Thrills on the Zambezi: White River rafting with Safari-Par-excellence
Experince feeling alive white river rafting down the mighty Zambezi, with incredible scenery and non stop adrenalin. First you hear the roar then you feel the water that pours then follows your heart pounding in your chest. From the moment your raft hits the water adrenalin flows through your body until you catch a break to look around and all of a sudden you are filled with awe because you are surrounded by jaw dropping rock faces with the Zambian wilderness on your left and the Zimbabwean wilderness on your right last but not least the 14 incredible rapids tat you get to tackle, one or two may tackle you. It truly is an adventure of a lifetime and one that I will strongly encourage everybody to do. Why choose Safari-Par-Excellence? The actual white river rafting was only half the experience for me, the other half, the other half was made up of the extremely friendly and knowledgeable guides who practice safety first and prioritize your groups well-being and experience above all. They are able to provide this level of attention because of the small group intimacy that comes along with this adventure. Planning your trip with Safari-Par-Excellence What an incredibly seamless processes it is to do an activity or any of the other the amazing activity’s they offer, all you have to do is visit their website and follow the easy steps to book. https://safpar.com/ , or if you are staying at the beautiful Victoria Falls Waterfront, you will be able to book straight from their office at the front desk. For the rafting they offer day trips during high and low water seasons, High season is $150pp low season is $140pp. These prices include free photos taken of you and your group all along the river you will also be provided with snacks and water on the river between rapids and lunch once you have gotten back to your accommodation. They also offer for $10 more they will throw in a beautiful sunset booze cruise on the Zambezi with dinner. They also offer overnight rafting trips, where you get to experience every rapid the zambezi can throw at you while getting to stay the night along the river. This trip includes waterproof dry bag to pack your clothes in for the nights, 2 man tents with mattresses that they will have setup when you arrive at your campsite for the night, food and drinks for your stay and they will also provide you with transfers to and from your accommodation. The best part is that this activity is catered to all ages from 15 years old to 65years old, if you are able to walk about and down a few steps to get to the Zambezi river and you are able to swim you will be able to do it. The guides are also very understanding so you are able to relay to them how intense you would like your white river rafting adventure to be. What to bring Everything that you need to surive will be supplied to you helmets, lifejackets and wetsuits if you struggle with the cold but I do have some optional extras to bring with Finale Word Whether it’s a single day of adrenaline or an overnight rafting expedition, white water rafting on the Zambezi with Safari Par Excellence is an adventure you’ll never forget.
Is rafting on the Zambezi River below The Victoria Falls Dangerous?
Arguably the finest one-day white water rafting trip on the planet, on one of Africa’s iconic rivers. Rafting the Zambezi River in the Batoka Gorge offers splendid isolation, breathtaking scenery, the opportunity to forget the daily grind, be physically active and reconnect with nature at an almost atavistic level. Starting at the headwaters of the “Middle Batoka Gorge”, directly below “The Victoria Falls”. Rafting the Zambezi river has been an outdoor adventure renowned “must do”, since the first descent in 1981. But is rafting the Zambezi safe? (Because it is exceptionally good fun). The origins of the name “Zambezi” are contentious, the modern use of the word by the “Kaonde” people of North Western Zambia is “Great River”. While the English derivative of the name itself, is thought to have come from the same general area, from the “Lunda” people’s word “Kasambambezi”. Ominously translated as “those that know how to swim”. Rafting the Zambezi is an extreme outdoor adventure expedition. Rafting any river carries a level of inherent risk that must be acknowledged. In order to classify the level of river difficulty, the world wide rafting fraternity use a basic numbered system from Class-I to Class-V. With Class-V being the highest level of commercially available rafting. While definitely not infallible and subject to serious downright heated debate. The system does allow a base level of measure, with regard to difficulty and what to expect. The class of a rapid has no bearing on the amount of “fun” you can have on it, and the Zambezi is full of punchy Class-III’s that will have you yelling for more. RAFTING CLASSIFICATION TABLE CLASS Characterised by: I Moving water, with small waves and riffles, few obstacles and small areas to avoid, straightforward to see and easy to navigate with limited experience. II Easy, read and run rapids, with wide clear channels, easily avoidable obstructions with the occasional need to navigate around obstacles/features. III Fast moving water, often necessary to take on large waves/features and stay on lines. Strong eddy lines and powerful currents. Multiple obstructions. IV Powerful fast moving rapids that require concentration and a high level of skill to navigate, necessary to make certain complex lines. High pressure moves to avoid areas and features. Necessary on occasion to ‘scout’ these rapids. V Long, difficult and violent rapids, demanding routes, high pressure navigation required, may contain unavoidable features which have to be run. Rescue conditions are difficult and there is risk to life or limb. The upper limit of commercial rafting. The Zambezi River is classified as a Grade-V river, most notably this is on the very top end of commercially available rafting. It is very important to acknowledge and respect the risk that accompanies the decision to sign up to one of our rafting trips. Guests are ultimately responsible for their own safety decisions and there are expectations of guests on this Class-V river. Here is what you need to consider when making your decision: The Middle Zambezi rafting section is located within the steep sided “Batoka Gorge”. Guests need to be able to negotiate the steep hikes to access and exit the gorge. After a long day on the water these hikes can be demanding. The ability to do these hikes is an indication of the fitness levels necessary to enjoy this incredible experience. The Zambezi River undergoes substantial seasonal water-level variation and as such we are constantly changing the entrance and exit paths to raft different sections. Some paths are more demanding than others, but in general these hikes take the average guest 15-25 minutes. You will need to be able to sit and remain balanced while in the raft and be able to hold on with one hand. Follow instructions in stressful situations and communicate effectively with other guests and our guide team. You will need to be able to walk around some of the bigger rapids on difficult terrain and to get into and out of the raft in slippery conditions and on broken ground. You would need to do this on multiple occasions. You will need to be able and willing to actively participate in your own rescue. Be able to move your body and hold your breath in fast moving water, if you end up in the water you need to be able to regulate your breathing and keep your cool. Guests will also need to be able to help other guests back onto the raft. Rafting this river is an excellent team activity and everyone joins in. River trips by their very nature are risky and here often lies part of the allure of the adventure. If you are comfortable with the above read on about how we moderate this risk with thirty years of experience on this incredible section of river. Our Guides All of our team are International Rafting Federation accredited and hold Class-V rafting licenses. We are constantly training scenarios and de-briefing. No day on the Zambezi is ever the same and “every day is a school day”. We never stop adapting and learning. Guest safety is our number one priority. All of our team hold Advanced First Aid Certificates and we have yearly refresher courses. We are proud that four of our team successfully qualified the Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification from the American Heart Association. On all of our trips we take an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Our team are all in-house trained and from our community, we are a strong family; and most of our guides have been with us for over 15 years. With vast amounts of logged river hours on this stretch of the river. Our guide team are exceptionally customer focused. If you feel unsure or nervous, they understand and many a morning’s “butterflies”, have turned to exhilaration after the first rapid. You got this. The International Rafting Federation is the world wide body which oversees the certification and training of professional raft guides. We pioneered this qualification on the Zambezi with Adventure Logic and
Zambezi Experience- A Canoe Safari
Many hear about Safpar’s game drives through the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, but have you ever explored the idea of spotting wildlife by canoe? I did and boy, was it an experience and a half. Paddling down the famous, historic river in the footsteps of David Livingstone and many other explorers deep in the heart of Africa filled me with a sense of excitement. The adventurer in me was ready, despite my nerves. They say ignorance is bliss, but ignorant I’m not. Some of the world’s most feared predators lurk in the depths of the Zambezi such as the hippo, claiming status as one of the worlds’ most dangerous animals. The crocodile too, who’s winning Darwin’s survival of the fittest challenge in my opinion after 200 million years. Taking a canoe safari on the Zambezi is the best way to see the wildlife up close in their natural habitat – if you are brave enough. I felt in good hands sharing a seat with Safpar’s head canoe guide Titus, who is in his 20th season as a canoe guide. Titus is attuned to every sound, bend and channel in these waters. With such experience guiding me down the river I’m able to relax and allow the Zambezi to full my senses. Birds cry, hippos snort and ancient trees wave from the sidelines. This is a wildlife-viewing opportunity like no other. Together you seek and identify wildlife, birds and learn about the flora and fauna that make up the thriving ecosystem that is the Zambezi. This is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing river into the Indian Ocean from Africa. We’re in the Upper Zambezi, approximately 40 kilometers above Victoria Falls, where I am told, much to my surprise, papyrus grows. The Zambezi is home to reedbuck and migrating eland. Carnivores found along the banks of Zimbabwe and Zambia include lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and side-striped jackal. The great floodplains are a haven for migratory water birds including pintails, garganey, African openbill, saddle-billed stork, wattled crane and the great white pelican. The Zambezi also supports several hundred species of fish, some of which are endemic to the river. Important species include cichlids which are fished heavily for food, as well as catfish, tigerfish, yellowfish and other large species. It’s time to take a break. We stop off on a stunning secluded island and laugh at the sound of the ‘talking sand’ beneath out feet. If you’re brave enough you can go for a shallow dip next to the canoes where I established a new game named ‘Rock or Croc?’ Soon we jump back into our canoes and head on our way. Quietly approaching a pod of hippos we drift on by unnoticed, allowing us all to catch our breath… very quickly holding it in again due to the smell of our wallowing friends. I feel privileged to be in their presence and their home. This is by far the best way to appreciate the beauty and tranquility of this enthralling river. With a blink of an eye our morning adventure had come to an end and we munched picnic lunch on the banks of the river before heading home to Livingstone. Next time, I’ll book the overnight canoe safari – a night on the banks of Zambezi holds promise of a great story… How to Book – Safari Par Excellence offer half-day, full-day and overnight canoe trips on the Zambezi River. Min Age 12yrs. www.safpar.com
5 Bucket-List Moments on a Zambezi Multi-Day Rafting Trip
1. Having lunch UNDER Victoria Falls The view is quite literally jaw-dropping. Your very first lunch on the multi-day rafting trip is served under Victoria Falls – as you sit and eat, the spray cools your back. Look up to see one of the world’s natural wonders in her full glory and hear the squeals of bungee jumpers as they leap off Victoria Falls Bridge. If you fancy a swim, there is a beautifully still pool just metres away where you can cool off. This part of Victoria Falls is only accessible with a professional guide and not many get to munch lunch here. Lunch with a view – below the mighty Falls 2.Shooting the Rapids Paddling down the Zambezi may be tiring, but the adrenaline fuels you on. As you approach a rapid you start to feel the butterflies in your stomach, the horizon of the rapid appears and below you, you can hear the water roaring like a hungry beast. The Zambezi is alive, powerful and demands the utmost respect. Witness the water painting the rocks, shaping and moulding them into ever-changing artworks. Considered one of the best stretches of commercially run river in the world, Batoka Gorge provides one of the most intense sensory thrills imaginable. Its 25 white-water rapids and striking scenery deep within the sheer black cliffs afford the adrenaline junkie a wild roller-coaster ride along a route carved over millennia by the Great Zambezi. As your guide expertly reads the river and chooses a line into the surging, racing rapid – hold on tight for the ride of a lifetime. Bobbing about, water flying everywhere, people laughing and screaming, boats flipping and paddlers swimming. And then it’s all calm again. That’s the beauty of the Zambezi. Shooting down the rapids 3. Sleeping under the African Stars There is always the option to sleep in a tent, but I opted for white sands and an African starlit sky. Being down in the Batoka Gorge means there is no light pollution, so the stars appear extra vivid and bright… it’s totally mesmerising. There is something special about stars and a fire – and it doesn’t take long before my fellow raft crew start recounting incredible stories and life experiences. There is nothing quite like an African folk tale or travellers story to put all the bushbabies to sleep. To top it off when the morning arrives, you slowly emerge to a glorious auburn sunrise as it creeps along the river softly nudging the gorge and its sleepy inhabitants awake. Camp set-up above rapid no. 10 4. Seeing Moemba Falls On the third and final night you are treated to a smorgasbord of treats just above Moemba Falls, the song of the thundering water serenading you as your lips touch your ice-cold gin and tonic and your eyes peer into the sunset. This view can only be accessed by raft, making it that much more special – only a select handful of people can say they have witnessed the might of the Moemba Falls. Enjoying a cold-one above Moemba Falls 5. Disconnect in order to reconnect For many, the true treasure of a Safpar multi-day rafting trip is the total isolation and separation from our fast-paced lives and the exploration of our natural world. There’s no news, emails or cellphones out here. Here you engage with your crew, your surroundings and with yourself. Soak it up, soak it in. The rarity of being provided the space to escape is a unique privilege and I highly recommend a visit to this modern-day Narnia. Rafts parked for the night at rapid no.10 BOOK A TRIP : Safari Par Excellence (SAFPAR) have been rafting the Mighty Zambezi since 1988! The passion, experience and culture of their rafting team is second to none. Safpar is currently the only company on the Zambezi with a 100% guide certification under the International Rafting Federation. All guides are fully trained professionals and hold valid advanced first aid certificates. Safpar offer both Full Day, Overnight and Multi-Day Rafting Trips. www.safpar.com
Zambezi, Victoria Falls, 3.5-day rafting expedition-what you need to know.
It is absolutely awesome. The multi-day trips win the un-discovered, off the beaten track, “bucket list” adventure trip title hands down. We can’t talk highly enough about what you will experience during three and a half-days on the mighty Zambezi River. If you enjoy fun in the outdoors, un-explored, isolated areas and have a passion for adventure; these are the trips for you. Join like-minded people and make memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. These are the expedition style trips of the Zambezi. Every trip is unique and simply: incredible. The trips start directly below the Victoria Falls and end at “Kabompo falls”, the site of the proposed Batoka Hydro-electric Scheme (BHES). Day 1: We head up underneath the Victoria Falls, locally known as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” (the smoke that thunders). We explore this pristine world heritage site and swim in the exquisite pools there. Guests look out for the rare, largely solitary, Cape Clawless Otter. We have lunch with an incredible view, in a location that is decidedly off-limits to those “not so adventurous”. We then raft the quintessential Zambezi River run, the “Top section”, which is rapid # 1 to rapid # 10. Highlights on this day are the closely stacked class-V whitewater rapids that the Zambezi is renowned for. Infamous rapids such as “Stairway to Heaven”(Rapid#5) and “Nyami-nyami’s playground” (Rapid#7) await. We then camp on a pristine beach area at the mouth of the “Songwe gorge”. We have a versatile and ingenious “glamping” set-up, complete with a private toilet. The food we prepare is all sourced locally and we pride ourselves on our presentation and class of meal. The gorge is extremely isolated, with a minuscule roving fishermen population. Subsequently, we have limited numbers of the bugs that consider us a meal, and we encourage our guests to sleep under the stars. We give the gorge ceiling and outside sleeping a “Thousand star” rating. Day 2: We wake you up with a local, rare, medium roast “Kusama” coffee and a rusk in your sleeping bag. Then serve breakfast 45-60 minutes later after the caffeine kicks in. You can just about tear yourself out of your sleeping bag and away from the awesome bedside views. We then start the day off with a swim as we load the rafts. All of our equipment is carried in and out with us, and we operate on a “leave no trace” basis. On this day, we have an equipment raft (gear raft) which will carry all of your equipment. We provide dry bags and seldom have a “bag failure”, despite some interesting upside down action over the years. This day starts off with the infamous rapid # 11 “The overland truck eater”, other highlights of the day are “The three ugly sisters” and rapid # 13, “The mother”. This day is characterized by swimming smaller rapids, gorgeous views, and long flat sections, as we exit the commercially rafted day section into areas unknown. We usually camp at “Pirate Bay” a beach that is largely accessible only from the river. A way past the commercial section and characterized by a limestone waterfall. The source of this small river originates from the right of the “Songwe” gorge 13 kms away. “Songwe” gorge was the site of the previous day’s camp. We have a night of “Rum and Coke” and of course the essential African sunset Gin and Tonics. We sit around our campfire of driftwood and have a “beer and medal time” session, recounting the events of the previous two days. Day 3: After coffee and breakfast, we load the gear raft and head off downstream. Toward “Moemba Falls”, an iconic waterfall seen by very few, but those who do the multi-day trips. This day is characterized by a strong expedition type feel. We stop and scout the first of the major rapids of the day “Open Season”. After this, we head into “The Narrows”. Three narrow channels of fast-moving water all class three and read and run. This is a fun section and the change in the width of the river here makes it extremely memorable. We usually stop after this section on another shaded, white sandy beach for another superb lunch, before moving on toward “Chi-mamba” or “The Snake”. After Chimamba Rapid we come to what is a major highlight of the third day “Upper Moemba”. This awesome drop is incredible fun and is a great way to end the rafting section of our trip. We usually camp above “Lower Moemba” falls. This waterfall is an awesome spectacle, seen by very few. We may also choose to do our “portage” of this waterfall this day. Choosing to then camp opposite the waterfall at the “Three Ledges”. Both campsites are extraordinary and offer exceptional views of this waterfall. Day 4: Despite the sadness of leaving this incredible gorge, we have a mellow breakfast and a swim before moving on downstream to the “Dam site”. Sadly this is the proposed location for the “Batoka Hydro-Electric Scheme” dam wall. We hike out of this path to the trig point at the top of the gorge. This hike in itself is an adventure and a fitting way to end what has been an incredible trip. Testimonial Adelle Scott led a charity fundraising trip of “The Body Shop” employees and these are her words about the trip: There is only one word I can truthfully give for the 3.5-day adventure; epic. If you really want to test yourself, see breathtaking nature at its very finest and most powerful and if the idea of adventure lights a fire inside of you, then this really is for you. The experienced, brilliant crew will guide you through an experience of a lifetime, taking you on a literal journey of Zambia at its most beautiful, breathtaking and exhilarating. In an incredibly short time, the modern world slips away, allowing you to reconnect authentically to staggering scenery, moments and teamwork with people who start as strangers but end like family. This experience won’t
Victoria Falls, Livingstone Zambia, “Eagles Wings” charity for vulnerable children
“Eagles Wings”-Hope, generosity and adventure. The Explorer Club Africa were thrilled to once again host the volunteers and children of the “Eagles Wings” charity. We are immensely proud to have been involved in this fantastic organization for the past fourteen years. The non-profit organisation “Eagles Wings” has an incredible ninety percent fund delivery at the grassroots level. The “Eagles Wings” (EW) organization is a sustainable, community-focused charity partnership between “Eagles Wings” Zambia and “Eagles Wings” Australia. On this years visit the children and volunteers took part in a Cruise and met our incredible herd of rescued Elephants, all donated by “The Explorer Club Africa”. While “Abseil Zambia” and “Livingstone’s Adventures” donated pony rides and gorge swings, all aimed at allowing these special kids to experience all their amazing country has to offer. From all of us in the Livingstone tourism community thank you for the work you do and we hope you all had an incredible time. The “Eagles Wings” charity is an exceptionally worthwhile cause, the Australian “Eagles Wings” chapter is successfully registered on the ACNC Charity Register and has the tick of approval. The Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) recently launched ‘Tick of Charity Registration’ which aims to give reassurance to the public that a charity is transparent and accountable by highlighting its presence on the ACNC Charity Register. While the Zambian “Eagles Wings” chapter is led totally by indigenous Zambians, exceptionally hands-on, one of the core values is that this project and partnership is led by Zambian management and staff. “It is “Eagles Wings” firm belief that the best people to lead and facilitate the project are the people who live, work and play in that community. They know the people, the culture, the language, the best ways to communicate, have the best opportunities to nurture healthy and productive relationships and have the most to gain from seeing a successful project established”. Should you wish to donate to this worthy organization please use this link From all the staff and the elephants at “The Explorer Club Africa”, thank you for visiting, we wish you all the best and see you next year.
Zambezi Canoeing, “Mosi-oa-Tunya” Park, Livingstone Victoria Falls Safpar.
Victoria Falls, the first tourist. In 1855, on November the 17th (or thereabouts, the actual day is contested), Dr. David Livingstone departed “Kalai” island on the Zambezi River and headed off to view what the local Makololo people called, “Mosi-oa-tunya”. Or as translated today “the smoke that thunders”. In true keeping with the staid, stiff-lipped, Victorian pioneering spirit, prevalent at the time. The good doctor notes he kept a brave face, and a level head, on the no doubt, hair rising approach up to what is today known as Livingstone Island. Absolutely determined that he could endure whatever his local,”mokoro” (a wooden canoe made from a single tree trunk), paddling guides could. It is interesting to note that Livingstone’s companion Chief Sekulute, of the Makololo people, did not accompany him on this short foray to the edge of the 105m chasm. Which Livingstone, later christened “Victoria Falls”, after his beloved monarch. According to Livingstone, on the morning of departure for the falls, the second manned canoe the chief had ordered up for the trip failed to arrive. Whereupon the chief solicitously let David, who was arguably the regions very first tourist, carry on alone with his guides. From this humble canoe beginning over a hundred and fifty years ago. We now have a plethora of daily boat and foot expeditions, to the very spot where Dr. David Livingstone first lay enraptured, staring down into the falls. Allegedly uttering the phrase “a sight so wonderful that Angels must have gazed down on it in flight”. The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambezi River. While the name “Victoria Falls” and “Mosi-oa-tunya”, are widely accepted as the name of the Seventh natural wonder of the world. The description of the Makololo people of the rising mist “Mosi-oa-tunya”, directly translated as the “smoke that sounds”, is also the name of Zambia’s smallest national park. At just sixty-six square kilometers, the “Mosi-oa-Tunya” national park also includes twelve kilometers of pristine Zambezi river frontage. Stretching up to the Sinde river mouth and including the falls themselves. While demand for following the footsteps of Dr. David Livingstone onto “Livingstone Island” and the sights thereon, has grown exponentially over the past years. The upper reaches of his journey, up to and including “Kalia” island have not been offered to the same extent, until now. Safari-par-Excellence canoeing trips. From the 1st of April 2018, Safari-Par Excellence has begun offering canoe trips into the Mosi-oa-Tunya national park. In an area arguably in much the same condition as that which Dr. David Livingstone, Chief Sekulute, and his two-hundred Makolole retainers would have found it. While following in the paddle strokes of the acclaimed explorer and his companions, the expedition style trips on the Zambezi River also offer the modern day adventurer some superb game viewing opportunities. In the dry season, the small Mosi-oa-Tunya national park has been known to have up to three hundred elephants at any one time within its borders. The park is also home to large populations of hippopotamus and Nile Crocodile, which are seen on most trips. While the park itself is not home to the big African cats, it has a wide range of wildlife easily seen from the river, these include among others, Buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck, warthog, foraging baboons, Nile monitor lizards and a huge variety of birdlife. The Mosi-oa-Tunya park is also synonymous with sightings of large family groups of Giraffes. Famous recent descents of the Zambezi. Perhaps one of the most recent, famous descents of this section of the Zambezi River. Has to be that of the team from “Comic Relief” in 2013, where celebrities Mel C, Jack Dee, Dara O’Briain, Greg James, Chelsee Healey and Phillips Idowu took on the mighty Zambezi River expedition in the name of charity. The group was under the instruction of Safari-Par-Excellence’s River manager Andrew “Sven” Bolton. Raising over 570,000 GBP for good causes the world over. One of the schools close to the canoe “put-in”,”Mundia school” is still sponsored by this event. Safari-par-excellence still contributes greatly to the school through various fundraising activities. While the canoeing trips on the Zambezi are of a much more luxurious, relaxed nature, than that done by the red nose celebrities. The transition to using the park’s river frontage as a resource is also vital to the survival of the park. Conservation in practice. The Mosi-oa-Tunya national park is administered and run by the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife. The entry fees, park usage, and river usage all guests indirectly and directly pay. Are vital to the continued existence of the countries wild places and the Mosi-oa-Tunya National park in particular. The park is also home to the majority of the countries endangered white Rhino population, the contribution of low impact sustainable tourism cannot be understated. Safari-Par-Excellence already operates the “The Elephant Cafe’” in the Mosi-oa-Tunya national park and the Cafe’s rescue herd of ten elephants live within the park on the banks of the river. References: David Livingstone(1873).MISSIONARY TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES IN SOUTH AFRICA. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from www.gutenberg.org[EBook #1039]. Image Credits Images © National Library of Scotland. Creative Commons Share-alike 2.5 UK: Scotland https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/scotland
10 Things you should know before rafting the Zambezi River
1) Water levels vary seasonally-Dates for your trip are important. Thankfully the Zambezi is a free-flowing river, the water level is not affected by any dams. It is however, heavily affected by seasonal natural flow variations. Our rafting trips adapt to the changing water levels by “putting on” at different entry points. Generally Late-July to Mid-January our trips put in at the “Boiling pot” directly below Victoria Falls. At this time the Zambezi River is at a relatively low flow, where more of the bedrock is exposed. Creating the huge crashing rapids the Zambezi is renowned for. From Mid-January to July, Safpar operates on a “high-water” run, which is generally from rapid number 7B, rapid number 10 or rapid number 14. At this time the bedrock in the riverbed is covered and these trips are characterized by big eddy fences and boils. Highlights of a high water run are that some huge features on the river banks come into action, namely rapid 16B, a colossal set of breaking waves. The river is always changing so no two trips are ever the same. If you fancy big demanding water, high adrenaline, then book your trip as the low water season opens or closes, Late July/August and end Dec/January. Interesting Fact: [su_pullquote]The Zambezi reaches her lowest point in the gorge during the first week of November and starts to rise after that. At this time of the year, you are rafting only 5% of the rivers peak flow.[/su_pullquote] 2) You should gift your friend a Nyami-Nyami necklace. The Nyami-nyami necklace carving is a symbolic representation of the god of the Zambezi. Legend has it that wearing the necklace will grant you safe passage through the gorge. However, in order to work the necklace must be a gift. These necklaces are available in bone, wood, stone and lately in aluminum. They are excellent keepsakes, and if you see one being worn anywhere in the world; it is an indication that the person has rafted the Zambezi River. The origins of the legend are contentious. The most well-known story is that “Nyami-nyami” is trapped by the Kariba dam wall, and his wife is downstream, below the wall. While the Kariba dam was being built, the “Ba-Tonga” people foretold of Nyami-nyami’s anger at man’s folly in damming the mighty Zambezi River. The subsequent floods that destroyed the first stages of the wall were seen as an expression of his anger. In our area, it is believed that in times of great hardship and drought “Nyami-nyami” will show himself to the people, allowing them to take portions of his body to alleviate hunger. This legend perhaps has some basis in our local African grey mottled eel, which resembles the Nyami-nyami’s carving. When the Zambezi has an extremely low year, normally due to drought, some pools get cut off from the main river and these eels are easily hunted by a fishing spear. However, it has been some time since this has happened. Interesting Fact: [su_pullquote]In 1989 “The Damned River” was filmed on the Zambezi, the film crew painted a Nyami-nyami on a high rock face below rapid 5b for the movie, it can still be seen clearly today. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097146/[/su_pullquote] 3) The Zambezi offers superb Multi-day options If you plan on journeying to the Zambezi River to experience the Victoria Falls (known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya “The smoke that thunders”) and take part in the world’s greatest rafting trip. You should consider the various multi-day options available. Overnight and four-day trips let you cover more of this amazing river. There is a strong “expedition” type feel to the trips. Untouched camping spots, on remote pristine white beaches, make this a must. Explore under the Victoria Falls, soak in the serenity and raft some incredible rapids downstream from the commercial day section. The astrology is amazing as the light pollution is non-existent, easy to see how the gorge got it’s “a thousand stars” rating. Interesting Fact: [su_pullquote]We encourage guests to sleep outside of their tents under the stars if they wish. The gorge is extremely underpopulated and underutilized. Meaning that the critters that feed on us are not usually present on our carefully selected camping spots.[/su_pullquote] 4) Your raft may Flip or you may go for a “swim” The Zambezi is affectionately known as the “Slambezi”, as big water flips are more the norm than the exception. This is mitigated by the river conditions. The Zambezi is a “warm-pool drop” river. What “warm” means is that we don’t have to deal with the huge issues associated with cold water immersion. If you go for a dip or have a flip we pull you back on, or one of our kayakers will rescue you and the trip continues, absolutely no big deal. “Pool Drop” means that the rapids generally empty out into relatively calm pools. So if the raft does go over, we have time to collect everybody, get you all back on your raft and take a break before the next rapid. On other rivers of a similar class, a flip is a calamity, as the rapids often feed into each other. Interesting fact: [su_pullquote]If you can count “One Zambian Banana, Two Zambian Bananas, Three Zambian Bananas” and still haven’t broached the surface for a breath, beers are on us.[/su_pullquote] 5) The river is in a steep-sided gorge The “Middle Batoka Gorge” on which we raft, is formed from the action of the river eroding through fault lines in the basalt rock. The result; a very steep sided gorge with limited access points. You will be required to hike in and out of the gorge to enjoy the rafting. By hike, we mean you will have to ascend steep paths for up to 30 minutes, to reach roads and infrastructure. Be sure to bring footwear that allows you to hike up and down. We have made these paths easier to egress with “Mopani” (a local tough tree) wood ladders. It is tiring, and in the heat, the climb can
Summer Cruise Times
After a lovely mild winter the weather is warming up by the day so we will be going back to our Summer time sunset cruise’s which will come into effect on the 15th August. Pick-ups from lodges in Livingstone will be between 15.45 – 16.00, boats boarding at 16.15 and departing at 16.30. This is applicable to Lady Livingstone (David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa), Makumbi and Mambushi (Waterfront).
