Devil’s Pool and Sneaking Into Zimbabwe

After back-to-back buses from Chipata and Lusaka, we were excited to land in the adventure capital of southern Africa: Livingstone. After an initial day of getting our bearings, we spent three crazy days doing one adrenalin-rushing activity after another.

Day 1:

No visit to Livingstone would be complete without a trip to its number one tourist destination: Vic Falls. Despite the fact that it is the dry season, the falls are still beautiful. A full rainbow ran the length of the falls the entire time we were there.








After we were finished exploring the sanctioned portion of the falls, we tiptoed across the concrete divider that divides the front and backside of the falls. Because it was dry season, the water was low enough on the top that we were able to swim in the pools above the falls.








(Photo by Regina)

And, thanks to a tip from some friends at Jolly Boys, the coolest hostel in Livingstone, we sought out the “After Hours” tour. This underground tour is basically a bunch of tour guides (who take tourists to Livingstone Island during the day for $60 a head) supplementing their income by taking backpackers to the same places after hours for a third of the price. To do this, we must wait until the falls are technically closed, dive for cover whenever we see the guides’ bosses or any boats, swim across the river that divides Zambia from Zimbabwe, and, on the way back, try to avoid elephants in the dark.


(Photo by Regina)

(Sneaking into Zimbabwe: Photo by Regina)

As a reward for these efforts, we arrive to Devil’s Pool, a pool located on top of the Zimbabwean side of the falls (the most powerful side of the Falls), at sunset and have it almost entirely to ourselves. The jump from the rocks into this pool on top of the powerful falls was terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the portion of the “tour” where the guides hold you by your ankles while you lean out over the falls, trying not to imagine the plunge to your death.






Do I look scared?