Zimbabwe’s best-known safari destinations are Hwange National Park and Mana Pools National Park. Both deserve their reputation. Yet on the southern shore of Lake Kariba lies another remarkable safari spot that remains surprisingly little visited.
Matusadona National Park offers something quite different.
For many travellers, the memories that linger longest aren’t necessarily the most dramatic. Often they’re quietly drifting along the lakeshore to see elephants drinking at first light, watching their children excitedly catch their first fish, or enjoying a sundowner as the fading light turns the sky pink behind Lake Kariba’s photogenic skeletal trees.
This is a place that rewards those looking for something a little different from the traditional safari circuit; a corner of Africa that inspires fierce loyalty among those who know it well.
Safari here revolves as much around the lake as the wildlife. One morning might begin with a boat cruise along the shoreline as wildlife comes down to drink, hippos return from grazing and raptors call overhead. Another could be spent exploring the park’s mopane woodlands and rugged hills in search of lion, buffalo or one of its increasingly healthy elephant herds. That combination of land and water is a huge part of Matusadona’s appeal.
Lake Kariba itself is extraordinary. Created by the damming of the Zambezi River in the late 1950s, it stretches for around 280km along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is one of the world’s largest man-made lakes by volume. Today it provides not only spectacular scenery but also one of Africa’s finest settings for boating safaris. Watching wildlife from the water offers an entirely different perspective from a game drive, and many travellers find these quiet hours on the lake a refreshing contrast to days spent in an open 4×4.
Many of our travellers combine Matusadona with Hwange or Mana Pools, and the contrast works beautifully. After several days of early starts and game drives, Kariba naturally encourages a slower pace. Time on the water, a spot of fishing, exceptional birdlife, magnificent sunsets and remarkably few other visitors all contribute to a gentler, more relaxed safari.
The park itself is also enjoying something of a renaissance. Since African Parks entered a long-term management partnership with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in 2019, significant investment has been made in conservation, infrastructure and wildlife protection. The recent reintroduction of black rhinos is just one visible sign of the long-term work taking place behind the scenes.
There are three camps we recommend particularly highly.
Musango Safari Camp
If one camp captures the character of Matusadona particularly well, it is Musango.
Standing on its own island just offshore, Musango has long been one of our favourite camps in Zimbabwe. Much of that comes down to the formidable owners, the Edwards family. Having lived and worked around Lake Kariba for decades, they know this landscape intimately, and their enthusiasm for sharing it with guests is one of the camp’s greatest strengths.
Days here rarely follow a rigid formula. Depending on wildlife activity and guests’ interests, you might head into the national park for a game drive, explore the shoreline by boat, try your hand at tiger fishing or set out on foot with one of the guides. Conversations over dinner often range far beyond the day’s sightings, touching on the area’s archaeology, geology, history and conservation.
It’s this combination of exceptional guiding, deep local knowledge and genuinely warm hospitality that has made Musango one of our long-standing favourites in Zimbabwe.
Changa Safari Camp
If your idea of Kariba is spending as much time on the water as possible, Changa is hard to beat.
Situated directly on the lakeshore beneath mature mahogany and acacia trees, the camp has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Much of each day naturally revolves around the lake, whether that’s quietly exploring sheltered bays by boat, watching elephants feeding along the shoreline or enjoying a leisurely sunset cruise.
Game drives into neighbouring Matusadona National Park provide an excellent contrast, but Changa never feels like a place that rushes from one activity to the next. It perfectly captures the slower pace that makes a Kariba safari so distinctive.
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
If Musango is about guiding and Changa is about life on the water, Bumi Hills is luxurious lakeside retreat.
Perched high on the escarpment, the lodge commands sweeping views across Lake Kariba towards the distant escarpment of Zambia. It is a dramatic setting that changes throughout the day, from misty early mornings to sunsets reflected across the water.
Bumi feels more like a sophisticated resort hotel than a traditional safari camp. Spacious suites, polished service, excellent dining, a beautiful infinity pool and a tranquil spa make it somewhere you could happily spend several days without going on safari at all. Swim overlooking the lake, book a treatment, linger over lunch or simply settle down with a book and watch the light move across the water.
Game drives, boating, walking and fishing are all available when you want them, but there is no pressure to build every day around activities. This makes Bumi particularly appealing after a busier safari elsewhere, or for couples and honeymooners who want to combine wildlife with genuine rest and indulgence.
