The Zambezi River in the section near Victoria Falls is one of the most incredible in the world, with incredible scenic beauty, a full array of African megafauna to view, and some of the most fearsome rapids to navigate. Join our raft/kayak group as we paddle through the upstream national parks section on a paddle safari tour viewing elephants, giraffe, zebras, hippos and other wildlife, then descend past Victoria Falls to tackle the challenging rapids of Batoka Gorge, enjoying some cool side hikes and beautiful beach camps. This trip may not be possible much longer - most of Batoka Gorge and its fabulous rapids are due to be drowned by the Batoka Gorge Dam.

GENERAL TRIP INFORMATION:

The Zambezi is one of the most well-known rafting rivers in the world with big-water clsss IV and V rapids in a scenic canyon It sees roughly 50,000 tourists raft down the main section of rapids below Victoria Falls each year in a basalt canyon called Batoka Gorge (mostly as a day-trip), but tragically a massive dam that has been approved may be constructed soon, flooding the canyon up to the falls, perhaps as early as 2025. The most popular section to raft is the ~25 km just downstream of Victoria Falls where there are 23 rapids - a section that can be done as a day-trip ending soon after Rapid21. Beyond the popular and intense day-trip of the river, the Batoka Gorge continues with class II, III and IV rapids for ~110 km farther downstream to where the reservoir created by Kariba Dam starts, though the rapids get much less frequent in this remote beautiful canyon section. This expedition will cover 2-3 days above the falls in the national parks with the wildlife, and also 7-8 days below the falls through the entire Batoka Gorge.

Sign up as an individual or group on any general trip. Or as a private group, we may be able to schedule special trips - either as a fully guided trip or a Outfitting Service trip for experienced boaters. We always appreciate having helper guides on general trips (i.e., certified guides from other whitewater rivers - inquire about special rates).

EMAIL LIST: Sign up for our email list (send an email) and you'll be advised of upcoming trips and often special lower rates compared to the general TRIP COST.

ZAMBEZI INFO:
The Zambezi section that we cover rafting is a class II section of up to 80 km above Victoria Falls, and a class IV-V section of 140 km downstream of Victoria Falls (Batoka Gorge). Our general trip covers 10 days with 3 days floating the easy open section above Victoria Falls and another 7 days below the falls. The river in this whole section forms the border between Zimbabwe (river-right; RR) and Zambia (river-left; RL). We’ll base in the nearby town of Livingstone, which has numerous hotels, restaurants, and businesses catering to tourists who come to see the nearby attraction of Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. The best season to do the river is during the low water season starting in August and continuing through into January. I currently have 4 raft rigs and 2 kayaks (others available to rent) for the group to raft/kayak down the nicest ~198 km (123 mile) section of the river. With the rafts, our groups can handle a number of raft passengers as well (that is, you don’t need to be an experienced kayakers or rafter to join the trip) and there’s a possibliity to augment the number of rafts or kayaks. On these expeditions, we start with ~3 days floating ~68 km above Victoria Falls where the river goes by Zambezi National Park (Zimbabwe side) and Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park (Zambia side) which has some class II rapids and interesting flora and islands, but is mainly interesting for the wildlife you can see in the river and on the banks. The wildlife includes hippo, crocodile, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, waterbuck, kudu, impala, eland, sable, baboons and even some white rhino (and if you’re very lucky, you might even see lion, leopard, and/or hyena). This section will give you a good feel for how most of the flatter open Zambezi is above the falls. The island beach camps in this section are pleasant places to spend the nights and will help keep us safely away from many of the large animals that tend to stay on each side of the river. This upper 3-4 days will be in addition to the ~8-day 131 km trip in the Batoka Gorge below Victoria Falls, so it will be 11-12 days total for the river trip. Outfitters in the area offer day-trip inflatable kayak paddle tours of the section above the falls (and also motorboat rides or cruises) to see the wildlife, so this part of the trip is also something commonly done. Those of you concerned about the big rapids on the Zambezi below the Falls should realize that most of the “class Vs” of this river are akin to rapids like Lava Falls and not necessarily very dangerous when appopriate precautions are implemented - even if swimming. Also, all the class Vs are easy to walk around at low water, and we’ll have special inflatable AutoRight structures that can prevent the rafts from remaining upside down. We also will have a local “ranger” with the group in the wildlife section, armed with a rifle that can be used to deter animal attacks (I’ve seen it used to chase elephants away) and at least one local whitewater Zambian river guide with our group below the Falls (paddling a safety kayak or rowing/guiding a raft), who can explain things about the rapids to the group.

ZAMBEZI ACCESS POINTS:
Kazungula (km -79): There is a ferry crossing of the river here between Zambia and Zimbabwe; boat ramps both sides
Katombora (km -62): Zambia side: there is a good access to the water here by a beach (possible to camp too)
Simonga (km -27): Zambia side: there is a dirt road access to the river here
VICTORIA FALLS (km 0): At ~910 m elevation at the top; average drop over the falls 107 m, easy access both sides
Rapid10/11 (km 10): Acess on both Zambia and Zimbabwe side; used for half day-trips or putting in gear raft
Rapid21 (km 25): Bobo Beach Camp on Zambian side is general day-trip take-out point; Zimbabwe side has access too
Rapid25 (km 30): Mukuni Beach Camp on Zambian side alternate day-trip take-out point (longer and not used as much)
Dam Site (km 54): There is access on both sides here just upstream of Chibongo Falls; take-out for 3-day or 4-day trips
Matetsi Confluence (km 130): Zimbabwe side take-out from a full Batoka Gorge trip: ~2.5 hr drive back to Victoria Falls.
Bimbi Lodge (km 140): Zambian side take-out: requires a 7-10 hr drive back to Livingstone

BATOKA GORGE DAM:
The 2500 MW Batoka Gorge Dam is approved by both the Zambia and Zimbabwe governments. This is a dam that will be located 54 km downstream of Victoria Falls by the Chibango Falls rapid and just upstream of another class V rapid in Batoka Gorge (Ghostrider). The dam is planned to be ~181 m high (located at 600 m elevation) and flood up to Victoria Falls with the lake it creates, drowning most of the good whitewater in the Batoka Gorge and the most popularly-rafted section of river in Africa. The EIS has been approved as of January 2021 and construction survey activities have mostly been completed. However, the pandemic has caused a delay in the start of construction and there is still additinoal funding for the $4.5 billion USD project required to secure. Thus, the river has not been blocked or diverted yet, and there may be minimal activity at the site. Some articles quote officials still saying that the dam is expected to be completed by 2025.
General_Article_RaftingBatokaGorge_andDam
General_Article_About_BatokaGorgeDam
EngineeringNews_BatokaGorgeDam_Impacts_Tourism - Dec2020
XinhuaNet (IES approved and project moving forward) - Jan2021
BloombergNews (pandemic delays initial construction activity in 2021) - Apr2021

RAPIDS :
The Zambezi is well known among whitewater rafters and kayakers because of the incredible big-water rapids that it has in the Batoka Gorge starting just below Victoria Falls, as well as the scenic beauty of the falls and gorge. Doing some online searches will reveal a lot of photos, videos and write-ups of the rapids. The best introduction to what the river is like and in particular these planned expeditions is to watch the Video_Zambezi_Morrison/Contos. You can see other videos showing some of the big rapids from other's perspective of a kayaker and a rafter: Kayaking_TImWeed & Rafting_LoganCarter. You can also see some top-notch kayakers successfully paddling some of the toughest rapids on the river at Senders, Bren&Dane, DaneHighWater, InsaneWave, NotInEdit. Raft flips and swims are common and often intentionally done by raft guides to give participants more “excitement” - but with the high-flotation PFDs, warm water, and pool-drop nature of the river (i.e. there are mellow recovery pools just downstream of most rapids) there are rarely any problems with this. In many rapids there are aggressive lines and chicken lines. See the below attached basic outfitter map showing relative locations and names of the first 25 larger rapids, and some brief descriptions at the end of this email. Of the 10 days on the main trip, there will be major rapids on about 5 days starting just below Victoria Falls (Days5-10). There are no roads to the river in the 120 km downstream of Victoria Falls - roads do reach points on the rim just above it, but to access these places everything must be carried down or up 110 m (~360 ft). Fortunately there are lots of local guys who are eager to earn a little money as porters carrying gear into and out of the gorge at the main access points of km0 (BoilingPot), km10 (just past Rapid#10), km25 (BoboBeach: just past Rapid#21), and km30 (MukuniBeach: just past Rapid #25), and km54 (DamSite). Although there are a lot of tough rapids on the Zambezi and many people rate about a dozen of them class V or VI, these are more like Lava Falls-type class Vs (which really should be rated class IVs). This is because these rapids were rated by rafters in the 1980s when they thought the rapids were extremely dangerous, though it’s obvious now that the majority of these rapids are relatively benign despite the high flip potential for rafts. The three most difficult rapids that are typically portaged (Commercial Suicide, LowerMoemba and ChibongoFalls) are true class Vs and deserve to be portaged, lined or ghost-boated usually. Of the ~10 most difficult rapids that are generally rated class V or VI, five of them are in the initial section down to Rapid#11 (including Rapid#9 “Commercial Suicide”, which is usually portaged), and of the remaining five, two are typically portaged (LowerMoemba and ChibongoFalls). All the other major "class V" rapids downstream of Rapid#9 can be easily portaged (DoubleTrouble, UpperMoemba, Ghostrider). Realize that for those of us who thrive on the whitewater, there will be ample opportunity in the days before and after the main trip to do the day-section of big rapids additional times both in raft and kayak (minimal extra cost), so if you are an oarsman and didn’t get to row through the rapids on the main trip, you’ll certainly have an opportunity to do so on these day-trips.

PASSING VICTORIA FALLS:
Victoria Falls at ~107m (340 ft) is an impressive natural feature (and actually one of the "Seven Natural Wonders of the World"), but this drop is a major obstacle for the river-runner to pass. The default way this can be done is to stop just upstream of the falls on the Zambian side of the river and have a vehicle shutlte us and gear over to the “Boiling Pot Trail” that leads the base of the falls - which is where all rafters put in at lower flows. Doing this, we employ local porters to carry the majority of gear down to the river (this is commonly done here). This is the default way to get around the falls and is included in the main trip. However, some of the group can possibly implement a plan to raft right up to the lip of Victoria Falls at or near near Livingstone Island, then lower the gear and some of our participants over the cliff (rappelling) down to the river below [at low water Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec, the Zambian side generally is dry with just a vertical cliff of ~100 m (330 ft) - you can basically walk from near the middle of the river at Livingstone Island to the Zambian side on mostly dry rock with a bit of wading - nearly all the water is falling on the Zimbabwe side. Lowering gear at Livingstone Island also gives the opportunity to run the two Minus rapids (class V), some of the biggest whiteater on the Zambezi. If this plan is implemented, generally only some of the group would work to lower the rafts, kayaks and gear down the cliff to where we’ll start on the river in Batoka Gorge, while others would walk around and meet us at the base on the standard trail down, where all the group would reunite. We have the 200m static lines to do the lowering and rappel. The rappel is fun, quite scenic and very photogenic. Any such rappe would be optional. While we will do our best to assure this is possible, we cannot guarantee it (official permission may be required from Heritage), though to show it can be done safely with minimal disturbance to the environment, several members of our second expedition in 2021 did rappel down the cliff at the falls and lowered a raft and kayak successfully (all went well).

CLIMATE AND BUGS:
These trips are planned for what is considered the best time of year to raft the river; namely, the lowest water of the year and with the warmest weather with little chance of rain (i.e., the end of the dry sesaon). The climate of the area is tropical monsoon, with the main rainy season Nov-Apr and a cooler dry winter season Jun-Aug. You can see averages for Livingstone in the chart below (also you can see it at Wikipedia_Livingstone; also see MeteoblueClimateAverages_Livingstone). We can expect average highs of ~34°C (93°F) and lows of ~19°C (66°F) during October and November, and generally cooler nights in September to being sometimes cold in August. In November the monsoon rains usually start up, so there may be some afternoons or evenings with precipitation, generally from thunderstorms. In December the rains get much more frequent but the river remains low and safely raftable, while temperatures remain high but moderated day and night by the clouds and rain. During the main rafting season there are generally few mosquitos. On many trips, it is possible to camp out under the stars and not even use a tent. Winds are generally upstream and in the afternoon but light (though sometimes there are windier days). The water temp in the river is usually the average of the air temperature so will likely be ~26°C (80°F) during trips Oct-Nov-Dec - very nice to swim and bathe in (it's cooler in Sep and Aug). Note that the peak flows in the river are delayed by 2-3 months compared to when the rain is falling most, due to the swamps and long distance the water travels from upstream sources.

COVID RESTRICTIONS:
You can see current Covid-19 restrictions/requirements for Zambia: ZambiaEntry_Covid. As of the regulations updated by early 2022, Zambia still requires US citizens to have a negative Covid PCR test done within 72 hr of boarding the flight to Zambia (similar since earlier this year). There is no mandatory quarantine requirement - you will be free to travel within the country after passing immigration/customs. Neighboring Zimbabwe and Botswana also have a negative PCR test requirement to enter (see ZimbabweEntry_Covid, BotswanaEntry_Covid). While Zambia had a spate of Covid cases in June 2021, it has been subsiding since then (at least through early 2022), to the point there are extremely low cases now each day (see Covid-Zambia - this situation can change in the future). If the rules for tourist entry change in a way that will make the trip too difficult to realize, we will postpone the trips until the following season. [Most airlines will allow you to postpone/change your ticket or give you a refund if rules for entry change; it’s still a good idea to have a travel insurance policy in place]. Note these regulations will almost certainly change in the future, so check the links for the current requirements.

ZAMBIA INFO (time zone, currency, electronics):
In Zambia, most people speak English and also one of their native languages (Tonga is the native language of the area we’re going; Bemba is common in another part of Zambia). The time zone of Zambia is +2 hr to GMT, which is 6 hr ahead of EDT and 9 hr ahead of PDT. The local currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) which is trading ~17 ZMW/USD (Dec2021) and has been fluctuating between 13-23 ZMW/USD over the past 2 years. Many establishments take credit cards and will take USD, but some small vendors may only accept ZMW. It is best to have some USD and local kwacha currency - you can exchange USD at the airport (the typical or good exchange rate is given there) or banks, and also withdrawal kwacha at ATMs. The phone country code is +260 - you might consider getting a cell-phone SIM card when you arrive for communication purposes, but many US plans have good foreign country roaming service nowadays, and when you have wifi access, you can use an internet-based calling or communication means (Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat). Electric voltage in Zambia is on the British system at 220-240V with their 3-prong plug. Electric devices designed only 110V (as in the US) will need a converter, though most devices these days have an auto-volt transformer built in that will adapt. For more information on this, see www.poer-plugs-sockets.com.

Literature & prior descents:
The first raft descent of the rapids below Victoria Falls was by Sobek crew in 1981. They spearheaded commercially rafting the river in the years after that and existed for >20 years before fading away as MTS. Other operators sprang up in the 1990s including SafPar, Shearwater, and Bundu, which are still the main outfitters that offer day-trips on the river. Almost all their traffic is the day-trip. 

Films/Videos/Books: 
 

Personality/Experience:
No river rafting experience is required to join a trip. However, you should be comfortable camping and in good physical condition, and also should have an easygoing attitude in order to get along with a diverse group on a Grand Canyon-style trip for an extended period. If you are concerned about the latter issue, consider arranging a private trip, or if you're an experienced group, contracting our Outfitting Services. Note that in most sections of the river, it is essential to have bilingual guides who can communicate with the residents to ensure friendly interactions. Every participant must sign a liability waiver.

Everyone joining GGC trips should have an interest in river conservation and help us on our mission to document the river further, talk to residents, publicize the planned dams, and help train local guides. We welcome competent boaters. If you want to kayak, you must have adequate class IV experience and a solid roll. If you want to row a raft, you must have adequate experience rowing class IV rivers. Comparable rivers are the Colorado (Grand Canyon), Middle Fork Salmon (high water), Thompson, Futaleufu, Karnali, or Sun Kosi. In general, the pace is relaxed with layover days planned, but there may be some long days on the water.

The policy we will take on the trip is that the trip leader will have main authority when it comes to decisions for the group regarding river progress, camp, etc. If a participant has overestimated their ability to row or kayak, he/she may be mandated to ride on a raft and/or be assessed other penalties. Trip leader decisions can be vetoed by a majority vote of the group. Any participant always has the right to leave the trip if they so desire, but no refund is due.


ZAMBEZI EXPEDITION TRIP ITINERARIES (August through December):


ZAMBEZI (low water trips; ~204 km covered) 11-12 days:
Itineraries and camps may vary from this :
Day0: Arrival to Livingstone or VicFalls; rendezvous in Livingstone for pre-trip meeting (dinner 7pm); Hotel LIvingstone
Day1: UpperZambezi: Drive to put-in point upstream of Falls, rig rafts, launch. View wildlife. 5-10 km. IslandBeachCamp (km -60)
Day2: UpperZambezi: WIldlife river safari day. Zambezi NP (RR) & Mosi-Oa-Tunya NP (RL). Class II. TokaIslandCamp (km -30)
Day3: UpperZambezi: WIldlife river safari day ; Elephan encounter. Vervet encounter. Game drive. CanaryIslandCamp (km -8)
Day4: VictoriaFalls: Paddle to Victoria Falls, derig, have porters carry down. Hikes, Gorge1, Devil’sPool. FallsCamp (km 0)
Day5: BatokaGorge: Finish re-rigging; progress through first 10 rapids (scout #4, 5, 7, 8, 9). Rapid11 camp (km 11; RR)
Day6: BatokaGorge: Rapids 11-25: Gulliver’sTravels, MidnightDiner, CommercialSuicide, Mother .... CampBobo (km 25; RL)
Day7: BatokaGorge: Rapids: Open&ClosedSeason, Narrows, Chimamba, UpperMoemba. MoembaCamp (km 50; RR)
Day8: BatokaGorge: Rapids: Line rafts LowerMoemba. Resupply beer, ice, veggies. ChibongoFalls; ChibongoCamp (km 55; RR)
Day9: BatokaGorge: Rapids: GhostRider, DeepThroat, AsleepAtTheWheel. Huge beach; hotspring. CoconutCamp (km 72 RL)
Day10: BatokaGorge: To the end of Batoka Gorge. Hippos start appearing; some crocs. HippoCamp (km 106 RR)
Day11: BatokaGorge: Final section down to Deka area (stay in lodge). Derig. Dinner at lodge. (km 131 RR)
Day12: BatokaGorge: Drive back to Livingstone w/stop at Lookout Cafe. Hike Zimbabwe side of falls. Hotel Livingstone.

[Note: Tentative itinerary can be changed]


MAPS:
We will have a complete set of marked topo maps for our river navigation. When you sign up for a trip, you'll get access.


WILDLIFE
One of the greatest joys of doing a full Zambezi expedition is experiencing the full complement of African wildlife megafauna along the river as we make our way downstream in rafts. The Zambezi passes through national parks on both sides upstream of Victoria Falls where numerous elephant, giraffe, zebra, waterbuck, bushbuck, kudu, sable, warthog, baboon, vervet, hippopotamas, crocodile, hyena exist - and even some rarer species like white rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah.  We usually do an optional safari drive tour to make sure everyone gets to see most of the big megafauna, since sometimes we don't always see it all from the river. We’ll have some wildlife books along on the trip. The upper river safari section is optional for participants only interested in the whitewater downstream of the falls (you can join the group at the falls - slight discount). 
Birdlife: We will see large variety of African birds,. Common are fish eagles, hornbills, weavers, vultures, and herons. Ostrich are in the area as well.  We will have a bird identification guidebook with us and note the birds that we spot. 
Crocodiles:   Nile crocodiles can be very dangerous for paddlers. Fortunately, the main section of the Zambezi with rapids in Batoka Gorge is generally free of crocs (and hippos). The main reason crocs and hippos aren’t generally found in the big rapid section is that the falls kill animals accidentally plopping over them, there isn’t vegetation easily accessible by the riverside, and the rapids/gorge do not allow larger game to get down by the water easily, and humans kill any that get larger and possibly problematic. Thus there isn’t grass for hippos and crocs can’t feed on large prey and get big. So when you’re in the rapids where you might fall into the river and swim, it generally is pretty safe. However, there are both crocs and hippos in the section above the falls where the river flows in open terrain by the national parks, and in this section it is possible for these animals to approach and attack, though thousands of tourists who paddle on this section to see the wildlife remain safe every year. [note: there was a medium-sized croc that appeared below Rapid14 in Nov-Dec 2021 but it has been removed as of Dec2021.]  
HIppopotamus: There are abundant hippos in the Zambezi in the national parks section above the falls, but none where the big rapids are located below the Falls. Hippos are sometimes frightened at the sight of humans and boats and will make noises to warn you first and then possibly submerge. However, some may display aggression and attack, and as such pose a serious threat to boaters. If a hippo appears angry and ready to attack or is charging you, the best thing to do is to try and get away as soon as possible - either paddling (on the water) or running (if you’re on land).
Elephants: Actually elephants injure or kill possibly more people in this area than crocs or hippos. The villagers have many stories of angry elephants attacking and sometimes killing people. When we paddle through the wildlife zone above the falls with lots of .
Wildlife safety: In this section we need to take precautions to avoid dangerous wildlife encounters, which include (a) staying clear of crocs, hippos, and elephants, (b) warning others if you spot a potentially threatening animal, (c) throwing rocks and making threatening displays to scare off any crocs that are approaching. Even if a croc or hippo attacks, it will generally only bite the boat or paddle/oar. The rafts have many chambers holding air, and air leaks slowly, so they will not sink from one bite or attack, giving time to whack the beast with oars/paddles and then get to the side and make a repair. We will have an armed Zambian park ranger with us in the national parks section above the Falls, and he will help protect our group from dangerous wildlife encounters. In general, we will camp on islands in this section where there is less chance of having any animals come through the camp at night. But always be aware of potential crocs lurking in the water as you approach from the beach - chase them away before you get close to the water. And make sure fires and campsites are appropriated placed and timed so that our ranger can minimize the risk of elephant invasion. Although there are some risks, thousands of tourists paddle through and camp in areas with a lot of such megafauna per year. You can read some accounts of people who have canoed and kayaked on this section and a similar section of the Zambezi downstream (Lower Zambezi National Park) with a lot of wildlife: CNN_UpperZambezi_IK, CanoeLowerZambezi_NYTimes, and CanoeTripZambezi.


COST
This trip is being organized to increase appreciation of the river, instill an awareness in participants that amazing beautiful rivers are being lost to dams at an alarming rate, and to foment activism to help protect the remaining beautiful free-flowing rivers. We welcome everyone: raft passengers, raft paddlers, oarsmen, kayakers, IKers, and guides. No prior rafting experience is required to join a trip. We offer professional level service similar to other established outfitters in the Grand Canyon (USA). The general costs of this and other trips is listed at: TRIP COSTS

Special discounts are sometimes offered to folks on our email list, so you are encouraged to sign up (Email List info). Also, participants who are river guides with current certifications may qualify to be "Helper Guides" on the trips, helping out with prep, safety on the water, and camp chores, while paying reduced rates (basic outfitting service rates).

Trip contribution includes:
transport: from Livingstone to the river and back to VicFalls or Livingstone after the trip; including porters at Victoria Falls
food on the river trip (starting from drive to put-in until we are back in Livingstone)
boats: rafts, kayaks, inflatable kayaks, oars/paddles, all rigging
group camp gear: group kitchen, tables, toilet system, rain tarp
park entrance fees: (for the national parks that we will be entering)
guides: TL (coordinating guide); other guides; local Zambian/Zimbabwan guide; ranger (for National Park section)

Trip contribution does not include:
personal paddling gear: (PFD, helmet, drybag, sprayskirt, paddle jacket): - available as RENTALS - indicate on INFO FORM
personal camping gear (tent, pad, sleeping bag): - available as RENTALS - indicate on INFO FORM
liquid beverage (beer, wine, Coke, Sprite): we can bring usually up to 5 cans/day/person - request on the INFO FORM
hotels: unless otherwise noted (we can usually arrange)
restaurant meals: unless otherwise noted - generally paid at the restaurant
airport transfers or flights: we can arrange airport transfers
additional excursions before/after trip - such as a day-trip safari tour to Botswana Chobe National Park
tips to guides: suggested to budget 10-15% of full trip price


RESERVATIONS
If interested in joining a trip, send a note stating how you found out about the trip and a little background info about you and your paddling experience, what dates might work for you, and what sections of the expedition you are most interested in joining (also see above at COSTS). Once you get the go-ahead, you will need to provide a deposit to reserve your place on the trip. The balance must be received prior to trip commencement. See PAYMENTS for payment options.

A minimum of 6 full-rate guests will assure a general GGC trip occurs. We may allow trips with fewer folks depending on circumstances. If interested in doing a trip on a date not listed, send a message about optimal scheduling as well as a little info about you. We may list the launch date, and if enough folks sign up by the 2-month cut-off, we'll organize it.

CANCELLATIONS:
We reserve the right to cancel the trip 2+ months in advance. This generally will occur only if there are not enough folks signed up (<6). If we cancel the trip, all deposits and payments will be refunded. 

If you must cancel, you'll get your money back if you find someone to take your place on the trip. If you don't find someone, don't expect any refund. Seek reimbursement from a travel insurance policy that we strongly recommend you obtain. You can find these insurance policies through World Nomads, Ripcord, Squaremouth, Travelguard, and Travelsafe.


TRIP LEADERS AND TEAM MEMBERS:
(guides may include the following)

(1) Rocky Contos is the main organizer and actively explores rivers, organizes trips, and works on conservation of rivers for a living. He led the first two GGC expeditions on the Zambezi in 2021 and has done the day-section >4X (as of early 2022). He has also led expeditions on various other rivers in Africa including the entire Blue Nile 4X, Omo, Tekeze, Beles, White Nile, as well as on other rivers around the globe (e.g., Grand Canyon 10X, Maranon 9X, SanPedro-Grande 4X, Pilcomayo 4X, Yangtze 2X, Stikine, Susitna, Alsek). Rocky has >130 first descents on rivers in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and Myanmar and discovered the most distant source of the Amazon (Río Mantaro) and did the first full descent of this river, continuing to the sea (2012). He is organizing most aspects of the trips and will lead some but not all. For more info on Rocky, see Bio_Rocky.

(2) Tony Stearns is an MD and guide at Outdoors Unilimited in the Grand Canyon, and has rowed rafts on several long expeditions around the world, including the Blue Nile. Tony has lived in Saipan for several decades and is only intermittently working as a doctor there now.

(3) Stephen Dargie is a river guide who has guided on the Rogue, Flathead, and in Maine various seasons, and was a helper guide on several expeditions in Mexico and the first two GGC Zambezi expeditions. He may be helping or leading future Zambezi trips.

(4) Local Zambian guides. Trips will always have at least one local Zambian guide along with the group, and usually more in the section below the falls.

BOATS AVAILABLE IN ZAMBIA:
[current list available]

WATER LEVELS
The Zambezi is already a huge river by the time it reaches Victoria Falls. Although the flow averages 1044 cms at the falls (~37000 cfs; appx. 3X the volume of the Colorado in Grand Canyon) it varies seasonally with the rains from an average of ~200 cms (7000 cfs) in Oct-Nov to ~3000 cms (~105000 cfs) in April. I attached a hydrograph figure showing the mean flow near Victoria Falls and some representative years. We can expect low flows during trips in Sep-Oct-Nov-Dec. Although low flows make the current in the river slower and also make Victoria Falls only cover a fraction of the cliff into the gorge, it also makes the rapids more pool-drop and gives more form to the waves and features, and is considered a better time to raft and kayak the river. Two seasons ago (2019) the Upper Zambezi had one of the worst drought years ever (and close to the record low 1996 year) with the river reaching super low levels at the falls in Oct-Nov of ~100 cms (~3500 cfs; see ZambeziDrought2019_TheGuardian, BBC_VideoDrought2019). You can see current and some historical flow in the river at ZambeziRiverAuthority. The 2020 and 2021 seasons had average to high water, with flows settling down to ~300 cms (10000 cfs) in Oct-Nov both years. The peak flows in 2021 came earlier than normal (see HighWaterZambezi_2021). Note that once flow is on the general decline starting in August, it is generally easy to predict the flow through the rest of the dry season. Usually ou can expect 250-350 cms (8500-12000 cfs) of clear water in the river during months of Oct-Nov.

Also, see OVERVIEW MAP



A FEW COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS:

Messa Rasmussen, (River guide; UT; oarswoman/paddler). With the animal life, I was nervous at the beginning with hippos but eventually found that respectful distance helped with managing passing by hippo pods. Having Chrisborn there for the wildlife at the park when the elephants came into our camp in upper stretch above the falls was great as I gained more knowledge of how to respond to the wildlife.  Below the Falls, some of the most unique features of hydraulics can be found on this river and I feel so grateful to have been able to see and row multiple days on the river. With the numerous emails we received from you and our guide Henry there never was a moment I didn’t feel like we didn’t have enough beta on the rapids or campgrounds.  We had a solid and capable crew that made even the lining the boats in the heat manageable and still have good spirits around the fire at night... This trip made it to the top of my favorite trips I have ever been on and I look forward to many more! 25Oct2021 Zambezi expedition.

Reed Joyce, (River guide; WV): I'm still reminiscing over our time spent on the Zam and am still just overly ecstatic to have been a part of that trip. I feel like the river itself, does truly live up to it's reputation of being one of the best river destinations in the world. With the wonderful Zambian culture, the broad wildlife you get to see and of course rapids that rival anything on the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, 25Oct2021 Zambezi expedition.

Sam Morrison: (former ROW river guide & Pacific University Outdoor Program Director; put together ZambeziDocumentary): I had high expectations for the Zambezi as one of the most famous white water rivers on earth - and the river blew all my expectations away. The white water was incredible; big and pushy, super fun wave trains, and relatively safe rapids. Equally impressive as the whitewater was the ability to experience the full length of the Batoka Gorge from the spectacular Victoria Falls down to where the canyon opens up.  The braided slow moving water above the falls is an incredible way to experience all the big animals and wildlife and is a must when experiencing the Zambezi. With the breadth of scenery, wildlife, cultural exchange and camping experiences, this is one of the premier multi-day river trips to be found anywhere. 3Nov2021 Zambezi expedition

Margot Truini, (reitred USGS hydrologist; passenger on Zambezi expedition) : I highly recommend this 10 day expedition on the Zambezi River in Zambia offered by Global Grand Canyon as a great experience for those who are white water guides, white water rafters, and passengers wanting to expand their capacity to navigate difficult and large rapids, challenging portages, exotic wildlife, and interacting with people from a different culture… I enjoyed the wildness and canyons of the river. A very unique experience… Having been on other international expeditions, I felt the safest on this trip. This was because there were safety kayakers, many competent oarsmen/women, and guides to help navigate the danger from Hippos and crocs....." ; 25Oct2021 Zambezi expedition.