Osprey (houseboat)
Dry-boat houseboat charter · Houseboat: based in Kariba town, cruises the Matusadona shore · Kariba Houseboat Cruises
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Budget
Outside the gate
Owner not confirmed
A large dry-boat houseboat for up to 24 guests, booked through the same contact as Phillippa. Listed on VisitKariba; no website of its own and no owner stated.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Room for up to 24 guests
- Priced by group size, from $500 to $700 a night
- Same reliable booking office as Phillippa
Cons
- Dry-boat hire: bring your own food and drinks
- No website of its own
- 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 Osprey (houseboat)
$500 to $700 per boat per night. $500 to $700 per night dry boat, depending on group size (VisitKariba listing, read 24 September 2026). 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 Osprey (houseboat)
How much does Osprey cost?
Between $500 and $700 a night for the boat, depending on group size, as a dry-boat charter where you bring your own food and drinks. Park fees are extra on top of that figure, according to its VisitKariba listing.
How many people can Osprey sleep?
Up to 24 guests, making it one of the larger dry-boat houseboats on this shore. Book through Kariba Houseboat Cruises, the same office that handles Phillippa, by email at karibahouseboatcruises@gmail.com.
Does Osprey have a website?
No. It is listed on VisitKariba and booked directly through Kariba Houseboat Cruises by email, with no site of its own and no owner stated, so confirm every detail of your charter in writing.