CUTTY SARK, KARIBA ROAD REPORT! 30 JUNE 2025

Monday, 30 June, 2025

Having just travelled on the road from Harare to Kariba and back, I must thank those that have been carrying out patch and repair work on the road, particularly the worst 40km to 50km section from the Farmers Wife to Makuti itself. Thank you to the Ministry of Roads and Bitumen World for making the road so much better and safer. It is not perfect by any means, but it has improved dramatically.

Those of us that operate in Kariba, Chirundu and Mana, implore The Ministry of Roads to continue the great work that you have been doing. You are making our lives better. We travelled from West Gate to Kariba in 4.5 hours with a half hour stop on the way. For more specific information, carry on reading below.

From Harare’s City Centre to the Westgate roundabout, the newly tarred double lane via Second Street and Lomagundi Road is in excellent condition, though drivers should watch for large speed humps near Bluffhill Engen.
Beyond Westgate, the road narrows to a single lane with some potholes and uneven areas, especially near Willdale Bricks. However, from there to the Farmers Wife Farm Store (at the 219 km peg), most potholes have been repaired.
Bridge crossings still have sharp lips, requiring reduced speed, and the area near Lions Den and Angwa Dam remains slightly uneven, with a culvert that may cause vehicles to ramp if approached too fast.
The stretch leading into Karoi has also improved greatly with very few potholes noticeable whilst the road coming up to and immediately after Elephants Walk has been improved greatly.
From the Farmers Wife to Makuti, while still the most challenging section, much of the road has been patched with tar, and ongoing repairs are evident; caution is advised due to remaining cutbacks and drop-offs.
Past the large Bitumen plant and on to Makuti, road conditions continue to improve.
The road from Makuti to Kariba is narrow but in good condition overall, with only a few potholes and potential wildlife hazards.

For best travel conditions, it's recommended to depart around 5 AM when temperatures are cooler and traffic is light, avoiding heavy trucks and making the trip more efficient. Total distance from Harare to Kariba is approximately 365 km, passing through Banket (95.2 km), Chinhoyi (117 km), Lions Den (139 km), Karoi (205 km), and Makuti (292.3 km).

CUTTY SARK, KARIBA ROAD REPORT! 30 JUNE 2025

From Harare’s City Centre to the Westgate roundabout, the newly tarred double lane via Second Street and Lomagundi Road is in excellent condition, though drivers should watch for large speed humps near Bluffhill Engen.

​​Beyond Westgate, the road narrows to a single lane with some potholes and uneven areas, especially near Willdale Bricks. However, from there to the Farmers Wife Farm Store (at the 219 km peg), most potholes have been repaired.

Bridge crossings still have sharp lips, requiring reduced speed, and the area near Lions Den and Angwa Dam remains slightly uneven, with a culvert that may cause vehicles to ramp if approached too fast.

The stretch leading into Karoi has also improved greatly with very few potholes noticeable whilst the road coming up to and immediately after Elephants Walk has been improved greatly.

From the Farmers Wife to Makuti, while still the most challenging section, much of the road has been patched with tar, and ongoing repairs are evident; caution is advised due to remaining cutbacks and drop-offs.

Past the large Bitumen plant and on to Makuti, road conditions continue to improve.

Proudly Supporting

Beyond Westgate, the road narrows to a single lane with some potholes and uneven areas, especially near Willdale Bricks. However, from there to the Farmers Wife Farm Store (at the 219 km peg), most potholes have been repaired.