Matusadona and Lake Kariba
Matusadona National Park is ideal for both walking safaris and water-based game viewing. Small seasonal bush camps in the traditional style are erected for mobile safaris, but there are also two lodges situated on islands just off the shore of Lake Kariba. The Matusadona shoreline invites water-based activities, usually from game-viewing boats or live aboard house-boats, and is one of several protected wildlife areas with shorelines on Lake Kariba.
Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world as a result of the damming of the Zambezi River to create a hydroelectric power plant for Zimbabwe and Zambia. Crystal clear lake water, numerous islands, and a grass-flanked shoreline combine to create a unique habitat for a variety of animals. Elephants, who have adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle, are frequent at the water’s edge as their feeding patterns are governed by the ever-changing lake levels. Lion, leopard, hyena, and buffalo occur, and a small but critical population of endangered black rhino roam Matusadona National Park. What Kariba lacks in the quantity and diversity of game is more than made up for by the sheer beauty of the lake, the variety of birdlife, and the diversity of activities including walking, fishing, boating and village visits.
