The
Zambezi River
by
Colin Irvine
The
Zambezi river is one of the greatest whitewater runs on
the planet. It’s that simple.
Big volume, warm water in a deep canyon, with lines to test
the worlds best. From the put-in at the base of the spectacular
Victoria Falls to the painstaking hike-out at the day’s
end, this is a river trip like no other. Here’s the
bare bones of how to plan a trip there:
The river
The Zambezi runs along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia,
tumbling over 100m at Victoria falls to form one of Africa’s
main tourist attractions in the so called adrenaline sports
capital of the region. Immediately downstream of the falls,
the river cuts through the Batoka Gorges and the compression
of the gorge walls combined with the gradient throw up some
impressive whitewater rapids. The rapids are numbered from
1-25, separated by flat water pools.
The upper 10 rapids form the most famous section and are
generally harder than the water downstream. Rapids of note
include 4, 7 and the notorious 9, which is often portaged.
At the base of the falls lie the minus rapids, which are
harder again and usually only run by expert teams at very
low water. You can run from 1-25 in a single day, although
you will feel it by the end (about 25 km). Downstream of
this the water eases up and the rapids are more spread out,
although still big. This trip usually requires a raft supported
multi-day effort.
How good do you need to be?
To survive on the river, you need to have a bombproof roll
and a strong, dynamic paddling style. To be able to style
it… well, you could spend years here and still get
caught out from time to time. It is a freestyle oriented
river, with waves such as 11 and 12b making it a dynamic
playboating environment. With that in mind, you will probably
get better value from the run if you are at least interested
in freestyle paddling. However, even experienced class 5
river runners find themselves walking 9 regularly and getting
caught out by 7, so there’s something there for everyone.
Rob Coffey hits the boof at #5 (right)
Spot the kayaker on Rapid #9 (below)
What boat?
A dynamic playboat with lots of emphasis on wave moves.
Don’t sacrifice on comfort though – these are
long physical days.
How do I get there?
Fly to Livingstone or Victoria Falls airport and take a
taxi to a hotel / hostel of your choice in Livingstone.
Alternatively save some cash and just fly to Lusaka and
travel by public bus up to the river (about 10 hours and
only $10). To do this you will need to take a taxi to the
central bus station. Choose a hostel which is fairly central
in Livingstone (consult Lonely Planet, but Fawlty Towers
is pretty good).
Where to eat?
There are a variety of good, western style restaurants in
town offering a main course for $3-6. Many of the backpackers
hostels have restaurants attached.
How much will it cost?
Well, when I was there (2001) I budgeted about $15 a day,
but got my shuttles for free. You will pay $3-10 for dorm
accommodation. You also need to pay a porter to carry your
kayak in and out of the gorge which is about $2. Beer is
about $1, Coca-cola is about 25cents
How do I get paddling?
This can be tricky. In years past, kayakers just tagged
along with one of the many rafting companies that work the
river. This option is now largely shut off. Getting to the
put in (Vic Falls) is easy – just tie your boats to
the roof of any taxi. Getting back however, generally requires
4 wheel drive. Thezambezi.com are currently offering a shuttle
service for kayakers but it doesn’t come cheap unless
you are a large group. Unfortunately there aren’t
many alternatives.
What time of year?
It is possible to boat the Zambezi all year round. However,
September / October is generally recognised to be an ideal
level. From June through to November is good.
What gear?
Apart from a very brief cold spell in July, this is a warm
water, hot weather destination. Most people just wear shortie
cags to keep the sun off and the water out of their boats.
Don’t even think about latex seals or neoprene shorts.
Make sure your spraydeck is solid. Bring a spare paddle
as the powerful water claims a few each year and there are
no kayaking shops nearby. Bring a good Buoyancy Aid as the
notorious Batoka whirls can dish out some serious downtime.
What is the area like?
It used to be that Livingstone in Zambia was for the stingy
kayakers and Victoria falls (on the Zimbabwe side) was where
you went to live-it-up. Robert Mugabe’s rampage in
Zimbabwe has flipped the tables however, and that side of
the river is now largely to be avoided. Hyperinflation and
massive unemployment means that a certain desperation has
crept into a community that was so dignified. This means
major hassle for all western tourists, as locals compete
for your foreign currency.
Livingstone is a pleasant town, always bustling with activity.
The attraction of the falls brings high volumes of tourists
through and there is usually a good party to be found somewhere.
Watch out at night however - the town has a rough streak
and muggings of drunken kayakers are fairly common. Check
out the local night clubs – step rite and rave stone
- for some hard clubbin’, African style! There are
also numerous companies offering everything from sunset
safaris to bungee jumping – see what your budget allows
and check the guidebook for advice.
Hot tip:
When the river gets low enough it is possible to wade across
just above the falls and bathe in one of the shallow pools,
right at the brink of the waterfall. Definitely an amazing
experience, peering over this 110 metre beast, hoping the
river doesn’t surge!
What
else is to do in the region?
“More than you can imagine” is the short answer.
In 2001 I made a trip into Zimbabwe, then up into Tanzania,
Malawi and on to the legendary spice island of Zanzibar.
An incredible trip that simply merits another article –
it’s on the way!
