Rafting the Zambezi River
Internationally acclaimed for the best white water rafting in Africa, the Zambezi River offers difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas.
The Class V rapids produce 6m-high waves in a high volume river with little exposed rocks. The river drops about 120m over 24km covered in a one-day raft trip. At one point the river is compressed from 1700m at Victoria Falls to a narrow 6m channel.
Expect holes, waterfalls, massive waves and whirlpools. Upstream, spot wildlife including crocodiles, elephant, zebra and baboons. Watch out for monkeys in the trees and at night listen to leopards and lionesses on the prowl. Located on the border between Livingston, Zambia and Victoria Falls, Zambia.
River class Grade IV to V (more than half)
Boat type Paddle rafts and oar rafts
Rating and length Intermediate; extremely demanding with previous Class V paddle rafting experience; 24km to 120km (depending on length of trip)
Time frame From one to seven days
Gradient 13m per km
Accommodation Mix of luxury lodges and deluxe riverside camping
Best time to raft the Zambezi River
Best between January and July (high water season), with an average temperature of 25˚C and a high of 30˚C; but most popular from August to January (low water season) as the launch is usually higher upstream, with average temperatures of 25˚C and a high of 35˚C
Other activities
The area surrounding Victoria Falls offers a range of activities, from microlight flights and bungy jumping to wild game viewing and sunset safari canoe cruises on the river’s mellower stretches
Top attractions nearby
Victoria Falls
This awe-inspiring World Heritage site is protected under the auspices of the Mosi-O-Tunya National Park in Zambia. Spilling into a gorge nearly 120m deep and 2km wide, the spray from the falls has created its own tropical rainforest ecosystem in the midst of semi-arid African tundra. |