Zimbabwe: Houseboat on Lake Kariba

Sunday 24 September: After breakfast we make our way, via some wrong turns, cursing and reversing,  to the harbour to find our boat, Zambuka. 

Loading Zambuka

We load everything on board and select our cabins. Zambuka has 4 double air-conditioned cabins and 2 bathrooms. Neil and I have elected to sleep on deck like last time but we have 2 singles, sleeping head to toe, which is not quite as romantic but nevertheless cool and airy. The back upper deck has a well stocked bar and dining table, so we tuck into the beers while a delegation on the tender boat head off to pay park fees. 

Tender boat

We have a staff of 3 - captain, cook and deck hand.We have chosen a fully catered set menu so lunch is served as we set sail. Oh, the luxury of it all.

Cheers Zambuka! Off we go...

Dining Deck

There's a plunge pool on the front upper deck and the party is immediately underway.

Plunge pool party!

Monday 25 September : Every morning after wake up coffee and rusks, the tender boats head out; one for fishing and one for game viewing. There's another excursion every evening with sundowners. 

The houseboat sets sail while we tuck into brunch each morning. Each afternoon the captain finds a mooring in a scenic area to stop for the night. 

 

The houseboat also has a swimming cage at the back which can be lowered into the water. Another party..

The swimming cage

Tuesday 26 September : Repeat. There's plenty of time for chatting, reading, napping, drinking, singing,dancing...

Leopard on the bank...spotted from game tender boat

 

Details: In every way, Maureen at Kariba Houseboat Charters did a wonderful job. Zambuka is a great boat and you can pay for it all in South Africa, which does help the logistics.
A houseboat on Lake Kariba should be on everyone's "Top 10 things to do in Africa" list. And once again..the these fancy safari companies can't match us in authenticity, fun or value.

 

 

 

Zimbabwe: Vic Falls.. to Binga and beyond..

Wednesday 20 September: We drive from Hwange to Vic Falls and set up camp at Vic Falls Rest Camp and Lodge. The central location is ideal but the shebeen next door may be keeping us awake. The chalets look very run down but the restaurant and pool area is a little oasis with beer, burgers and WiFi. Neil says he could settle in for a week.

More chefs...

After lunch we check out the Falls...

Then we have sundowners at the old colonial Victoria Falls Hotel followed by dinner at the Three Monkeys Cafe. 

It's a tough life with tough decisions to be made. 

Tanquaray✓
Bombay✓✓
Hendriks✓✓✓
Gordons X (sorry John)

Thursday 21 September: It's a free day, chilling in the camp, lazing by the pool or exploring town. John, Danie and I go for a helicopter flip over the Falls.

At 5.00pm we are collected by bus and taken to the Zambezi River for a sunset dinner cruise. An amazing way to end the day..

Friday 22 September: After shopping and refueling we set off. Pretty soon we have left the touristy Vic Falls area, travelling to Binga, a small town on the south eastern edge of Lake Kariba. There's only 1 place in town with any fuel. And it's not this garage; long defunct and with a tricky ditch at the entrance.

Nothing a winch on the land cruiser can't sort out - no damage done

 

In the old days Binga was a fishing mecca for local Zimbos but it's as dilapidated as a town can get, including our lodge Chilila,with it's entry through a Landover and boat graveyard. We have opted for bungalows but probably would have been better off in our tents. We had prepayed into a South African account and there's no chance any of that money ever makes it back to Zim. Even if it did, with a 40% import duty on everything,  bringing things like white goods into Zim is prohibitively expensive.

Chilila Chalet Boma

View of Lake Kariba at Chilila

 

Saturday 23 September: The reason we are in Binga at all is because Neil wants to drive alongside Lake Kariba from Binga to Kariba. It's one of the most remote parts of Southern Africa you'll ever see; hours and hours of dirt road with only a sprinkling of settlements and villages. We set out at first light. It's a bone- rattling 10+ hour journey. It's the reason we have the satellite phone with us. We do get a puncture. I do have an allergic reaction to tinned tuna. But we are well prepared and we have 3 doctors and 2 engineers with us,so we don't need to make any emergency calls. We arrive in Kariba just before dark. The caravan is "all shook up". Lids of bottles have rattled off, doors are off their hinges and packets of crackers have been reduced to crumbs.
Lomagundi has shabby bungalows but great fried Bream and chips washed down with beer. It's probably better to just camp here next time. It is your best overnight option in the Kariba area.

Another chef...

changing the flat tyre with an audience

Kariba at Last... Lomagundi deck