Take a plunge at Victoria Falls
Stretching between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls is one the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a magnet for thrill-seekers. There are many different ways to experience a surge of adrenaline at the Falls, from feeling the spray on your face to looking down into the Batoka Gorge from a helicopter or microlight on a scenic flight. And then there’s always the option of a bungee jump. With so many adrenaline activities to enjoy, the Falls were a natural inclusion in our Wonder to Wonder itinerary.
In this blog, we’ll be focusing on one of the most intense experiences you can have here: taking a dip in the Devil’s Pool.
Immerse yourself in a Devil’s Pool adventure
With such an evocative name, you’d expect this to be a memorable moment – and it truly is. Accessible only from the Zambian side of the Falls, the Devil’s Pool is a natural rockpool at the very edge of the cascade, where the Zambesi River plunges 111 meters over the precipice, throwing up clouds of spray as it hits the river and rocks far below.
When the river is at its fullest after the summer rains, the pool is completely submerged and swimming in it would be impossible due to the force of the water rushing past. When the levels are lower, however (during the dry season and before the rains have swollen the river), the pool can be reached by a combination of boat trip and scrambling over the rocks with a local guide.
Take a deep breath
Imagine being in a jacuzzi high above a chasm, with a river plunging over the rocks to each side of you… You can peer over the edge and look straight down into the abyss, with nothing between you and the onrushing waters but pure African air. That’s the Devil’s Pool experience, and it’s a real thrill.
When you’re in the pool, you’re as close to the edge of the waterfall as it’s possible to get, yet the rocky walls surrounding you will ensure that you can’t be swept away. The views are nothing short of spectacular – but hang on tight to your camera!
While the Devil’s Pool is the best-known spot from which to peer into the abyss, another option (depending on when you visit) is the more divine-sounding Angel’s Pool, which is typically accessible just before the water levels in the Zambezi really begin to rise (from approximately mid-March to mid-June, or later in the year than the optimum dates for the Devil’s Pool).
In addition to Livingstone Island (the best way to reach the two pools we’ve already mentioned), Cataract Island (above the separate section known as the New Falls) also features its own on-the-edge swimming experience in shape of the Cataract Pools. Dedicated excursions to this equally exhilarating spot tend to run from January to July each year.
A river runs over it
A dip in the Devil’s Pool is just one of the ways you can experience the Zambesi River. Embarking from the Zambian town of Livingstone (named for the first European to see the Falls), boats can take you on excursions that include birdwatching, sunset sundowners, and picnics on some of the low, wooded islands in midstream.
The birdlife is remarkable, and you can witness incredible moments like fallen trees being carried along in the current, or pods of hippos cooling off amongst the pools, reeds and sandbars. Baboons, antelopes and even elephants can be spotted on each bank of the river, and it’s easy to imagine the long journey undertaken by each raindrop that finds its way into the Zambesi.
Beyond Victoria Falls, the river flows into the Kariba and Cahora Bassa dams, and ultimately into the Indian Ocean north of Beira in Mozambique. Just over 2,500 kilometers long, the Zambesi is a vital lifeline for humans and wildlife, and generates much of the hydroelectric power used in the countries it flows through.
Visiting Victoria Falls
By far the best-known spot along the river, Victoria Falls is ideally suited as an add-on to a southern African safari. The town and the waterfall feature in a number of our tailormade African safaris, such as our Best of Zimbabwe and Explore Zimbabwe voyages. Both Victoria Falls (the town in Zimbabwe) and Livingstone can be easily reached by either road transfer or charter flight, and the great national parks of Botswana are also relatively close by.