For all the fans of rafting the Zambezi River is probably a dreamed and must-do activity.

White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River below the Victoria Falls has been classified by the British Canoe Union as Grade 5 – extremely difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas. This is a high volume, pool-drop river – little exposed rock either in the rapids or in the pools below the rapids. The Zambezi White Water Rafting is internationally acclaimed as being the wildest in the world.

The enormous Zambezi River plunges 103 metres into a chasm almost 2km in length. In full flood the water makes a deafening roar throwing up towering clouds of spray which create multitudes of sparkling rainbows and constantly drenches the opposite cliff in rain.

Rafting is conducted on both sides of the Zambezi River, in Zimbabwe and Zambia below the Victoria Falls. Options include one and a half day rafting trips or rafting expeditions. The main rafting operations in Victoria Falls are:

* Shearwater Adventures (operating from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe)
* Safari Par Excellence (in Zimbabwe and Zambia – the latter departure in low water season gives you access to the Boiling Pot),
* Adrift / Kandahar (a relatively small outfit offering very personalised trips)

Top tips for rafting the Zambezi* Use lots of waterproof sunscreen, factor one million if you can find it. Keep applying it.
* If you’re coming from, or heading to, Zimbabwe, it’s cheaper on that side of the border.
* If you have a waterproof camera that you’re confident you can stop from getting lost or smashed up, bring it.
* Apply some more sunscreen.
* September/October is the best time to do it (apparently). By best, I mean scariest.
* The first section of the river isn’t open when the wet season is in full swing (generally some time between December and April). They have ‘sieves’ that can swallow a raft for over a minute then.
* Only little crocs make it over the Falls, no need to worry.
* You missed a bit with that sunscreen.

I will be happy to hear some insights from anyone who has been there…