Zambia Kayaking Holidays

The Zambezi has a mythical reputation with its rivergod, Nyaminyami taking care of all who paddle the magnificent Batoka Gorge. Kayaking the Zambezi is a must if you are a solid Grade 3+ boater with a solid roll. Beneath the mist of the Victoria Falls, would have to be one of the more dramatic places in the world to start a kayaking trip. With its big warm water, kayaking this trip will be the highlight of your paddling to date.

It's 100% FUN! Our world class kayak instructors will give you the confidence and skills to paddle this legendary river. But our journey is far more than just kayaking. You'll get a spectacular helicopter flight and see wildlife at close range.

After all, this is not Disneyland, this is Africa!

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day One
Flights generally arrive in to Livingstone around midday. You will be met by a Water By Nature guide, who will escort you to your hotel to
make sure that you get settled in and comfy. The remainder of the day is yours to explore or to relax and catch up on sleep! However
you have to get over civilization somehow, so what better place to start than a leisurely look at one of the seven natural wonders of the
world. One can never be jaded by them and your guides, perhaps visiting them for the umpteenth time, will still be seen staring in
awe at their magnificence. The chasm, is a myriad of beauty with its vivid rainbows and it's fascinating whitewater pounding deep below. Just remember rapids look a lot smaller from up above! Early evening we have organized a trip on the African Queen, which cruises the Upper
Zambezi River. Relax and enjoy a drink and snacks whilst viewing hippos and elephants at close range. On occasion we might also see
buffalo or other wildlife. Time to watch your first African sunset.

It is a great way to unwind and get in to your holiday mood! That evening there is a pre-trip get together where some of your equipment
is given out and we run through the plan for the next 9 days. Sleep tight for The Mighty Zambezi awaits…

Not Included:
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunset Cruise.

Day Two
Your first day of whitewater on the Zambezi. We meet for breakfast at the rather leisurely time of 9 am. With all valuables locked up
safely in the hotel, it is now time to kit out your kayaks and head to the Batoka Gorge. We drive to the top of the river and walk in at
rapid 10. A chance to paddle the lower section of the river up to Rapid 21. The Batoka Gorge provides a great backdrop for our comprehensive safety briefing should you make an untimely exit from your boat. Our first day on the river takes on the easier rapids of the Zambezi and gives you time to refresh your paddling techniques in the warm water. Trips are timed to give you the best chance at surfing the world class 12B! Overnight at our hotel.
Included: All meals

Day Three
We have a hearty breakfast and head to today's put in right beneath Victoria Falls. The Falls provide a great backdrop to the start of
this day, here we load the gear boat and take time to enjoy the splendor of this unique location. We enjoy a lunch together beneath
the falls before taking on some of the best rapids on the planet! It is good bye Vic Falls and hello Mighty Zambezi. The first rapid
“Morning Glory” definitely pry's the eyelids open! Following around the corner, is one of the biggest commercially run rafting rapids in
the world, “Stairway to Heaven”, down the middle and hold on tight in a kayak! “The Devil's Toilet Bowl” and “Gullivers Travels”
follow before we get to the fantastic “Midnight Diner” featuring one of the biggest waves that you will ever see on a river. Shortly after, we walk around the rapid “Commercial Suicide”, the first of several portages on the river. This is where we carry our kayaks around this
unrunnable rapid. This is a great place to take photos, as are several other spots where we take time out to grab our cameras from the
water tight boxes on the gear boat and shoot away. “The Gnashing Jaws of Death” provides a suitable whitewater finale before we float in
to camp to spend the evening sitting around recounting usually in a fairly exaggerated fashion, our exploits of the day. It is now time
to relax, watch the sun disappear behind the basalt cliffs and to enjoy our first night under the stars.
Included: All meals

Day Four
Waking up on the beautiful sandy beach next to the Zambezi our guides might bring you a tea or coffee in your tent! After breakfast we
load our gear raft with all provisions for the rest of the trip. We get straight back into it with “Creamy White Buttocks” and “The Mother” - the guides will try and explain just where these names came from and what exactly they mean! We run the same section we ran on our first day, stopping to enjoy another surf at 12B. A chance to play up for the videographer, who accompanies all our trips. Later on in the day, we have one of the most thrilling rapids on the whole trip to look forward to - number 18 also called “Oblivion”.
It isn't the first wave that gets you, nor the second, but the third rather HUGE crashing wave that normally has all the video vultures
and photographers standing ready with poised cameras to capture all the fun. We make base a little further down while watching the
incredibly graceful fish eagles soar above us as dusk falls. With G & T's in hand we prepare dinner and look forward to our next day, with
yes can you believe it even more outstanding whitewater!
Included: All meals

Day Five
“Morning Shower” wakes us up in the conventional fashion to what we are becoming accustomed. The river begins to open out a bit more but that doesn't mean that the rapids get any smaller especially with one of the more technical and exhilarating rapids, “Open Season” to conquer today! We sample a huge adrenaline rush before lunch which is a certain recipe to inspire hunger in order to polish off the freshly prepared salads. Later on it is time for “Chamamba” and “Upper Moemba”. What a great campsite we have around the corner from where you can
take a walk and look at the beauty of “Lower Moemba” as you enjoy your sundowners and again recount the days tales!
Included: All meals

Day Six
We'll have a relaxed breakfast and if you wish, we can paddle again the amazing Upper Moemba before you get lifted out by helicopter back to Livingstone. We enjoy some ice cold drinks brought by the helicopter and then a scrumptious riverside lunch. After such a brilliant trip, there is no better way to finish than with a spectacular half hour helicopter flight back through the Batoka Gorge getting a
bird's eye view of the rapids, to Waterfront Lodge. We have a welcome shower before meeting together to share all our experiences
over dinner that night. Don't be surprised if you don't recognize each other as after 5 days of getting used to unshaven faces and
unkempt hair it is quite the shock to see how well people scrub up! We stay on the Upper River at Waterfront Lodge for the night situated
on the banks of the Zambezi. A stunning balcony overlooking the river, is a great backdrop for sundowners! Well done you have kayaked one of the ‘10 Classic River Trips' in the world and believe us you will feel exhilarated for having done so!
Included: All meals

Day Seven
Rest Day. We transfer into town and check out a few more of the activities available in the Falls. Microlight flights, bungy jumping, gorge
swinging, abseiling, the list is endless. The day is yours.
Included: Breakfast

Day Eight
Today, we have a BLAST! All the best rapids in one day as a finale to your trip. Paddle from Number One (The Wall) to Number 18 (Oblivion) and paddle what is arguably the best day run of kayaking anywhere in the world. We have a post trip meal in town.
Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day Nine
Time to cruise around town and do that last minute retail therapy before boarding your flight back home… There are great wooden carvings to take home, a hippo for your mother in law?
Included: Breakfast.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Accommodation in town in a tourist hotel. This will be on a share twin basis with somebody else on the trip.

Before and after your trip, you´ll be staying in a hotel sharing with a fellow adventurer from your trip. If you have a request regarding who you are sharing with, please inform our office. If our trip ends up with odd numbers nobody will be charged a Single Supplement, however if this is requested there will be an additional charge of £120. On the river portion of the trip, you´ll also be sharing a tent with a fellow kayaker. You can request a single tent for a small additional charge.

Foreign Travel
Most of our clients are aware that adventure travel to far flung lands can pose it´s own interesting idiosyncrasies common in the developing world. Very few things happen fast, and you´ll find a smiling face and a little patience work wonders in these countries for getting things accomplished. We suggest you read the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise on the country you are visiting prior to your
departure. We recommend a few phrases of the local language will get you a long way (this is sent to you in your pre departure pack). Our trip leaders are on hand if you have any queries about the country you are visiting.

Pre – Departure Packs and Equipment Lists
On receipt of your deposit and booking form, we´ll send you a suggested equipment list. This can also be found on our website, on the page relating to the country you are visiting. If you require some of the items suggested for your trip, they can also be purchased off our website or a limited number of items from our river teams. 30 days prior to your trip departure, you´ll be sent a pack with a few “goodies” including facts about the country you are visiting, who your guides are, along with what you might expect on your trip and your cool Water By Nature T shirt.

Travel Insurance
An adequate insurance policy is required to cover you whilst white water kayaking. This must also include medical evacuation and repatriation in the unlikely event you are injured on your trip. In ten years we have never had to evacuate a client from a trip. Testament to how importantly we take your safety. Water By Nature has a policy we recommend and this can be purchased from our insurance agent if you wish. The policy available for the duration of this trip for £82.50

Money on your trip
As most aspects of your trip are taken care of, the money you will need to bring will be limited. You can pay for many items at this destination by credit card although we recommend travelling with a small amount of US dollars in small denominations. ($20, and $50 notes are good) No ATM facilities are available at this destination.

Environmentally Responsible Travel
What better way of travelling down a river than by your own paddle power and gravity? Water By Nature takes great care of the environment we visit and carry out all our waste that we take on trips. We keep groups small to not impact the environment and to give you the chance to chat with all the interesting people on your trip. For more information about Water By Nature´s environmental policy, please refer to our website.

Your Trip Memories on DVD
On many of our departures we take along a trip cameraman who will capture your trip through their eyes. This will capture not only you paddling through white water, but have local wildlife, scenic shots and the adventures around camp. These can be pre-ordered or they can be ordered in destination. When edited, they will be put to music and enclosed in the DVD case for your memory.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Fri 30th Jul > Sat 7th Aug
Sat 7th Aug > Sun 15th Aug
Sat 21st Aug > Sun 29th Aug
Sat 4th Sept > Sun 12th Sep
Sat 25th Sept > Sun 3rd Oct

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