Siavonga

Siavonga sits on the Zambian shore of Lake Kariba near the dam that created it in the late 1950s, and it functions as the country's lake resort: hotels down the slope to the water, houseboats for hire, fishing for tigerfish and bream, and views across water that runs to the horizon. The dam wall itself can be seen from viewpoints on the road. The lake is warm, the hills around are dry, and the pace is slow.

What you actually see

• The lake - water running to the horizon from the shore below the town.
• The dam wall - the late 1950s structure visible from roadside viewpoints.
• The houseboats - the hired craft that are the main way people use the lake.
• The tigerfish - the fishing the lake is known for among anglers.

When to go

May to September is cooler and dry. October is very hot before the rains. The lake is usable year round but storms build in the wet season.

Honest expectations

The town itself is scattered and unattractive, with the interest all on the water. Crocodiles and hippo make swimming outside protected areas dangerous. Bilharzia is present in the lake.

Nearby

Lake Kariba spreads west, and the Lower Zambezi is downstream of the dam.