Mazvikadei Dam Marina Campsite Review (all you need to know about visiting it) Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe

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NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences.

VISITS ARE STRICTLY BY BOOKING & Marina Campsite is strictly a NO NOISE zone. 

Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:

1. Introduction
2. Booking & contact details
3. Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
4. Arrival & experience with staff members
5. Accommodation & fees
6. Restaurant & meals (Mazvikadei Resort Hotel)
7. Activities & fees at Mazvikadei Dam
8. Illegal charging of entry fees to visit the Mazvikadei Dam Wall by Masvika Leisure
9. Conclusion

Introduction

Do you sometimes wake up with a strong urge to change your environment, even if it’s just for a day or two and hide somewhere far away from the city? Well, this is me many times and particularly this one day when I decided to contact the Mazvikadei Marina Campsite to book for a two night camping experience for the next day.  The good thing is that we hate travelling during the weekend or on public holidays so we actually got the two days we wanted.

Booking & contact details

The contact  details for the Mazvikadei Marina Campsite are golddusttownship@gmail.com or billatgolddust@gmail.com. The booking process went so  smoothly and Bill was quite helpful with sharing all the information we needed for a successful and comfortable trip.

Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use 

Mazvikadei Marina Campsite is STRICTLY for campers only, not day visitors. It is also established in a gated community  where entry is strictly by booking for security reasons, therefore without a booking you will not be allowed entry.

Mazvikadei Marina Campsite is situated on the banks of the Mazvikadei Dam which was built on Mukwadzi River, near Banket in Zvimba district, Mashonaland West. It is located 113 km from Harare CBD.

The drive to Mazvikadei Marina Campsite Dam was quite a breeze. If you wish to use Google Maps you can search for “Mazvikadei Marina” and you will be taken to the correct destination. If you search for “Mazvikadei Dam” you will end up at the Dam wall which is some 17 km from the campsite. The campsite is in a gated community so once you have arrived  you can ask the personnel manning the gate for the Marina Campsite. 

If you cannot use Google Maps, the directions are as follows: From Harare you take the Kariba/ Chinhoyi Road (A1/Lomagundi) until you get to the Westgate Shopping Centre roundabout. At the roundabout you continue straight  on A1 and drive for about 85.1 km to get to the Mutorashanga turn off. Turn right onto Mutorashanga road and drive another 1.3 km.  You will get to a left turn off with a Masvika sign post. Take that left turn and drive an additional 11.8 km where you turn right. After driving about 4.4 km you will see a boom gate to your left and you will have arrived at your destination.

Arrival & experience with staff members

Upon arrival, my jaw literally dropped. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting but the beauty that laid right in front of my eyes left me stunned. We were greeted by the camp attendant who was quite warm and welcoming and he settled us in. I honestly don’t know why I kept on postponing a visit to this Dam. I guess it’s because I didn’t know about Marina Campsite (since I had only learnt about it the previous week) but as it turned out, it is exactly what I needed and more.

Accommodation & fees

The accommodation option at Mazvikadei Marina Campsite is camping which is $10 per adult and $5 per child. I’m tempted to say it is the best campsite I’ve been to. The close proximity to the remarkable calm dam sealed the deal for me. The entire time we were pitching the tent, I was just in awe. I could not get my eyes off of that view.

The campsite has a modern ablution block with hot bathing water powered by solar which makes for a perfect camping experience. The campsite also has taps and braai stands conveniently installed and built at every campsite. The beautiful lush lawn and trees that provide ample shade make for a cosy and perfect environment to pitch the tent. 

If you have your own boat, there is also a well made & well maintained slipway to launch and recover your boat which is $5. An additional $5 per person is also charged by Zimparks and is paid directly to them.

Firewood is not sold at the campsite so you will have to bring your own should you wish to braai or cook on fire. They do however, sell charcoal if you need it. The Campsite is run on solar for lights but there are no plug points at the individual sites. If you need to charge anything they can help you with that at the main office which is just a few metres from the campsite. 

The Mazvikadei Marina Campsite is under Golddust Township which is a Residential Township (gated community) so once your booking has been confirmed you will be booked at the Main gate for permission to enter on your day of visit.

Restaurant & meals (Mazvikadei Resort Hotel)

In the same gated community as Mazvikadei Marina Campsite, there is Mazvikadei Resort Hotel which has a restaurant so we decided to have lunch there on the day that we arrived. We were welcomed so warmly by the caretaker who directed us to the restaurant where we met the supervisor. The supervisor gave us a brief tour of the grand restaurant which overlooks the Mazvikadei dam. It is quite impressive how they have managed to create such a breathtaking place and merge it so seamlessly with the surrounding environment.

After the tour, we were ushered to our seats in the full view of the dam. We placed our order and just enjoyed the views while we waited. I was truly astonished. I had never heard of this place before, which is wild considering how close to Harare it is. They also offer different accommodation options, however, I can not comment on the state of the accommodation since I did not see what it looks like. If you wish to stay there overnight please do further research. The WhatsApp contact number for Mazvikadei Resort Hotel is +263782300967, for calls is +263774256738 and the email address is resortmazvikadei@gmail.com.

Some minutes later our drinks came, followed by plates filled to the brim with quarter chicken, chips and salad. I had wandered to the plants nearby but the aroma of the food drew me back to my seat quite quickly. The best part is that the taste of the first bite and each subsequent bite precisely matched the perfection of the views and the warm energy we had received so far from all the staff members we had interacted with. I would for sure visit again without a doubt. The meal we had was around $32 for the two of us including drinks.

Activities & fees at Mazvikadei Dam

1. Swimming at Mazvikadei Resort Hotel

When we finished having our lunch at the resort we asked if we could take a swim and you will be pleased to know that even if you are not a resident visitor there they will allow you for $10 per person. We were the only ones there at the time as our visit was during the week so we had the pool all to ourselves.

2. Canoeing/boating & fishing

The fees for canoeing and boating depend on whether you have your own canoe or boat. If you have your own then you only pay $5 for slipway usage and another $5 per person to Zimparks for the use of the dam. We hired a canoe through Marina Campsite and we paid $20. Marina Campsite does not hire out boats or canoes, however, where possible they can facilitate for you to get one. Please also note that you have to bring your own life jacket. It is a fineable offence by Zimparks to be in the dam without a life jacket.

The next day we were invited for a boat ride by other campers who had their own boat and it was quite a good time. This was also greatly appreciated since our canoeing experience on the previous day had not quite gone according to plan lol. We had had a boat rush to us just some minutes into canoeing, to warn us that they had encountered one aggressive crocodile in the same area we were canoeing. We therefore paddled as fast as our arms could permit until we got to the safety of the shore. We did not waste any time because earlier that day we had seen one crocodile which seemed to behave in an unusual manner. So when we got this warning it made total sense and we wasted no time in the water.

It was later alleged that the aggressive crocodile was an escapee from the nearby crocodile farm. This of course is not the norm. The dam does have crocodiles but they wouldn’t attack a canoe. The escapees are different though as they are reared by humans so there is familiarity and their hunting skills in the wild are not as perfected as their counterparts which makes them turn to humans for food as we are easier prey.

NB: Crocodile farm visit used to be a popular activity at Mazvikadei however the farm is NO LONGER open to the public.

3. Mazvikadei Dam wall visit

Just before our visit, I came across some pics that were quite compelling of the Mazvikadei Dam Wall so of course we had to visit. The distance from the Marina Campsite to the dam wall is 17 km. You can follow google maps directions to get to the dam wall with ease. 

At the dam wall was a very knowledgeable gentleman who toured with us and shared so many fascinating facts about it. I will not preempt anything but I can assure you that you do want to pass through if you are already at the dam.

Illegal charging of entry fees to visit the Dam Wall by Masvika Leisure

At the time of our visit, the road to the Dam Wall was blocked by a gate and in the vicinity were sign posts of Masvika Leisure. I don’t know if this has been changed yet since ZINWA said they were going to get the gate removed or repositioned. The short of the story is that upon our arrival we honked and someone from Masvika Leisure approached us. He told us that to visit the dam wall we had to pay $10 for the two of us and so we paid as we were under the assumption that it was Masvika Leisure which had the sole responsibility of the dam.

It was only after we were already at the dam wall that our host told us not to pay if anyone from Masvika Leisure asked us to pay anything because they are not supposed to charge dam wall visitors anything. When we drove back out to leave, the gate was no longer being manned so we messaged them later to refund us our money that they had illegally taken. The good thing is that we were vlogging as usual for Youtube so we have the whole interaction on video. We also contacted ZINWA (the organisation that is actually responsible for the Dam) and they did a site visit which they came back to us later confirming that Masvika Leisure indeed has no business charging people who are visiting the dam wall.

We actually do not mind paying to see the dam wall if the money is going to the correct organisation responsible for maintaining the dam wall but not when it is being illegally collected by some other people who are just trying to abuse the system.

I’m not sure if the gate has been removed yet or not but if you visit and you find that it hasn’t been removed then they should open it for you without making you pay anything. If they try to cause you any problems, record them and also contact ZINWA Mazvikadei representative on +263773140780.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mazvikadei Dam is definitely an awesome nature haven to visit. The birdlife is spectacular and so are the views. For those who enjoy fishing, boating and/canoeing, this is a perfect place for that. Its close proximity to Harare makes it an even perfect destination for those impromptu nature trips that we sometimes crave for, whether for a day visit or overnight. The Marina Campsite was nothing short of pure awesomeness, starting from the friendly and helpful hosts to the well maintained, comfortable and functional campsites. Mazvikadei Resort Hotel is also a nice treat especially if you want to camp but do not feel like cooking. Overall, Mazvikadei Dam is a definite must visit.

I hope you visit some day and when you do, please share your experience with me here or on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn :)… Remember to have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature