People usually stop over Livingstone, Zambia for a quick trip to see Victoria Falls. While the falls is the main attraction of the area, it was the people and the Zambezi river that we unexpectedly fell in love with.
Locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya ("The Smoke that Thunders"), the falls can be visited in both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides. We chose Zambia mainly because we were advised that tourism on the Zambia side were more upscale. In addition, it is easier to get to the Zambia side from Kruger National Park. However, if one had the time, it is possible to visit both sides in one day. You would have to indicate upon entry into Zambia (or Zimbabwe) that you will be crossing over to the adjacent country so that you can purchase the correct visa. Because we only had one full day of exploration, we opted to stay in the Zambia side and visit the Devil's Pool (which is on the Zambia side).
A few notes on Victoria Falls. While it is not considered the tallest or widest, at the peak of rainy season, it is the largest by combined width and height. It is almost twice as tall as Niagara Falls and it is the world's largest sheet of falling water. The amount of falling water is very dependent on the season. During the rainy season (February to May), the Zambezi river (river upstream of the falls) levels are high and it is not possible to visit the Devil's Pool and the mist from the falls prevent many people from actually seeing the falls. It is said that at peak water level, the mist from the falls can be seen 30 miles away. In contrast to that, the dry season (September to November) will leave over half of the falls dry. So much so, one can walk from the side of the river bed to the islands that are usually surrounded by water. The most optimal time to visit would probably be August when it is no longer raining but the water level is still high that you can get an impression of the size of the falls without having too much mist to obstruct views of the falls. In addition, the Devil's Pool opens early to mid August. Prior to this, the water level is still much too high.
In choosing a place to stay, our travel agency suggested Tongabezi or its sister island Sindabezi. We opted for Sindabezi for its remoteness, rustic charm and intimate setting. Situated a short 10 min boat ride from Tongabezi in the middle of the Zambezi river and upstream to the falls, you are immediately transported to a quiet and serene world where you can take in the beauty of living and being present.
There are 5 open-sided chalets on the island, which makes you feel like you are in the African bush. On our arrival, we were greeted with ice cold drinks and cold towels. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset boat ride along the Zambezi. We did not expect to see so many elephants, baboons, crocodiles and hippos, all within a stone's throw from our chalet. We immediately knew we were in a very special place.
During our sunset boat ride, we were briefly dropped off a private island for some sundowners to enjoy the sunset.
There are no words to describe waking up in the morning with the sunrise shining through the mosquito net, watching hippos return to the river to sleep and enjoying delivered hot coffee and tea all from bed. It was nothing short of a dream.
Each night, the staff at Sindabezi will ask you where you would like to have dinner on the island. Options are: the tree house, viewing patio, common table or on a floating sampan. We decided to have our last night dinner on a floating sampan. The experience was made more adventurous when a hippo surfaced near the sampan and bumped into us! Needless to say, at that point, we were quite ready to head back on to the island.
The Devils Pool
As mentioned, it is only open a certain amount of months during the year. The water levels can't be too high or it is much too dangerous to swim so close to the edge of the waterfall. If the water is too high, there is another pool (also in the Zambia side), the Angel's pool, that can be used to swim close to the edge of the falls. The trip requires booking in advance to limit the amount of visitors visiting in any given time. The trip is booked through your hotel or directly with Tongabezi, who leases the Livingstone Island (the island just upstream to the falls). The island is then a short 5 min boat ride from Royal Livingstone Hotel (the only place boats takeoff for the island). Then it is a short swim from Livingstone Island to the pool itself. You can choose the time of day to go, morning, noon or high tea. Drinks, snacks or a small meal is provided after the swim on the island. They provide towels and guides to help you get to the pool. One guide will take your phone or your GoPro and take pictures and videos while another guide helps you swim to the pool. At the pool, one guide stays with you at all times, which means he will be in all of your pictures. It is kind of weird, but it is the safest so you know where not to sit, swim and most importantly, fall.
Our brief trip to Zambia was nothing short of amazing. While, South Africa left us in awe, Zambia completely stole our hearts and left us yearning to return even before we left. With all of our travels, we can think of only a handful of truly special places that we have stayed. Sindabezi Island is one of them. There was something that immediately made you feel extremely grateful for life and living in the moment. It made you appreciate how the most simple of things like love, kindness and a smile can make this world so beautiful.