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| Kariba |
General Info
Lake Kariba is really the "middle section" of the three well known parts of the Zambezi river (between the upper Zambezi above Lake Kariba including Victoria Falls and the lower Zambezi from below the Kariba dam wall downwards). The Lake runs for 220 kilometres along the northern border with Zambia.
The town is the ideal launching point into Chizarira, Matusadona, Lake Kariba, Mana Pools and the remote wilderness areas in the north and west of Zimbabwe. The middle and lower Zambezi Valley is rich in wildlife, and with its harsh terrain and climate promises first class adventures and safaris. Many of the best attractions are remote and un-commercialised - whether you have a healthy spirit of adventure or a desire for intense "relax-mode" - you ought to look at the Zambezi Valley for:
- Tented, walking and canoeing safaris
- Lodges and bushcamps
- Houseboats, cruisers and sailing adventures
- "One day" safari options, walks, canoe trips, game drives and cruises
- Fishing safaris on Lake Kariba and the lower Zambezi River
Tigerfish at Musango
Access by air from Harare is on Air Zimbabwe or private charter. Kariba is a 4/5 hour drive from Harare, the Zimbabwean capital. If you have your own vehicle, it's possible to connect with Victoria Falls via the ferry (22 hours – pre-booking essential) or via Zambia (the road is safe and in "reasonable" repair - don't consider with a hired vehicle); the "back" road via Binga/Magunge/Karoi is not recommended unless you're fully equipped, and the trip via Bulawayo is tarred but tedious.
Climate
The climate is generally tropical with three reasonably distinguishable seasons - a hot rainy season from late November to March, a cool dry season from May to August and a very hot dry season from September to November. Annual rainfall ranges from 400mm (16 inches) in the Valley to about 700mm (28 inches) on the plateau. Winter temperatures rarely go below 13°C (55 degrees Fahrenheit), day time temperatures hover at about 40°C (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during the hot months. |
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| Kariba |
Without doubt, the Victoria Falls constitute one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. Visitors can gaze at the mighty Zambezi as it flows, broad and placid, to the brink of a basalt lip seventeen hundred meters wide before taking a headlong plunge into the frothy chasm of the gorge below. This is the world's largest sheet of falling water, yet although its fame has spread far and wide, the site has been tastefully preserved so that tourists do not spoil the magic of the very place they have come to see.
Described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800’s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ - ‘the Smoke that Thunders’ , Victoria Falls is a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as 546 million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge (at the height of the flood season) over a width of nearly two kilometers into a deep gorge over 100 meters below. The wide basalt cliff, over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a wide placid river to a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges.
There is far more to do at Victoria Falls than to marvel at the Falls themselves; upstream, the Zambezi plays host to the famous 'sundowner' cruises, excursions onto the river to watch the local wildlife while gently sipping a glass of champagne and partaking of a light snack.
But once the river has taken its plunge, there is quite a different experience to be had. For those with the courage, the rapids immediately downstream offer some of the most terrifying white water rafting anywhere in the world. Several companies now offer one and two day trips on this stretch of the river, while the more adventurous can take a week long journey all the way to the mouth of Lake Kariba.
There is also a spectacular excursion to be made on foot. The Rainforest on the lip of the chasm opposite the Falls is a unique swathe of dense tropical vegetation which thrives on the spray thrown up throughout the year. A well-kept path takes tourists on a walk through the forest, with occasional diversions to viewing points for the Falls themselves.
But the ultimate view of this natural wonder can only be seen from the air. The 'Flight of Angels' provides a fabulous vista of the upstream river and its many islands, the spray from the Falls as it is kicked a thousand feet into the sky, and the tortuous zig-zag of the gorge downstream. |
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| Zambia |
Zambia, "the Real Africa", is regarded by many as the continent's greatest secret, ranging from the mighty Victoria Falls to the world renowned National Parks of the Luangwa and Zambezi valleys. The fact that the country has, for so long, been largely overlooked as a tourist destination is one of its greatest assets. The wilderness areas are pristine and the country offers its guests views of the African bush that have not changed for centuries.
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