With all the current turmoil many people could be forgiven for thinking that I was mad even considering a safari in Zimbabwe, but on top of that here I was going on a Houseboat Safari on Lake Kariba! Lake Kariba is huge, the dam wall spans the mighty Zambezi river.
It was constructed between 1955 and 1959 mainly to provide hydroelectric power to the region.
It is one of the largest dam walls in the world and is 128m high and 579m long.
But that is nowhere near the best part as Lake Kariba is over 220 kilometers long and at some points up to 40 kilometers wide.
It covers an area of 5,580 square kilometers almost all of which is in the Zambezi basin containing some of Africa's best known wildlife.
Kariba has an airport which can be reached from either Harare, Victoria Falls or Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, or Johannesburg in South Africa.
You can also drive from Harare which takes about 4 hours.
One of the best ways of viewing the wildlife and to have a completely relaxing holiday is on a houseboat.
Most Houseboat Safaris leave from Kariba Town which is near the Dam wall and right near the border with Zimbabwe's neighbour Zambia.
They usually last from 2 days (1 night) to ten or more nights on this magnificent lake.
An added bonus is that it is also relatively inexpensive in comparison to lets say a safari lodge holiday in Kenya or South Africa, because of the sharp decline in tourism in Zimbabwe of recent.
All houseboats come with a fully qualified captain and quite often a helper/cook and there are house boats that sleep from four to over twenty people.
I would suggest getting one that suites the size of your travelling party and therefore you are guaranteed complete exclusivity.
Wildlife So what wildlife can you expect to see? It must be said you are not going to see the huge variety that you may find driving in the Kruger Park for example, but you will see Elephant as they come down to the water to drink, the water loving Buffalo and then a wide variety of antelope, including Waterbuck and Impala.
Then there is also the possibility, but it must be said a remote one of spotting a lion or even a leopard as they are in the area.
In the water, you are guaranteed good sightings of both Hippo and Crocodile.
For bird lovers there is a huge variety of water based birds including the African Fish Eagle spectacular "Call of Africa" Fishing If you enjoy fishing, then you are also in for a treat but it is by no means an essential part of enjoying a houseboat safari.
There are many species of fish including what is probably the best fresh water game fish in the world, the Tigerfish and it is often said that pound for pound it gives as good a fight as the Marlin caught in the oceans of the world.
If sport fishing is not your cup of tea there are many species of bream, that once caught are often expertly prepared but the cook on board and you'll be enjoying fresh fish for dinner.
After your time on the lake, you will be returned to Kariba where onward journeys can be arranged.
So if you want an alternative to, or want to combine it with a traditional lodge and game drive safari you should really consider a house boat safari.