit (free) & Boat game viewing $45 for 2

The next day we woke up pretty early again and I was so excited to visit the crocodile farm. The last time I was in Kariba, we visited it and had a blast. We learnt a lot about their huge crocodile farming project. 

To my surprise though, when we got there, we were told that the farm was no longer open to the public. This was due to the disregard of the rules of conduct by some people when viewing the crocodiles. As a result, the crocodiles were heavily stressed out hence visits are no longer allowed. This was of course devastating news to receive but the security guard directed us around the premises where some crocodiles could be viewed from the outside.  It wasn’t what I had in mind but I appreciate that I still got to see these humongous animals in all their glory.

In the late afternoon around 4pm, we went back to the camp for lunch and then went for game viewing on the lake in the boat. The best time to do this activity is certainly late afternoon or early morning as it is much cooler, therefore, more comfortable for you and the animals. The grass along the lakeshore is also greener and more tender so in such a dry area, animals are always hanging around there.  It is always convenient for them to feed near a water source so that they can quench their thirst with ease while feeding or at any given time.

The animals we saw included hippos, zebras, waterbucks, various bird species and crocodiles. Unfortunately, it was overcast as the rain was preparing to pour down so we didn’t get to see the stunning Kariba sunset this time around.

• Day 4 – Curio shop visit (free) & pool day with elephants (free)

On Day 4 we decided to visit the official Kariba Information Centre and curio shop. We found so much informative material there about the history of the area, the original habitants and the construction of the Kariba Dam. It is also another viewing point to the dam wall and the view from there of the dam is quite stunning. That is also where the famous Nyaminyami statue is found.

In the afternoon, we decided to just relax in the splash pool. Coincidentally, this was also the day that more than twenty elephants chose to visit. You can imagine my excitement seeing them coming through. Oh! I was super chuffed that they decided to come on the afternoon that we had chosen to not go out. I can’t imagine the regret I would have felt had we missed their visit.

They came to the restaurant when we had just finished having lunch and we were now waiting for dessert. I was ecstatic. They were a mix of huge adult ones and some youngsters. They drank water from the pool which was one of the most beautiful things I had witnessed on this trip. They came so close, one even seemed interested in having a drink from my glass that was on the table lol. This was quite an experience that I will not be forgetting any time soon. 

If you want to increase chances of experiencing the same then you have to be attentive when choosing accommodation. Just being on the game corridor is not enough as some of the lodges, hotels or camps are gated and electrified to keep animals like elephants away.

We had our dessert and then later on went into the pool. By this time most of the elephants had moved out of sight and only a couple had remained, continuing to browse in a nearby bush.  Such a glorious, magical experience we had.

• Day 5 – Lake Kariba Recreational Park visit ($5/locals & $10/internationals)

On the 5th day we woke up very early as the plan was to visit Lake Kariba Recreational Park. Details about our experience there including directions, road conditions, best type of vehicle to use, activities etc are shared in the blog post here. However, we had such an intimate time with mother nature. This is especially because that side of the lake has no commercial fishing or other commercial activities so it was very quiet, calm and relaxing.  

• Day 6 – checkout day

Day 6 was our check out day and considering that we were going to drive about 232 km to Chinhoyi caves (our next destination) we decided to keep the morning open (free of activities) so that we could just relax and be fresh on the road. I would also advise you to plan your activities in such a way that your travel dates are not activity packed to reduce fatigue while driving. 

Conclusion

The experience we had in Kariba was what I had hoped for and so much more. I got to enjoy mother nature to the fullest while learning so much about the Kariba Dam project, its history, present and future plans for it. I got to have lots of intimacy with nature and totally relaxed. It was a perfect destination for some timeout and rebooting. Warthog Safari Camp was also a perfect accommodation choice for us. Its location, fair price and the fact that it had an affordable restaurant was a dream. I loved every second of our stay and would visit again and again! 

If you do visit please share your experience with me here or on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn :)… Remember to have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature