Lake Chicamba
A reservoir in the Manica hills near Chimoio, known across the region for its largemouth bass fishing.
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Chicamba Real was built across the Revue river in the 1960s and the lake it made sits in green hill country between Chimoio and the Zimbabwean border, with granite outcrops around it and drowned tree stumps standing in the shallows. It is best known for fishing: largemouth bass were introduced and the lake has produced fish that draw anglers from Zimbabwe and South Africa. Lodges along the shore run boats and the water is also used for sailing.
What you actually see
- The bass fishing - largemouth bass, the reason most visitors come.
- The drowned trees - stumps standing in the shallows from before the flooding.
- The Manica hills - granite country rising around the shoreline.
- The dam wall - the 1960s structure across the Revue.
When to go
May to September is the cooler dry season and the most comfortable. Bass fishing is best in the warmer months from September to December. Water levels vary with the rains.
Honest expectations
Facilities are limited to a few lodges of varying standard. The lake has bilharzia and swimming is not advisable. Roads to some shore access points are rough.
Nearby
Chimoio is east, and Chinhamapere rock art is west near Manica.
What to pack for Lake Chicamba
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.