Adventures at the Victoria Falls

by Nic Orfang

One of the natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls is situated on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia and occurs where the powerful Zambezi River plunges down a series of basalt gorges in an awe-inspiring display. Known to locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders, it is here that nature is at her most powerful.

The mist from the falls can be seen from more than 30 kilometres away and the thundering roar of the widest curtain of falling water in the world can be heard long before the falls can be seen. The river above the falls is sluggish and tranquil, characterized by deep pools filled with crocodiles and hippos, while below the falls the river narrows and tears its way through the Bakota Gorge in a stunning display of power.

Fly with the angels

David Livingston, upon his first glimpse of the falls, wrote in his diary that "scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight" and visitors to the Falls echo his sentiments every year, especially the ones brave enough to take a flight over them in a microlight.

Soaring on the rising thermals like an eagle, with the wind blowing in your face and nothing around you but the clear blue sky, it's easy to pretend you're an angel when you're strapped to the bottom of a pair of wings. A flight in a microlight is a great way to get an overall impression of the immense size of the falls before you take a walk around them.

Batoka Sky's experienced pilots will take you on either a 15-minute flight over the falls or a 30-minute flight that also includes some aerial game viewing in the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park.

The microlight has a wing-mounted camera operated by the pilot. This is not only safer than allowing cameras onto the flight, but provides the unique opportunity for you to be photographed in the microlight with the beautiful scenery behind you.

Once both feet are safely back on the ground in Livingstone, a visit to the Falls should be next on the agenda. Take a raincoat with you as the mist is so heavy it's like standing out in the rain, and remember to watch your step when you're near the edge or you'll be getting a closer view of the Falls than is recommended.

Scenic walks

A walk along the forest path provides an unmatched series of views and is the perfect way to get a good overall impression if you haven't yet taken a flight. The path winds in and out of the mist soaked rain forest, opening suddenly into clearings for different views of the Falls. The plant life in the rain forest is sustained by the mist from the falls and many of the species are rarely found elsewhere in Zambia.

A special vantage point, and a must-see, is the Knife Edge Bridge. Leading out to a small island in the gorge this vantage point provides the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls, as well as the Boiling Pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge.

The Boiling Pot

For an interesting perspective of the Falls, take a trip down to the Boiling Pot, but only once you have seen the Falls from the top. From the parking lot, look for the signs and prepare for a strenuous walk. It will be worth it. If the walk doesn't take your breath away, the view of the Zambezi thundering over the cliff will.

Low water

Depending on how low the water is, you might have to take a trip to Zimbabwe to see the Falls. The Zambian side of the Falls dries up in the hotter months. You will need your passport and some cash as you have to cross through both countries border posts. The crossing is fairly quick, provided you don't get stuck behind a tour bus. There is also a $20USD entry fee into the Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe.

Adrenalin capital of Africa

Sightseeing is not the only thing to do around Victoria Falls. Livingstone, located in Zambia just 10 kilometres from the Falls, is the adrenalin capital of Africa and is the base for an endless variety of adventure sports and activities. The most popular are the bungee jump, microlighting and white water rafting through the Batoka Gorge, just downstream of the Falls.

White water rafting

Said to be some of the finest in the world, and also the biggest commercially runnable rapids, white water rafting on the Zambezi is a real white knuckle adventure.

One way to get to grips with why they call the Zambezi a mighty river is to strap on a helmet, don a lifejacket, say a prayer and float off into Oblivion - the aptly named rapid 18, and the best on the river. To get there you have to start at rapid 1, so by the time you reach Oblivion you have an excellent idea of why the river is so mighty, though that will do nothing to diminish the surge of adrenalin you get when you stare into Oblivion for the first time.

The mighty Zambezi

Safari Par Excellence, better known as Safpar, runs daily white water trips down the Zambezi River. Classified by the British Canoe Union as Grade 5 - "extremely difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas", this is a high volume, pool-drop river with little exposed rock either in the rapids or in the pools below the rapids.

What this translates to in layman's terms is that the rapids are huge, but there's very little chance of you hitting any rocks as there is a generous amount of water covering them. Perfect for a safe yet thrilling white water ride for people of all ages and dispositions.

The talk

The scariest part is probably the safety talk. Before you even get down to the river the lead guide will give the group a run down on the perils and techniques of white water rafting. This talk is not designed to scare you - it's more a case of its bark being worse than its bite. The information is valuable and will definitely prevent you injuring yourself on the river.

The trip starts off after a steep walk down into the Batoka Gorge where you will spend some time with your rafting team learning the basics of paddling, and more importantly, how to hang on. Once everyone is comfortable your guide will steer your raft into the current and the start of the white water begins.

Bird spotting

The distance between the rapids varies from 100 metres to 2 kilometers, so you will have time to relax and take in some of the sights. The walls of the Batoka gorge rise up to 750 feet on either side of the river and there is a lot of birdlife. Black eagle, augur buzzard, black stork, pied and giant kingfisher and red winged starling are some of the birds frequently seen during the trips. There are also crocodile in the river but they are small because the area isn't really a suitable habitat for them.

The walk out

After you have run all the rapids and made it safely to the finish point, one last challenge awaits you - the walk out. The side of the gorge at the exit point is 750 feet high and it will take a person of average fitness approximately twenty minutes to get to the top. It is a strenuous walk, but easily manageable, and cold drinks are waiting for you at the top.

Both full and half day trips are offered on the river.

Take the plunge

Once you've rafted the river you may feel you can accomplish anything so make your way to the Victoria Falls bridge and give the bungi jump a try.

The Victoria Falls Bridge was commissioned by Cecil John Rhodes in 1900 and is 111 meters above the Zambezi River. This is a long freefall for those brave enough to take the plunge. An interesting fact about the bridge is that the first living creature to cross the completed bridge was a leopard.

More than 50,000 people have already safely completed the jump, so challenge the limits of your mind, test the edge of your resolve, and step out over the mighty Zambezi for the experience of a lifetime. Jumps operate from 09h00 to 17h00 every day.

Another cliff diving adventure is the gorge swing. This entails throwing yourself into space while attached to a body harness. A 50 meter free fall ends in several pendulum swings above the river before clients are lowered to the ground for the long walk back up to the top where cold beers and drinks are served.

Save your adrenaline

If adrenalin is something you would rather conserve, there are also more sedate activities on offer. Elephant-back safaris, canoe safaris and rhino safaris are just a few of them. A trip to Victoria Falls has something for everyone, so pack your bags and head off to the land of the smoke that thunders.

Print this page |  Send to a friend

Related content