subject: Victoria Falls: Experience the White Water Rafting [print this page] Victoria Falls: Experience the White Water Rafting
A Day you will remember for the rest of your life. It will be one of those days that you will remember for the rest of your life and whatever time of year you go you are going to get wet.
Victoria Falls White Water Rafting was really the first of the adrenaline activities to start in Victoria Falls in the early 1980's. It was through this sport that adrenaline fans travelled from all over the world to have a go on what is rated as the best one rafting trip in the world. Rafting Trips run from both the Zimbabwe and Zambian sides, and operators on both sides are highly professional. Low water trips (approx August through to early January) start at Rapid number one which is just below the boiling pot of the Victoria Falls.
These trips are either half day (10 rapids) or full day trips (21 rapids). On the shorter trips you simply exit the gorge after Rapid number 10 at about lunchtime. Exiting the gorge involves a steep climb of about 250m, although helicopter lifts are available, at a cost.
High water runs (May, June, July and Jan, Feb, March) miss out the first 10 rapids as they are just not safe to raft at the high water level. So on this trip you will only do rapids 11 to 23. It is a shorter day even though it is still sold as a full days rafting.
The intensity of rafting varies due to the fluctuating levels of water plunging through the gorges. On the whole, lower water levels means higher thrill levels. This is because when the water levels are very high, they flood the rocks and outcrops which are the formation of the rapids. As water levels drop, rocks get closer to the surface and the white water starts to really boil and crash through the gorge.
However when the water level is very high the sheer volume of water makes some rapids unsafe, hence the need for the high water run where the first 10 rapids are left out. As water levels get increasingly higher around about March, the whole river becomes unsafe so the Victoria Falls White Water Rafting is closed until the water levels start to drop again in around June.
Contrary to what some people think, it's not one long rapid there are calm stretches of water in between these huge grade 5 rapids.
This gives you plenty of time to chat and laugh with your fellow rafters, take in the breathtaking scenery, and view birds and other wildlife.
When to Visit:
This is not nearly as exciting, so please be aware that if rafting is your main focus plan on coming between August and early January.
Getting There:
Air Zimbabwe offers cheap flights to Victoria Falls from Johannesburg, South Africa, Harare International & Bulawayo International. Each year millions of tourists fly to this natural wonder also called the "The Smoke that Thunders" through Air Zimbabwe, South African Airways & Air Botswana. There are three direct flight departures of Air Zimbabwe from Johannesburg-Victoria Falls-Johannesburg i.e. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday'sand vice versa. Other than that the flights of Air Zimbabwe from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls connect via Harare International, the capital city of Zimbabwe. These are all morning flights that fly at around 9 am and take approximately 2 hours to reach Victoria Falls. For more information visit http://www.cheapzimbabweflights.com/ or call reservation 02079936219 to book cheap flights to Victoria Falls. You can also send us your travel enquiries at sales@flightsmaster.co.uk to book cheap flights to Victoria Falls.
