Which sections of the Zambezi River can be traveled by shallow-draft boats?

The Zambezi River is not a continuous trade route due to natural obstacles like rapids, cataracts, and sandbars, but approximately 1,620 miles of its course can be navigated by shallow-draft boats in several distinct sections.1

These navigable stretches include:

• Lower Course: The longest unbroken stretch runs about 400 miles upstream from the river delta to the Cahora Bassa Dam.1
• Middle Course: Lake Cahora Bassa is navigable up to the confluence with the Luangwa River. Additionally, Lake Kariba is navigable, though the river is impassable between the end of the lake and the Ngonye Falls.1
• Upper Course: There is a 300-mile navigable stretch between the Ngonye Falls and the Chavuma Falls, followed by another 120-mile section above the Chavuma Falls.1

Additionally, the Chinde River provides a navigable channel north of the main delta that leads to a shallow harbour.2