Drifter (houseboat)
Houseboat charter · Houseboat: Chawara Harbour, Kariba; may leave from Marineland when the lake is low · Drifter Houseboat Charters
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Mid-range
Outside the gate
Owner/family-run
An owner-run houseboat operating from Chawara Harbour, described by WildZambezi as an extremely well-managed fleet personally managed by its owners. It takes up to sixteen guests in four en-suite cabins. When the lake is low it may leave from Marineland harbour instead.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Owner-run fleet, managed personally by its owners
- Four en-suite cabins for up to sixteen guests
- Leaves from Chawara, or Marineland when the water is low
Cons
- No website of its own; no rate published
- Park fees are extra
- No website to check; no child policy found
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Matusadona National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryThe trust's conservation levy for an international adult.
- $30per person, per day
- VehicleForeign-registered car or 4x4, per day.
- $5per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $195 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The ZimParks 2026 gazette gives $24 for an international adult, not $30. We use the trust's levy because that is what operators pass on in 2026. Confirm with reservations.matusadona@africanparks.org.
The full fee schedule for Matusadona National ParkRates at Drifter (houseboat)
Not published. No rate is published. Park fees are extra.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative rates read in September 2026 from each property's own website or rate sheet, and where noted from an agent or the VisitKariba directory. Watch the basis: lodges quote per person per night, houseboats per boat per night, and several Kariba town places per room or per unit. Park fees are extra almost everywhere, at $30 per international adult per day on the trust's levy, and houseboats add their own park and lake charges.
Questions about Drifter (houseboat)
How much does the Drifter houseboat cost?
No rate is published. Drifter is an owner-run houseboat operating from Chawara Harbour, described by WildZambezi as an extremely well-managed fleet, personally run by its owners. Ask a Kariba agent such as WildZambezi for a current quote, and budget separately for park fees, which are extra.
How many people does the Drifter houseboat sleep?
Up to sixteen guests in four en-suite cabins. It normally leaves from Chawara Harbour, though it may depart from Marineland harbour instead when the lake level is low, so confirm the departure point before you travel.
Is the Drifter houseboat good for families?
The houseboat has no website, so we found no child policy; ask when you book. With four en-suite cabins for up to sixteen guests, it suits a family group on space, though you should confirm ages and any restrictions with the owner-operators directly.