Anyone wanting to self-drive the road between Harare and Kariba Town will be grateful for the following update posted on 31 March 2025 on Social Media by Mark Lawrence, who runs the Cutty Sark self-catering accommodation, bistro and bar in Kariba.
Road conditions between Harare and Kariba
• From Harare city centre to the Westgate roundabout there is a newly tarred double lane from Second Street onto Lomagundi Road and out to Westgate. This road is a pleasure to drive on. Take note of the very large speed humps that you will encounter close to the Bluffhill Engen fuel station near Helena Road.
• After the Westgate roundabout, the road narrows to a single lane, but there are a few potholes. In certain places, the road becomes uneven, so pay some attention. Be cautious of this near the Willdale Bricks entrance and some nasty speed humps.
• The road from there on is not too bad at all and most of the potholes have been repaired with tar right up to the Farmer's Wife Farm Store, Cafe & Campsite which is on the 219km peg, Vhuka Farm, 19km past Karoi.
• Be careful of all bridge crossings as several of them have a nasty lip going on and off the bridges.
• The road just after Lions Den is a little uneven, so slow down marginally, particularly when passing The Angwa Dam on your right-hand side going to Kariba. Just after the dam, there is a culvert that goes beneath the road that can cause vehicles to ramp if you don’t slow down.
• Most potholes have been repaired coming up past Buffalo Downs and into Karoi itself. The road up to the Farmer's Wife is much better than it has been for quite some time, and generally, you can travel at the speed limits. Up to this point, always pay attention to the odd cut-backs and steep drop-offs on the tar sides.
• Pay much more attention after the Farmer's Wife as this is the worst section of the road and reduce speeds to between 60km and 80km an hour. This bad section is only about 30km, so slow down and be safe. It does not take too long to get through this section. The very large potholes have been, by and large, filled in with dirt, so it is much better than it was in November last year. Any rains and traffic will have eroded the backfill, so the hole depth may grow between the trip to and from Kariba. Ministry of Roads staff are constantly back filling this section, so it all depends on when you drive.
• The road on both sides of Elephant Walk is badly damaged, so slow right down until you pass this very busy truck stop.
• You will eventually come to a large Bitumen plant. From this plant to Makuti, most potholes have been repaired with tar, and the road is constantly maintained.
• The road from Makuti to Kariba is narrow but generally in good condition. There are a few potholes, but these are generally repaired quite quickly. In this section, beware of wildlife.
We sincerely believe that the best time to travel this road in either direction is to depart at 5am as it is cool and there is less traffic. With a reasonable stop of about 20 - 30 minutes, the journey should take about 5 hours. During peak times such as before and after public holidays, the road will be much busier with tourists and people travelling home from the towns and cities.
Distances from Harare:
Banket – 95.2km,
Chinhoyi – 117km,
Lions Den – 139.07km,
Karoi – 205km,
Makuti 292.3km,
Kariba 365km.
We suggest that you depart from either side at about 5am as it is cool and the roads are generally quiet. You should also miss the large numbers of trucks and heavy vehicles. Generally, if you leave at this time, the journey is about 5 hours from Westgate to Kariba or back to Westgate, including a 20-minute stop on the way. If you drive in the dark, stay below the speed limit until it's light.