The 3 "Minus rapids": Occur before the official #1. Minus #1 and #2 are the only rapids that have been run, minus #3 is impossible to access because of its proximity to the falls. Rapid #2 is the biggest and most impressive rapid on the river.
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"…against the wall" # 1: Class 4/5: The Boiling Pot, is the start of the low water trip. From here the river hits a wall forming a wild cushion wave and eddy.
"…the bridge" # 2: Class 3: A wild mixture of waves best in the early part of the low water season. Clearly visible to bungee jumpers and spectators on the Victoria Falls bridge.
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Rapid # 3: Class 4: A steep and radically fast wave with an easily avoidable hole. The second part of this rapid is best in the early part of the season - a small wave train with an excellent pocket on the Zambian side.
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"Morning Glory" # 4: Class 4/5: The first major rapid offering varying lines with an almost river-wide hole at the top, followed by a few diagonals off the right hand wall and finally a big hole at the bottom.
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"Stairway to Heaven" # 5: Class 5: Best in the early part of the season, with an 8m drop over 10m, very steep and powerful with a heap of massive waves and holes. Although it isn't too technical, it's size and volume make for an amazing spectacle and an even more amazing ride. Avoid the waterfalls and a hole on the left called the "catcher's mitt" plus a large pourover on the right.
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"Devil's Toilet Bowl" # 6: Class 4: A Short rapid with a deceptively steep and powerful hole on entry followed by some nasty boils and whirlpools.
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"Gullivers Travels" # 7: Class 5: A very respectful 700m run of class 5 high volume white water at certain levels. This is the longest and most technical rapid on the one day whitewater trip. The run consists of a main channel with smaller channels feeding into it - includes the "Temple of Doom", "The Crease", "Patella Gap" and "Land of the Giants".
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"Midnight Diner" # 8: Class 3/5: This rapid has 3 runs. On the left is "Star Trek" with a hole of up to 5m reserved for the brave. The "Muncher Run" in the centre takes you through a window of "Star Trek". On the right is the "Chicken Run".
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"Commercial Suicide" # 9: Class 5/6: The Zambezi's most infamous. This is a river-wide pour-over with a very narrow slot of less than a metre on the right - commercial portage!
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"Gnashing Jaws of Death" #10: Class 4: An easy run before lunch…
Zambian lunch break
Zimbabwean lunch break
"Overland Truck Eater" # 11: Class 5: A big barrel for about two weeks in the year during the transition between high and low water in mid January and early July. Watch out for the hole, eddy line and whirlpool. This is the first rapid on the "high water" run.
"Three Sisters" #12A,B,C: Class 3/4: 12B is the famous Zambezi surfing wave for kayakers - surfs best between August and December with two windows and a massive green shoulder and a big eddy. Rafters prefer the term "three little pigs".
"The Mother" # 13: Class 4/5: A massive wave train at its best, first 3 waves super fast.
Rapid # 14: Class 3: Big S-bend in the river. Center chute to be avoided at lower water levels.
"Washing Machine" # 15: Class 5: Simple wave train but un-runnable in the middle because of a huge crashing hole - go left or right into the eddy.
"The Terminators I and II" # 16: Class 4: A massive wave train and trough at higher levels, not much when low.
Taita Falcon Lodge: Last overnight on the Batoka expedition rafting trips
"Double Trouble" # 17: Class 5: A simple wave train with 2 large holes - also known as "The Bitch".
"Oblivion" # 18: Class 5: Three waves make up THE rapid on the Zambezi.. The 3rd crashing wave is responsible for more raft flips than any other in the world - only about 1 in 4 attempts succeed! This rapid marks the end of the "low water" one-day run.
Rapids #19 to #25: Class 2/3: Easy runs at the end of the day. Rapid 19 is the last on the "low water" one-day run. Rapid #23 is the last on the "high water" run.
Low water take-out and Zim beachcamp #1
Camp Makuni, Zambia: Zambian take-out after rapid #25
Upper Moemba, an outstanding run before the lower Moemba portage
Lower Moemba, a guaranteed portage
Rafting expediton campsite: Count yourself lucky if you've had a hearty breakfast at this little spot on the Zambezi. You'll never find this one on TripAdvisor!
Matetsi River Mouth, the end of the full rafting expedition
Rapid #10 Helipad
Rapid #22 Helipad
Rapid #25 Helipad
...where bungee jumpers take their leap of faith over the Zambezi River! Also site of the Bridge Swing, Bridge Slide landing, Bridge Cafe and Bridge Visitor Centre
Full junkie's fix with the BigAir experience
...for the complete aerial adrenaline junkout! Gorge swing, Flying Fox, gorge slide, abseiling
Zambezi Swing, Zambia
...for the complete aerial adrenaline junkout! Gorge swing, highwire, rap jump, abseiling
Lion Encounter, Masuwe Estate, Zimbabwe
Programmes operating under the auspices of the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (lionalert.org) are active with captive lions in Zimbabwe and Zambia. They offer a unique and stimulating opportunity to learn about lions and spend time with youngsters in their natural habitat.
Lion Encounter, Thorntree, Zambia
Programmes operating under the auspices of the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (lionalert.org) are active with captive lions in Zimbabwe and Zambia. They offer a unique and stimulating opportunity to learn about lions and spend time with youngsters in their natural habitat.
Elephant trails take place on the private Elephant Camp concession within Victoria Falls National Park.
...check out Elephant Camp
Rapid #25 Helipad
Rapid #22 Helipad
Rapid #10 Helipad
"Morning Glory" # 4: Class 4/5: The first major rapid offering varying lines with an almost river-wide hole at the top, followed by a few diagonals off the right hand wall and finally a big hole at the bottom.
(satellite view shows precise spot)
Batoka expedition beach camp #1
Taita Falcon Lodge: Last overnight on the Batoka expedition rafting trips
Batoka expedition, 2nd beach camp, Zambia
"Open Season": A huge adrenaline rush to stimulate your appetite and help you polish off the fresh salad prepared for lunch
Zimbabwe canoe safari, Upper Zambezi
Chundu picnic campsite, Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zimbabwe canoe safari end, Upper Zambezi
Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zambia canoe start, Upper Zambezi
Simonga launch site, Zambia
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zambia canoe finish, Upper Zambezi
Mosi-oa-Tunya site, Zambia
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Imbabala Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe
Bordering on the Chobe Forest Reserve and secluded within a private National Parks concession with 14km of Zambezi River frontage
Imbabala Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe
Bordering on the Chobe Forest Reserve and secluded within a private National Parks concession with 14km of Zambezi River frontage
"…against the wall" # 1: Class 4/5: The Boiling Pot, is the start of the low water trip. From here the river hits a wall forming a wild cushion wave and eddy.
Rapids #19 to #25: Class 2/3: Easy runs at the end of the day. Rapid 19 is the last on the "low water" one-day run. Rapid #23 is the last on the "high water" run.
"Overland Truck Eater" # 11: Class 5: A big barrel for about two weeks in the year during the transition between high and low water in mid January and early July. Watch out for the hole, eddy line and whirlpool. This is the first rapid on the "high water" run.
...for the complete aerial adrenaline junkout! Gorge swing, Flying Fox, gorge slide, abseiling
Elephant trails take place on the private concession within Victoria Falls National Park.
Lion Encounter, Masuwe Estate, Zimbabwe
Programmes operating under the auspices of the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (lionalert.org) are active with captive lions in Zimbabwe and Zambia. They offer a unique and stimulating opportunity to learn about lions and spend time with youngsters in their natural habitat.
...where bungee jumpers take their leap of faith over the Zambezi River! Also site of the Bridge Swing, Bridge Slide landing, Bridge Cafe and Bridge Visitor Centre
Full junkie's fix with the BigAir experience
...for the complete aerial adrenaline junkout! Gorge swing, Flying Fox, gorge slide, abseiling
Zimbabwe canoe safari, Upper Zambezi
Chundu picnic campsite, Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zimbabwe canoe safari end, Upper Zambezi
Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zambia canoe start, Upper Zambezi
Simonga launch site, Zambia
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zambia canoe finish, Upper Zambezi
Mosi-oa-Tunya site, Zambia
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Elephant trails take place on the private Elephant Camp concession within Victoria Falls National Park.
...check out Elephant Camp
Imbabala Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe
Bordering on the Chobe Forest Reserve and secluded within a private National Parks concession with 14km of Zambezi River frontage
Zimbabwe/Botswana borderpost, Kazangula
Derives its name from the adjacent island where local tribesmen performed sacrificial ceremonies during the time of the early missionaries. These acts were referred to as "devilish". Hence the name of the western-most cataract over which water cascades 70m.
Here's the "First Class" view over "commercial suicide"! You're going to have to check-in to Elephant Camp to catch the sunset here...
Elephant trails take place on the private Elephant Camp concession within Victoria Falls National Park.
...check out Elephant Camp
The epicentre for elephant interaction in Victoria Falls with top notch service and contemporary safari style
Livingstone Island
Imbabala Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe
Bordering on the Chobe Forest Reserve and secluded within a private National Parks concession with 14km of Zambezi River frontage
Derives its name from the adjacent island where local tribesmen performed sacrificial ceremonies during the time of the early missionaries. These acts were referred to as "devilish". Hence the name of the western-most cataract over which water cascades 70m.
Elephant trails take place on the private Elephant Camp concession within Victoria Falls National Park
...check out Elephant Camp
Here's the "First Class" view over "commercial suicide"! You're going to have to check-in to Elephant Camp to catch the sunset here...
Imbabala Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe
Bordering on the Chobe Forest Reserve and secluded within a private National Parks concession with 14km of Zambezi River frontage
Zimbabwe canoe safari, Upper Zambezi
Chundu picnic campsite, Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
Zimbabwe canoe safari end, Upper Zambezi
Zambezi National Park
...go to Lower Zambezi for canoe safaris
