9 Days Victoria Falls Rafting Safari
9 Days Victoria Falls Rafting Safari
Price
Overview
Nature Horizons 9-Day Zambia Tour – Rafting – Victoria Falls – Safari, August – December ( water level appropriate for devil’s pool/rafting)
Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Tokaleye people living in a tribe along the banks of the Zambezi river as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” – “The Smoke that Thunders.” In more modern terms, Victoria Falls is known as the most extraordinary curtain of falling water in the world.
Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometers, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.
This phenomenon is a wonder of the world, and when you arrive you will soon see why.
The Zambezi River is the most powerful river on planet Earth, making it one of the most adrenaline-filled rafting kayaking and river surfing excursions one can go on.
The best months for rafting and kayaking on the Zambezi river are from August to December, when the water level creates world-class rapids.
Zambia is filled with beautiful national parks for wildlife safaris and awe-inspiring nature for you to immerse yourself in. Nature Horizons has built this tour to include all of the above and so much more!
Not suitable for
- Pregnant women
- People with back problems
- People with mobility impairments
- Wheelchair users
Tour Map
Group Price
- The price per person for group expeditions are fixed based on a group size. However, we have optional arrangements for individual private and tailor-made preferences best suited for you, your family and friends.
- All prices are based on shared accommodation. Please inquire for a 1 guest private room accommodation quote
- Prices listed are not final. Please inquire for your final price quote.
| 2 pax | 3-4 pax | 5-6 pax | 7-8 pax |
|---|---|---|---|
| US $7,000 | US $6,700 | US $6,500 | US $6,350 |
Included/Excluded
- Multi-day trips are a FULL BOARD experience. Meals and drinks will be catered for. Your trip leader will contact you in advance to discuss dietaries and drink preferences.
- Purified water is provided on all trips
- Tents are provided
- Thermarest-style mattresses
- Personal flotation device (PFD)
- Waterproof dry bags to hold your belongings for the trip
- Return transfers from hotels within Livingstone
- Full HD video/photographs of your excursion will be uploaded into the cloud and made available to all clients with our compliments
- Dept of National Parks River Fees
- National Heritage Fees
- Additional accommodations before and at the end of the tour (unless paid)
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Sleeping Bag
- Activities/day excursions not specified in itinerary
- Tips
Day 1: Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport
Upon your arrival at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, Zambia, a Nature Horizons team member will be waiting for you at the airport. After you meet your guide, we will transfer you to your hotel in Livingstone. Once you are checked into your hotel, you have the day to relax and get your bearings. If you need anything from town, our team members are always nearby and will assist you in anything you need. Before dinner, we are going to have a safety briefing about our rafting tour. Also, we are going to go through a gear check just to make sure you have all the necessary things you will need on this adventure. If you are missing anything, we will head into town and assist you in purchasing the missing items from our local markets. After dinner, relax and enjoy the nightlife! Welcome to Africa, the Motherland.
Day 2: Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park
Wake up at 5:30 am and prepare for your early morning safari. Coffee, biscuits, and fruit will be ready for you to enjoy with the brisk morning breeze. Prepare to depart your hotel at 6:00 am sharp. We are leaving for Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. Inside this National Park that is the home of white rhinos, you will find a vast array of wildlife and birds. We will complete a 3-hour mobile safari stopping for wildlife every chance we get as we always do. Also, we will be in contact with the park rangers who are protecting the white rhinos 24/7, and we will get a chance to walk with them. Walking with a white rhino is truly an amazing experience. After our wildlife safari, we will head straight for Victoria Falls to complete a full tour viewing from the top. After you see the falls from above, you will have the option to eat lunch at the falls or back at your hotel accommodation.
Depending on your energy level, we can go back to town and relax for the rest of the day, or you have the option to hike down to the boiling pot. Don’t worry if you are too tired! Tomorrow we are heading down to the boiling pot to get on a raft and go on a spray tour. The remainder of the day will be spent relaxing by the pool. Enjoy the night, and as always, your guide will be there to assist you with anything you may need.
Day 3: Mukuni Village
Today you will wake up at around 7 am. Enjoy your breakfast and coffee and relax! We will be departing your hotel at 8:30 am for a complete tour of Mukuni Village.
Chief Mukuni’s Village is a Royal village that was founded around the 13th century. It is home to about 7,000 Leya people. The Chief has invited visitors into his village to get a glimpse of how his people have lived for generations and learn a little about their traditional customs and beliefs.
The Chief’s guides and the people of the village are more than happy to show visitors their huts. They will show you inside, explain how they are built and decorated, introduce you to various craftsmen and women at work and ask you to taste some traditional foods and beer. Remember that this is a working village, not a purpose-built tourist attraction, and it is a privilege to be welcomed into their lifestyle.
A tour to Mukuni Village is a two-hour excursion, where you can gain valuable knowledge of how an African village is run and the day-to-day routines of the people who live there. A headman will escort you around the village to explain village politics and to answer any questions you may have. One highlight you should see is Chief Mukuni’s Palace.
You can also pre-arrange to have a taste of the traditional food and beer. There is also a large craft market in the village for you to buy some locally made crafts.
Nature Horizons is proud to introduce you to the ancestral African culture.
After we tour Mukuni Village, we will head straight back to Victoria Falls. Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime. From August to December, the water level and current on the Zambezi river’s topside are very low. This allows us to visit Devil’s Pool. Devil’s Pool is a small water pool on the edge of the waterfall! Your guide will safely assist you to the pool, where you can relax and enjoy a swim and literally hang over the waterfall and view the entire falls. The experience you will have here is sure to stick with you forever.
The amazing experiences are not over today. Following Devil’s Pool, we will head down to the boiling pot. After reaching the bottom and relaxing for a bit, we will head out for our spray tour. We will take a raft to a large pool right under the fall. Try your best to swim directly at the falls, but the power of the waterfall will be pushing you back. Swimming at the falls is one of the most exhilarating swimming experiences. You are overpowered by mist, wind, and spray from the falls. Once we are here, it is our time to relax and enjoy mother nature. At your request, we will head back to your hotel, where you will relax for the remainder of the night.
Day 4: Maramba Village Tour
Today you will wake up as you please. Today is a more relaxed day while we still have many activities to complete around the area. When you are finished relaxing and having breakfast, you will let your guide know when you are ready to head out for the day.
First, we will head into the Maramba Village close to your hotel. This village will give you an inside look into the everyday life of a local Zambian family. The village is really special and we are going to visit a few schools during their school day so you can see the children. The children of this village have so much love and life in them, and they will be greeting you as soon as they see you arrive at their school with laughs and smiles.
After our Maramba Village tour, we will then see the most amazing museum in Zambia.
The Livingstone Museum is the oldest, largest, and best museum in the country. It’s divided into sections covering archaeology, history, ethnography, and natural history. Highlights include its collection of original David Livingstone memorabilia (including signed letters), tribal artifacts (from bark cloth to witchcraft exhibits), a life-sized model of an African village, taxidermy displays coverage of modern-day Zambian history.
Upon completing a tour of this museum, you can head back to your hotel to relax.
At 4 pm, we will be departing for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. A sunset cruise on the Zambezi is really special. You will understand once you arrive. The boat will slowly cruise down the river. Our professional wildlife safari guide will be on the boat with us to help you spot all the animals and birds along the river. August – December is the dry season around Zambia, Zimbabwe, & Botswana, and the animals and birds only have the Zambezi river as the primary source of water. This dry season makes the sunset Cruze even more magical, as we will be spotting and viewing wildlife and birds the entire time.
Dinner, wine, beer, and soft drinks are served on the boat as the sun sets.
Upon completing our sunset cruise, you will be transferred to your hotel for the night.
Day 5: Kafue National Park
We will wake up at 6 am for breakfast and coffee and get ready to depart for Kafue National Park. Today we will hop in our safari vehicle and take a seven-hour drive to Kafue National Park. This drive will be your first time outside of Livingstone, and what an amazing drive it will be. You will get to see the most amazing landscapes that Zambia has to offer and get a feel for what the country looks like outside of Livingstone. Once we arrive at Kafue National Park, we will set up our camp for the night and enjoy our dinner as the sun sets. Safari starts tomorrow!
Day 6: Kafue National Park
Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km² ( the size of Massachusetts ). It is one of the largest parks in Africa and is home to 152 different species of mammals.
The park is named after the Kafue River.
Kafue National Park covers a massive area in western Zambia. It’s known for its abundant wildlife and the Kafue River, running north to south through the park. In the north, the fertile Busanga Plains are home to lions, zebras, abundant birdlife, and the sycamore-fig trees of Busanga Swamps. In the more remote south, elephants and antelopes roam the Nanzhila Plains, and hippos swim in the waters of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi.
Nature Horizons’ love and passion for wildlife originated in Africa, and we are so excited and proud to introduce you to the wildlife of Mama Africa.
At 5 am, we will be up before the sun enjoying coffee and a light breakfast. We will be inside our safari vehicle, starting our full-day game drive at 5:45 am. Although we will be seeing wildlife all day long, the best time to spot wildlife is in the early morning hours before the sun gets too hot and some of the animals take to shade and relax. Our wildlife guides will be sure to guide you on a life-changing experience whether you have been on a wildlife safari before or if it is your first time. Every time is different, and you never know what magic you might run into around every turn. We will complete our full-day wildlife safari into the sunset and return to camp to sleep for the night.
Day 7: Livingstone
Today we will enjoy our breakfast and coffee for sunrise. Once we are finished with breakfast, we will pack up our vehicle and head back to Livingstone. We will arrive at Livingstone around 3 pm. Tomorrow will be an adventure-filled day, so once we arrive at your hotel, you can relax for the remainder of the day.
Day 8: Zambezi River
Get ready for a full day of rafting on the mighty Zambezi River. At 8:00 am, we will depart your hotel and head to Victoria Falls. At the top of the falls, you will meet your rafting team and receive your safety and tour briefing. The Zambezi River offers the most exhilarating experience of rafting down rapid 1-25 for a full day of adventure. We will stop and relax for about 30 minutes and have some water and snacks midday. At the end of our rafting tour, we will have a full lunch ready to enjoy at the top of the gorge. You will never forget this experience, and we at Nature Horizons are so happy that we could introduce you to Zambia and the Zambezi River. Once we are finished with lunch, we will escort you to your hotel. Relax and pack your things. Your African adventure is coming to an end tomorrow. You will be back, though!
Day 9: Departure Day
Wake up and prepare for your transfer to the airport for your flight home. Your guide will be with you all day until you leave for the airport.
Do I need a Visa?
What’s the weather like?
Do I need to take malaria medication?
What is the Language in Zambia?
Wil I Be able to do laundry during my Zambia Tour?
Can I drink tap water in Zambia?
What should I pack for a Safari in Zambia?
CLOTHING FOR ZAMBIA SAFARI
- Light weight shirts/blouses with long sleeves as protection from the sun and mosquitos
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Jeans or safari trousers
- Pajamas
- Socks
- Underwear
- A light weight water-proof jacket
- Comfortable walking shoes/sneakers
- Comfortable walking sandals or flip flops for warmer days
- A wide brimmed hat with under-chin tie to prevent it from flying away
- Swimsuit
- A WARM WINDPROOF jacket (winter)
- A fleece jacket that will go under the warm jacket (winter)
- A warm polo neck shirt (winter)
- A beanie (winter)
- Gloves (winter)
- A warm scarf (winter)
EQUIPMENT / OTHER
- Sunglasses
- Spare prescription eye glasses/contact lenses
- Binoculars
- Cameras and related paraphernalia like lenses etc and plenty of memory cards and spare batteries
- A small powerful flashlight and extra batteries
- Travel alarm clock
- Small purse size umbrella can come in handy
- Small lint roller
- A light packable backpack or tote to carry equipment and stuff on game vehicles
- A supply of Ziploc bags in different sizes may come in handy for dust or water proofing cameras , wet bathing suits etc.
-
Chargers for cell phones, iPads, cameras, computers and you may want to invest in a mini travel charger surge protector with dual USB ports and five charging outlets.
PERSONAL FIRST AID KIT
- Band aids
- Antiseptic cream
- Pain tablets
- Heartburn relief
- Eye drops
- Insect repellant
- Itch spray for bug bites
- Sunscreen with high SPF factor
- Hand sanitizer
- Purse size kleenex packets
- Eye drops
- Chapstick
- “make you go ” pills “make you not go” pills as well as any prescription medications that you reply on on a daily basis.
You may like
Inquire this Tour
Book Tour Now
Our TripAdvisor Reviews
Kika C2024-12-16Amazing experience and customer service!!! I highly recommend Dominick with Nature Horizons Tours!! I am a travel advisor who had a bit of a last-minute booking with a family to Peru. I reached out to Dominick immediately, since I knew he’d be fabulous!! He went above and beyond with communication, response, time, organization, and more! He got the very happy clients booked within a few days and I am super grateful for his services!!! he was so kind to start a WhatsApp group chat with me and my clients to answer any and all questions we had! Thank you!!!!Evan L2024-10-29Amazing time at Machu Picchu We had a great time in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco! Great views and excellent guide and transportation. Everything was great!Karen H2024-10-29Excellent experience I have worked with Nature Horizons as a travel advisor and it was an excellent experience. I 100% trust this team to deliver an exceptional trip for my clients. They are quick to respond to questions and the communication while my clients were traveling was outstanding. They had excellent knowledge of the area and were able to provide more local tips and suggestions that I would have been able to provide alone.Highly recommend.Rosie H2024-08-18Epic African Safari to Tanzania My husband and I planned a trip with 2 other couples to go on an African Safari in Tanzania for the Great Migration experience as well as the Serengeti which was epic all by itself. We visited and stayed across Moshi (Mt. Kilimanjaro area), the North & Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Maynara, nKomazi Black Rhino Sanctuary, Tarangire and probably a few other places I can't recall. We stayed at tented temporary camps to luxury camps. We stayed at Weru Weru lodge, Serengeti Heritage lodge, Central Serengeti Luxury camp, Rhino Lodge, Lake Maynara Safari Lodge and finally at Kilimanjaro Luxury camp. These venues each had their own beauty with furnishings, mosquito nets, traditional African tribal entertainment, good food and amazing staff who catered to our every need and comfort. Even in the bush, we still had access to electricity, hot water, bottled water, showers, toilets and yes of course, the internet but you have to be realistic since the bush is the bush with hyenas, big cats and elephants moving around the property. I really loved the Masai warriors who made us feel safe as they escorted back and forth between tents and the main camp. We were so blessed to experience the BIG 5 largely due to the expertise of our guides Praygod and Victor. They were the best and boy did they make the trip. I was grateful for their knowledge of the terrain, their respect for the wildlife, education and tolerating our 1000s of questions. We had 3 couples plus the owner operator Dominick and we rotated across 2 Land Cruisers. I wouldn't have it any other way, I never felt cramped and being able to pop my head up in the open roof was great for photos and viewing the animals with my binoculars. This was a once in a life time trip that I highly recommend to anyone that has grown up watching animal planet and national geographic as a kids. When you see these animals only feet away from you, the kid in you returns and you will definitely cry at the beauty of these animals in their natural habitat. I highly recommend Nature Horizons since they are well connected across the different operators and local partners. They lodging was great and it provided a little bit of raw nature in the bush, feeling like a roughed it a bit (but not really) to the beauty Kilimanjaro luxury camp the last 2 nights to be at the foot of Kilimanjaro, and being able to see her greatness above the clouds. I have been back a month and I can't stop talking about my experience in Tanzania. I was able to experience the beauty of the people of Tanzania, an actual Masai village, shopping at the awesome African Galleria, and getting souvenir's at the cool places our guides felt were respectable locations for tourists. I am not sure when, but I plan to go back to explore more of Tanzania and Africa.Nikole2024-07-17No Words I feel very fortunate to have gone on this safari with Nature Horizons. I went with a group of people and only knew one. Each place that we stayed at was very special in its own way. Dominick is a very kind, intelligent, fun human. He has built all the right relationships to ensure all of his clients are taken care of. We were able to see all of the big five. Our guides felt like family. I’ve never been on a trip that was so magical and was so hard to leave. It has nearly been half a year and our group still talks with each other. We bonded so much that we committed to going on a trip together every 5 years. If you’re thinking about this, DO IT! Do it with Nature Horizons! They will go the extra mile for you to get the experience of a lifetime. They even made sure we had opportunities to connect with the people of Tanzania.Rebecca M2024-06-23Unforgettable vacation We worked with Nature Horizons for our honeymoon to Peru and it far exceeded any expectations we had! It was the most incredible experience and itinerary they created for us and Deivis was always on top of everything and extremely responsive if we had questions. I give this company my highest/strongest recommendation if you are thinking of going to any of the countries they service!Dream224010839132024-06-12Great Travel Team! I am a travel advisor and just sent my clients on their honeymoon with Nature Horizons. They visited Peru and had the most amazing time. The Nature Horizons team was so easy to work with. listened to my requests, and made all the revisions I needed. They took wonderful care of my clients as if they were their own. I can't wait to work with them again!Noe V2024-06-11Full service trip to Perú We had a wonderful time traveling through Perú for two weeks on an itinerary planned by Deivis, through nature horizons.The experience was so much more than we originally expected. Every detail was accounted for. From private drivers to knowledgeable tour guides, there was nothing lacking.I don't know if we'll ever be able to take a trip like this again, but I'm so glad we did at least once. Thank you so much. I'll never forget these amazing days.Jill D2024-04-20Not enough stars to rate this company- THE BEST time ever!!! If there were a million stars to rate this company and my recent trip, it wouldn't be enough. Nature Horizons is amazing. I first met the owner, Dominick at a convention for travel advisors in 2023. I knew immediately that he was a very special person and he had a very obvious love for the tours he had created in the destinations he adored. The story of developing his company is inspiring and his work ethic has continued to impress me during all stages of my Safari planning, from its conception to preparation to hosting us during the Great Migration in Tanzania. His communication is efficient, sincere and organized. He is thorough and thoughtful. He is fun and personable. He is extremely knowledgeable and has vetted resources to execute adventures across many countries. Our Safari was 12 days of awesome-ness. We truly couldn't have asked for a better experience. Each day was well-planned and our guides helped us see so many animals, sites and natural wonders. They knew where to be and when for us to see the most miraculous things. Dominick was such a friendly host, helping us gain perspective and a true taste of Tanzania. He listened to our wishlist, considered our requests and delivered days that we will never forget. Dominick truly cares about each and every guest and also has such respect for some of the most treasured creatures and places on our planet. I can't imagine a better Safari ever happening. But, knowing Dominick, he will make sure the next one and the next and the next are better than the one before it. That's how much he cares.I have to share a couple of our favorite moments were totally unplanned, though. Our Safari vehicle got stuck in the mud as rains started in the Central Serengeti. Dominick stayed calm, assured us that all was well and we sipped champagne as we watched the men try to get us unstuck...comical. Everything happens for a reason and we saw a perfectly complete rainbow soon after our vehicle was moving down the road. It couldn't have been scripted any better! As we continued on the way back to our lodge, we came across a Lioness and her brand-new cub. This is something rarely seen and we were sure Dominick paid the Lioness to appear for us. LOL. These examples are merely a glimpse of memories we made. And, part of the reason these moments were so special was because we were in the moment, which was as Nature Horizons intended. We had not a care in the world and could simply "be" in nature. I can't thank the entire team enough for such a wonderful two weeks.416marlysl2024-04-04Amazing Experience! This trip was, by far, the most amazing trip I have ever taken! Dominick and his driver/guides were fabulous! They definitely found all the animals we wanted to see and many unexpected sites as well. They were so accommodating, stopping whenever we asked even if it was just for a bird or turtle crossing the road. Our guide, Praygod, was able to identify every bird we saw! Their knowledge of the wildlife was phenomenal. We learned so much about the culture, food, and local life from our casual conversations. The accommodations, while not luxury, were very comfortable and the food was very good, especially the soups. When I go back, it will definitely be with Dominick and Nature Horizons Tours!
