White-water rafting at the Victoria Falls

When visiting the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls, participating in a white-water rafting expedition is almost a must. Rafting on the main stream of the Zambezi below the Victoria Falls is an adventurous once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The beauty of the Zambezi at Victoria Falls

Before starting the white-water rafting tour, guests usually have to climb down from a viewpoint into the Zambezi gorge. The viewpoints grant magnificent views down the gorge and the water spray from the Victoria Falls.

The walls of basalt rock that capture the mighty Zambezi form one of the great river corridors of the world. This is the domain of the Nyaminyami, the River God of the Tonga people. The Victoria Falls plunge into a gorge, which separates the placid river above the Falls and the turbulent rapids below. The gorge is over 100 m deep at the Falls and increases to over 200 m by the end of the white-water rafting trip. Despite the rugged terrain, the gorges below the Victoria Falls are thick with vegetation and incredibly spectacular.

Map of white-water rafting tour

Back to Vicfalls Map

White-water rafting tours in Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls white-water rafting tour is one of the wildest rafting experiences in the world available to non-professionals. There is a range of different challenging rapids from grade three to grade five with matching names like “Gulliver’s Travels”, “Double Trouble”, “The Devil’s Toilet Bowl” or “Washing Machine”. Normally, the minimum age for participants is 15 years and a reasonable amount of fitness is required. However, the operator of our choice, "Shockwave Adventures Victoria Falls", also offers family packages.

There are several half-day or full-day tours including special family white-water rafting experiences. Exact routes and whether low- or high-water rafting is done, is determined by water levels. Usually low-water rafting is done between August and December and high-water rafting between January and July. Between April and May rafting might be closed due to water levels.

What you need to bring along for the white-water rafting adventure:

• Clothes that can get wet
• Shoes
• Sunscreen

What you shouldn't bring along

• Anything you don’t want to lose or get wet
• Cameras definitely should stay at home or at the parking area

“Shockwave Adventures” provides videos and pictures of the trip at the end of the tour at an additional cost, which is definitely worth the purchase!

Victoria Falls white-water rafting

Rafting Adventure with "Shockwave"

White-water Rafting on the Zambezi

Swimming in the Zambezi

Adventurous rapids

Zambezi white-water rafting close to Victoria Falls

“Shockwave Adventures” will usually pick up guests at their accommodation in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) in the morning and organize the transfer to the starting point of the white-water rafting experience. If you want to get picked up from Livingstone (Zambia), please let us know, so we can make a special arrangement for you.

After climbing down to the Zambezi, an introduction is done and the guide will hand over life-jackets, wind breakers in the unlikely case that it’s raining, paddles and helmets. Then the big Victoria Falls white-water rafting adventure starts!

White-water rafting with Shockwave Adventures on the Zambezi

White-water rafting boat options at Victoria Falls

“Shockwave Adventures” offers two types of boats for the white-water rafting tours.

Stern Mount Rafts are the perfect choice families with younger children, seniors and those who have done rafting before but prefer not to swim. Stern Mount Rafts have a frame at the back with a spine board. Guests can choose to paddle and get some exercise, but the guide is in full control of the raft even if the guests do not paddle which means that guests can hold onto the safety line during turbulent rapids. Smaller children can just sit in the middle of the raft with a special strap to hold onto. This is a very safe option with very slim to no chance of the boat to flip over.

Paddle Rafts on the other hand are a more adventurous option where the guide and guests all have to paddle. Before each rapid, stops are made to name the rapids and give instruction on how exactly to get over them. There are chances that the boat will go upside down, but the safety kayaker will be waiting to pick you up if you end up in the water.

Vitoria Falls white-water rafting half-day / full-day options

“Shockwave Adventures” offers plenty of options for white-water rafting at Victoria Falls. Depending on the time, guests want to spend on white-water rafting there are half-day trips, full-day trips or even several day excursions available. In the following, we focus on the shorter trips. If you want to book a longer tour, please contact us!

Included in all half-day and full-day tours are lunch, refreshments, water and a transfer from the accommodation before the tour and return to the accommodation once the tour is finished. At additional costs, videos of the Rafting trip can be purchased! National park fees of $10 per person are not included in the rate.

Please note: The walk down to rapid No 1 is steep, sometimes slippery and although you don’t have to carry any luggage, its tedious. If you are someone who fears heights, please opt to start with the afternoon half-day program from Rapid 11!!

White-Water Rafting with children on the Zambezi

Rates: White-water rafting