Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls may just be an antidote to an abysmal year. Image: Pixabay

Head to Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls to get your adrenaline fix

Now that Zimbabwe has reopened its land borders to visitors, why not explore ‘The Smoke that Thunders’?

Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls may just be an antidote to an abysmal year. Image: Pixabay

With the country’s land borders once more accessible to private passenger vehicles as of December 2, “Mosi-oa-Tunya”, aka “The Smoke that Thunders” is an option for South Africans who have been cooped up for too long.

However, travellers wanting to visit Zimbabwe will need to present a health certificate that is no older than 48 hours and which shows they have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Largest waterfall on the planet

The Victoria Falls is arguably one of the most spectacular waterfalls on earth. Forming the border between Zambia in the north and Zimbabwe in the south, waters from the mighty Zambezi River spill into a 100m-deep canyon over 1.7km wide, making it the largest waterfall on the planet.  

Adventure lovers, adrenaline junkies and outdoor enthusiasts flock to the falls for a myriad of exciting activities that are offered, including wild white-water rafting, breathtaking gorge swings, heart-stoppingly high canopy tours and terrifying swims in the “Devil’s Pool”.

Aptly known as the Adventure Capital of Africa, the Victoria Falls is the place to go if you are an adrenaline addict. 

Victoria Falls White-Water Rafting

Head down the mercurial Zambezi River, which ebbs and flows according to the season’s rainfall, on a wild white-water rafting excursion.

The falls is considered one of the best places to try this, and rafting trips run from both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides, with various levels offered according to experience.

Battle famous rapids such as “Stairway to Heaven”, “The Terminator”, “Oblivion”, “The Washing Machine”, “Judgement Day” and  “Devil’s Toilet Bowl” for an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Swimming in the ‘Devil’s Pool’

This is not for the faint-hearted! Swim to the very edge of the falls where the water disappears in a swirling cloud of mist in the naturally formed Devil’s Pool to watch the gushing torrent of water pour over the basalt precipice into the chasm below.

You are securely tied with a rope so there is no chance of you heading over the falls with the water. However, if you are scared of heights give this one a skip!   

River-boarding adrenaline craze

The new kid on the block, so to speak, river-boarding is the latest innovation in adrenaline sports and is taking the world by storm.

Originally started as a means of rescue, river-boarding is a white-water experience which involves swimming the rapids and surfing the waves with nothing more than an oversized bodyboard, wetsuit and flippers. Helmets are advised. 

High-wire activities around the Falls

There is a range of wild and heart-stopping activities that involve heights, wires and helmets. An adrenaline junkie’s dream, the Flying Fox has you attached to a harness and pulley that enables you to glide or “fly” across the gorge on a cable.

Bungee jump off the famous Victoria Falls Bridge, which is 110m high and attracts adventure seekers from around the world.

Another alternative to bungee jumping is bridge-swinging, whereby you jump from the bridge on a gorge swing as you pendulum back and forth across the gorge or abseil down a sheer 120m cliff face into the magnificent gorges below you.  

Tree-top Canopy Tours for unique vantage point

For something less adrenaline fuelled, but just as breathtaking, take to the sky for an amazing bird’s-eye view of the turbulent rapids, the majestic Victoria Falls Bridge and the misty spray of the falls from the lofty heights of the trees on a canopy tour.

A vast network of slides, trails and rope bridge walkways within the canopy of the hardwood forest caters for an adventure like no other. You can observe the riverine forest from a variety of different vantage points, both above and below the canopy itself.