Situated on the sparkling shores of Lake Kariba, the beautiful Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe was proclaimed a non-hunting area in 1958 and as such is wonderfully rich in wildlife and vegetation. With a ready supply of regenerative grasses as a source of food and an abundance of water from the lake, buffalo, waterbuck, zebra, and impala have thrived. With this so have the predators, so you can expect incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. The lake itself is teeming with huge Nile crocodiles and the lake shored offers fantastic herds of elephants and the Big Five. Meanwhile, birdlife thrives here, so keep an eye out for the population of fish-eagles, amongst many others. With 2,000 km of shoreline, Lake Kariba is the 4th largest man-made lake in the world and the 2nd largest in Africa – so it’s a truly impressive place to explore, especially by boat. – Lake Kariba & Matusadona
Around the lake, there is a healthy population of hippos, crocodiles, along with an abundant number of water birds including the giant kingfisher, fish eagles, and cormorants. Further inland, expect to see elephants, buffalo, antelope, leopards and lions within the protected sanctuary
January is the rainy season in Matusadona National Park. The rain usually comes in the form of afternoon thunderstorms. Watching the lightning light up the skies above the seemingly endless Lake Kariba is exhilarating. The rainy season is the birthing season and creates some exciting wildlife sightings and interesting photographic opportunities. The weather is also great for fishing, game drives and boating safaris.
