White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River

Today is our big white water rafting trip down the Zambezi River. The ages for this were 15 and up, but we let Alex go since he really wanted to try it and we knew they wouldn't require evidence of his age. Hannah stayed behind as she wasn't interested and there were 8 of us total from the group who went on this adventure.

The trip was fantastic. We had plenty of guides to keep us safe (kayakers in front and behind) and it was astonishing to watch the amount of effort the local people had to go through to get us on the water. Our rafts were CARRIED by men, some in bare feet, who walked down a steep canyon trail that was tough for us to do without having to carry things down. Others carried the pumps, the backboards for any injuries, the kayaks, medical kits...truly amazing. 

We all had wet suits on as the air was cold and the water was chilly as well. They had told us the rapids were all Class 3-5 which is why most of the group decided against going on this trip (they got a float down the Zambezi instead). 

The Zambezi River meandered through this lovely gorge so when you weren't crouching in your boat and paddling hard in the big rapids, you could just look out and see the beautiful scenery. On one side of the gorge was Zimbabwe and on the other was Zambia.

There were also a few times that our guide said we could jump out of the boats and run the rapids with our body. The current was quite strong so you just flew along. This was really a blast and gave you quite a feel for just how much water was flowing around you. Thankfully, in these areas we didn't see the small crocodiles along the shores that we had seen from the boat! Apparently, hippos, elephants, and crocodiles sometimes go over the falls and are found dead in a few of the coves in the river. The local people make quick use of cutting the meat and eating it and carcasses don't last more than a few hours. The little baby crocs can sometimes survive which is why you only see the little crocs in this area.

After successfully navigating the rapids (and none of us falling out of the boat) we pulled up to a lovely white beach. We got out of our wet suits and took a cable car up the steep gorge where lunch was waiting for us. We certainly felt like we had earned this lunch!

Back at the hotel, we met the other crew who was getting ready for the float down the Zambezi. Hannah and Owen went on this while Charles, Alex, and I went to the pool and relaxed a bit.

Then we all hit dinner at the hotel and packed for our trip home the next day.

This has truly been the trip of a lifetime. The friends that we knew previously, the new friends that we made, and the memories that we all now share will not be forgotten.

A favorite saying from one of our South Africa guides was Hakuna Matata...meaning no worries or no problem in Swahili (we all know it here from the Lion King movie). He used it all the time and I think I'll adopt it as my mantra. Hakuna Matata: life is good and everything is just fine!!!