Binga
A lakeside town in the northwest, centre of the Tonga community displaced by the Kariba dam.
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Binga sits on the southern shore of Lake Kariba in the far northwest, and it exists because of the dam: the Tonga communities of the Zambezi valley were moved up out of the flooded valley in the late 1950s and resettled on this ground. The town has hot springs, a crocodile farm, fishing on the lake, and a craft centre where Tonga basketry and the distinctive carved stools are made and sold.
What you actually see
- The Tonga crafts - basketry and carved stools made and sold at the craft centre.
- The hot springs - the thermal water on the lakeshore at the town.
- The lake - Kariba stretching north from the shore.
- The resettlement history - the community moved here when the valley was flooded.
When to go
May to October is the dry season and best for the roads. Summer heat in the valley is severe. Fishing is best in the cooler months.
Honest expectations
The roads in from any direction are long and rough. Facilities are basic. Summer temperatures in the Zambezi valley regularly exceed forty degrees.
Nearby
Chizarira is south, and Lake Kariba stretches northeast.
What to pack for Binga
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.