The buffaloes were so close I could see their long, curly eyelashes glistening in the afternoon sun. Their gaze was soft and disinterested, but unnervingly constant.

To their flanks, for about 50 metres on either side, I counted another 56 buffaloes, 23 elephants, one fish eagle and the usual scattering of impala that seems to follow you through the Zimbabwean bush.

It was the first time I had ever felt comfortable being so close to buffaloes, but this may have had more to do with the fact they were standing shoulder high in water 10 metres from us, than the sparkle in their eyes.

Their concentration was focused on the lush weed lining the shoreline and this was one dinner party they were not leaving in a hurry. In the 40 minutes we watched them, the only animals that moved around were the half dozen calves darting with boundless energy between the adults. Even the fish eagle remained perched on his tree.

Such is life on Lake Kariba. There is no rush to go anywhere and there are daily indulgences. On that day, it was the privilege of being so close to some of Africa's most unpredictable animals for so long. It would have only been possible from the water, though, as most of Kariba's shoreline is not accessible by road.

The floodplain at the foot of the Bumi escarpment, where we saw the buffaloes, is one of a few places on the lake where you can be almost guaranteed to see game. Guests at the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, perched on the escarpment high above, are taken for game drives along the rear of the plain, but to look at the game from the water, with the hill rising in the background is a wonderful sight.

Further east, the Matusadona National Park rolls down to meet the water and you can often see animals here. There is also a good chance of game viewing on the shoreline around Fothergill and Spurwing islands, though when the water is low it is often difficult to get as close as we were at Bumi.

I can't remember having a better sighting of buffaloes. Certainly not one as interesting. We really studied them; watched the elephants nearby slaking their thirst, their trunks submerged in water for what seemed like an eternity; and waited eagerly to see the fish eagle take to flight.

It was to be our only disappointment and when we left it was in the kind of awe-inspired silence that comes after spending so long so close to nature. Talking would have spoiled the moment.

As I released the sail just enough to catch the breeze, I thought how glad I was we were not in a power boat. By letting the wind push us a long, we were able to listen to the water splashing against the boat and the birds gossiping as we passed Starvation Island. Coming from a stressful work environment in a city of over two million people, this was the first time in years that I felt totally relaxed. I get very frustrated if I am not able to get on with things, so it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I had started this sail safari.

We had been assured we did not need any sailing experience, but I took comfort in the fact that we were allocated a member of staff to accompany us.

Most parties wanted or needed a guide with them on board, although two groups, who had some sailing experience, preferred to be left alone on their vessels.

We very quickly learnt the basics of sailing and I found it surprisingly easy to understand. My inexperience meant we were often unable to make full use of the wind - which was never gusty, but steady - but then we would copy the tack of the other members of the flotilla. We were also in radio contact so were able to seek advice if our pride allowed us.

Kariba is a vast lake. It was the largest man-made dam in the world at the time of its construction in the late 1950s. It is still one of the biggest and even at its current low levels it is often difficult to see across it. Around its fringes fossilised trees rise out of the water in a stark reminder of the days when this was a verdant valley. But in the middle of the lake, water stretches out in all directions, often disappearing into the horizon. Little white lines of foam rise in the breeze and splash over the side of the boat.

This is not dramatic sailing, but you don't necessarily want that. What appealed to me was the tranquillity of being able to soak in the space and calmness of Africa while meandering around the lake. It is also an excellent way of game viewing because not only can you cruise in a lot closer than you might with a power boat, but the animals are more relaxed in the presence of the yacht.

As the days drew to a close we would pull down the sails and start the small auxiliary motor to enable us to navigate our way safely through the trees to our mooring. Each night was spent in a different bay. One evening we had a barbecue on a rock overlooking the mooring, but most meals are given to you to cook onboard.

As each party has its own boat, you are then left to decide whether you want to eat alone or team up with others. This gives you tremendous flexibility and eating on board enhanced the feeling of being in the wilderness.

There are two companies running sail safaris on Lake Kariba. Kariba Yacht Safaris operate 22ft yachts while Sail Safaris, the company we were with, have a flotilla of Wharam Tiki 30 catamarans on which everything is provided, including food. Drinks for the duration of the trip are kept ice cold in a specially constructed compartment in the front of one of the hulls.

Besides the sailing advantages of the catamaran design, particularly in light wind conditions like those often encountered at Kariba, there seemed to be ample room for storage. Lance Reynolds, managing director of Sail Safaris, told me that a Danish friend of his had helped with the adaptations necessary to accommodate guests on board for as long as 10 days (most safaris are four or seven nights, although you can charter them for longer).

Beds not quite wide enough to comfortably sleep two large people were housed in each hull. Near the trap door in one was a chemical toilet and, in the other, a very cleverly designed kitchen. We tried hard to think of something they hadn't got and when we did, were shown it in the storage area under the bed!

Wash time was the most fun, though. By climbing into a boom net behind the vessel you are dragged through the water while you wash. In the middle of the lake we would dive into the water and clutch on to the boom net whenever we wanted a swim!

By the third day we felt confident enough to take charge of the yacht ourselves and guided the flotilla confidently out of the mooring with promises of leading the way to the bay where we would settle for our last night. Due to some poor tactical decisions, we were last to arrive by a long chalk! But we had had our best day yet. Having been supplied bounteous fruit, cold meat, salads and cheese, we were left to revel in the solitude of the lake. We read. We swam. We talked. We sunbathed. We sailed a bit.

And we wished the trip was not about to end.

Published in Travel Africa Edition One: Autumn 1997.Text is subject to Worldwide Copyright (c)