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Buffalo at Lake Kariba Matusadona National Park covers 1,470 km² on the southern shore of Lake Kariba, between the Ume and Sanyati rivers. It is a remote park of lakeshore grassland, mopane woodland and the rugged Zambezi Escarpment. Most visitors arrive by boat or light aircraft from Kariba town across the lake, because the only road in is a long gravel route from Karoi. Since 2019 the park has been managed by African Parks in partnership with ZimParks, and in June 2026 black rhino were brought back to the park, years after poaching wiped them out. Written by Bryan Fawcett.
Last reviewed: 21 October 2026 against the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) Matusadona National Park page, the official ZimParks 2026 tariff, African Parks’ 2019 press release on the management agreement, reports of the June 2026 black rhino reintroduction, and lodge operators’ own websites. Fees and access change. Check with ZimParks, African Parks or your lodge before you travel.

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Matusadona at a glance

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Why go

  • Safari from the water. Game viewing by boat along the shoreline is the park’s speciality. Elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile gather on the lake edge in the dry season.
  • Few visitors. There is no quick road access, so the park is quiet even in peak season.
  • A park on the way back. African Parks and ZimParks are restoring the park after heavy poaching. Black rhino were reintroduced in 2026.
  • The Sanyati Gorge on the park’s eastern boundary, reached by boat.

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Getting there

Matusadona is across the lake from Kariba town, not a short drive away. Some websites say the park is “30 km, 45 minutes” by road from Kariba. That is wrong. By road you have to go back inland to Karoi and come in from the south, which takes most of a day. Almost everyone crosses the lake by boat or flies in.
  • By boat from Kariba: ZimParks says the park is reached through Kariba, from Lake Harvest or Chawara harbour. Lodges arrange boat transfers, and houseboats cruise across from Kariba’s harbours. Crossing times depend on where you stay and the weather on the lake, so ask your lodge.
  • By air: there is an airstrip at Tashinga, the park headquarters, for private and charter aircraft. You need permission from Tashinga before you land. Lodges can arrange charter flights from Kariba, Harare or Victoria Falls.
  • By road: take the Binga road from Karoi and enter the park through its southern boundary at Chifudze substation. From there it is 68 km to Tashinga (ZimParks). The route is remote gravel and needs a 4x4. Karoi is on the Harare–Chirundu road. See travel distances.
Kariba town itself is about 365 km (4 to 5 hours) by road from Harare. See our Lake Kariba guide for the town and the lake.

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Park fees in 2026

The overnight rate is the same as the day rate. A foreign-registered car pays US$5 a day. Source: ZimParks De-Gazetted Tariff 2026. Lodges often include park fees in their rates, so check before you pay. See all park fees.

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Wildlife

ZimParks lists elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard, with impala, kudu and other plains game, and a wide range of birds.

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Black rhino are back

Matusadona was once a stronghold for black rhino and elephant, but poaching “virtually eliminated” its black rhino, in African Parks’ words. On 3 June 2026, ZimParks and African Parks airlifted a founder group of black rhino into the park, sourced from Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy, Matobo National Park and one undisclosed location. The animals are being held in bomas and released in phases into a 175 km² Intensive Protection Zone, each with a tracking device. Discover Africa reports that the founder group is 17 animals. Rhino sightings are not guaranteed while the animals settle. Ask your lodge whether rhino tracking is offered.

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What you see from the boat

In the dry season, the grassland along the shore draws elephant and buffalo down to the water’s edge. Hippo and crocodile are common in the bays. The drowned trees standing in the lake are perches for fish eagles and cormorants.

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Where to stay

Lodge rates change by season, so check prices directly with each operator.
  • Inside the park: Changa Safari Camp and Rhino Safari Camp, which its operator describes as a bush camp on a private concession on the lake shore within the park.
  • On the lake nearby: Spurwing Island, on the lake below the Matusadona Mountains, and Bumi Hills Safari Lodge (African Bush Camps), on the lake shore outside the park.
  • Houseboats: many houseboats from Kariba cruise the Matusadona shoreline. See Lake Kariba.
  • ZimParks: the park headquarters is at Tashinga. The 2026 ZimParks tariff does not list Matusadona accommodation, so ask ZimParks what camping is open before you plan a self-drive visit.

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When to go

  • Dry season (May to October): the best game viewing, as animals concentrate on the lake shore. October is very hot.
  • Rainy season (November to April): hot and humid, with afternoon storms. Animals spread inland, the road in becomes harder, and storms can make the lake rough.
ZimParks advises cool clothing and sun protection from September to March, and warm clothing, especially at night, from April to August.

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Practical tips

  • Bring everything you need if you’re self-driving or camping. ZimParks lists binoculars, food for your whole stay, a first aid kit, a tent, a sleeping bag and a torch. There are no shops in the park.
  • Wear earthy colours. ZimParks asks visitors to avoid bright red, yellow and bright green.
  • Keep clear of elephants with calves and lions with cubs.
  • Don’t swim in the lake. Crocodiles and hippos are common. Follow your guide or skipper.
  • Malaria is present in the Zambezi Valley. Get advice from a travel health clinic. See health and safety.

Lake Kariba

Mana Pools

Park fees 2026

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Sources

Last modified on October 21, 2026