Kariba is no less entrancing for being an artificial lake. Sandwiched between Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south, it was created when the flow of the mighty Zambezi River was harnessed at Kariba Dam to generate hydro electricity for both countries. The construction of the dam and the power station beneath it remains one of the most spectacular feats of engineering ever undertaken in Africa. Today, Lake Kariba is the third largest man made reservoir in the world, its two thousand kilometres of shoreline creating a spectacular variety of estuaries that spill into the surrounding bush.
The lake is studded with islands and fringed by mountains. Of the forests that grace the shoreline, the most intriguing is at Matusadona National Park. Here- is a half submerged mopane forest, still standing forty years after the valley was flooded, thousands of branches reaching naked into the sky from their watery grave.
One way to see the lake is to hire a boat. Its thousands of inlets and islands can occupy the sensitive visitor for several days. A wide variety of luxury cruisers is available for charter, but for those on a more limited budget, humbler craft can be hired for a single day tour. Equally satisfying is to explore the shoreline from a game viewing vehicle
