Last updated October 2026

Drive times are rounded estimates for good conditions. Roadworks, roadblocks, wildlife and weather can add hours, so avoid driving after dark and check your route before you set off.

Before you go

Plan this trip for the dry season, about May to October. In the rains, gravel roads into Mana Pools can become impassable and many camps close. In March 2026, Zimbabwe Parks warned that heavy rains had damaged major access roads into Mana Pools and advised self-drive visitors not to travel until further notice. Check current access with Zimbabwe Parks or your camp before you book. Many lodges offer light-aircraft transfers, which avoid the long drives.

Day 1: Drive to Kariba

Drive: Harare to Kariba, about 360 km on the A1 via Makuti, around 5 to 6 hours.

Start early so you arrive in daylight, as elephants walk through Kariba town and along the roads. See the Kariba guide for places to stay.

Day 2: On the lake

Take a boat trip or go fishing for tigerfish and bream with a licensed operator, and watch the sunset over the water. Keep away from the water's edge: there are crocodiles and hippos along the shore. Wind can make open water rough, so trips depend on the day's conditions.

Day 3: Matusadona or the islands

Cross the lake by boat to Matusadona National Park for elephant, buffalo and lion, or stay on one of the lake's islands. Most are reached only by boat or light aircraft, through your lodge. The Kariba planning guide explains the routes.

Day 4: Into the Zambezi valley

Drive: Kariba to the Zimbabwe Parks office at Marongora, about 80 km on the A1, around 1¼ hours, then down the escarpment on gravel roads into the park.

Collect your entry permit at Marongora before you descend, and check in at the park office on arrival. The gravel stretch is slow, so allow plenty of time. Use a high-clearance vehicle, ideally a 4x4, and carry enough fuel, water and food for your stay, as there are no shops in the park. See the Mana Pools guide.

Day 5: Mana Pools

In the dry months, elephant, buffalo and the predators that follow them gather on the floodplain. Mana Pools is known for allowing visitors to walk in parts of the park, and the safest way to do so is with a licensed professional guide. Camps are unfenced, so stay alert after dark. The Mana Pools planning guide covers the rules.

Day 6: Back to Harare

Drive: back up to Marongora on gravel, then about 310 km on the A1 to Harare, around 5 to 5½ hours from Marongora.

Leave early to reach Harare before dark. Kariba and Mana Pools are in the Zambezi valley, where TravelHealthPro says malaria risk is present all year. See Health and safety.

The guides for this route

• Lake Kariba · Plan your visit
• Mana Pools · Plan your visit