Lake Kariba is a huge man made lake holding one of the largest expanses of fresh water in the world situated on the Zambezi river about 75km from Victoria Falls, home to a diverse fish population. Lake Kariba is 225 km long and up to 40 km wide. It covers an area of 6000 Sq Km. lake Kariba and lies along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Hiring a houseboat is a great way to experience the lake, you have a dry, comfortable base, a tender to venture away from the boat and to fish right up by the steep shoreline of the lake. The Zambezi river is home to one of the worlds premiere game fish, Tiger. There are loads to choose from.
Tiger fish, can grow up to 12 Kg and is are superb fighters. There are plenty of bream and chessa, as well as many varieties of catfish. You will certainly have a fight on your hands if you hook a Vundu, they can grow up to 30kg.
When the dam was completed in 1960 it was the largest man-made dam ever built. Two hundred and twenty kilometres long and in places up to forty kilometres wide, Supporting a thriving commercial fishing industry. The lakes vastness creates spectacular panoramas as the sun casts its glow across the shimmering waters catching the distinctive half-submerged trees and islands.
The name Kariba (Kariva - meaning trap) refers to a rock which thrust out of the swirling water at the entrance to the gorge close to the dam wall site, now buried more than a hundred feet below the water surface. In many legends, this rock was regarded as the home of the great River god Nyaminyami, who caused anyone who ventured near to be sucked down for ever into the depths of the river.
Once on the lake you can travel by houseboat to Matusadona Game Park, where game can be viewed from the comfort of your houseboat, Gache Gache Communal Lands, Spurwing Island, Fothergill Island and Charara Bay area.
There are two crocodile farms in Kariba area that can be visited but one would need to make arrangements to travel by road from Kariba town to these destinations.