No visit to The Falls is complete without riding the rapids. The rapids below the Falls belong to the world's wildest. On a scale from 1 - 6, this stretch of the Zambezi rates a 5, the Falls themselves a 6 (unrunnable). Only two months after the rainy season the volume of water squeezing itself through the Batoka gorge is at its heighest, so unfortunately it's not possible to go riverboarding. Instead of that I'll have to go rafting (for the third time). Also the trip doesn't start in the Boiling Pot with its spectacular view of the Falls but instead of that at rapid nr 10, halfway the low-water run.

Riding the rapids: on a scale from 1 - 6, this stretch of the Zambezi rates a 5!Rapid nr. 4: Morning GloryRapid nr. 5: Stairway to Heaven (Highway to Hell)Rapid nr. 6: The Devil's Toilet BowlRapid nr. 7: Gulliver's TravelsRapid nr. 8: Midnight Diner featuring The MuncherRapid nr. 9: Commercial Suicide.Rapid nr. 10: The Gnashing Jaws of Death, starting point during high-water Season.Rapid nr. 11: Overland Truck EaterRapid nr. 13: Their MotherRapid nr. 15: The Washing MachineRapid nr 16a: Terminator IRapid nr. 16b : Terminator II; we flip for the first time.Rapid nr. 18 : OblivionRapid nr. 22: Morning ShaveRapid nr. 23: Morning ShowerRapid nr. 24: The last rapid of the day and our second flipThe Boiling Pot; starting point for the Zambian-based companies during low-water season.Rapid nr. 12a, b & c: The Three Ugly Sisters

After an extended safety instruction at the campsite we climb on the truck that will bring us to the starting point. After an hour or so of driving we reach the point where we'll have to climb down into the gorge. But first we get our life jackets and a wet-suit (though the holes in them are such that you may be better of without one; so I don't take one) as well as a helmet and a paddle. Then it's time to climb down into the gorge along a slippery path and unreliable wooden stairs (one step cracks when I step on it, others make weird sounds). The going is tough and a lot of blood spots on the rocks suggest that sometimes things go wrong (later we're told that the blood comes from a hippo that has fallen over the rim of the gorge; I wonder!).

Just before take off at the bottom of the gorge.

Down at the bottom of the gorge everything is being prepared for the trip. The boats are inflated and aluminum frames are mounted on top of those rafts that will have an oarsman sitting in the middle. We will paddle ourselves and we're waiting until our steersman JB calls us. Then it's time to get into the raft and do some high-siding. When in the middle of a rapid there's no time to think so we have to be familiar with instructions like "high side left", "go down", "right turn" and "back paddle". Then it's time to approach our first major rapid of the day: rapid nr. 10 a.k.a. The Gnashing Jaws of Death.

The narrows. This stretch is not navigated during high-water season.

Sofar no problems and we're ready for the next rapid. Alas, due to the high-water it's not really safe to pass a stretch called The Narrows. We have to get off the raft and walk around this stretch of the river. The rafts without an oarsman cross the narrows all alone while the rafts with an oarsman are crossing the Narrows together. After the rafts are collected again we climb aboard, ready for the next rapids that are called The Three Ugly Sisters (rapid nr. 12 a , b & c) and their Mother (nr. 13). Again no problems and we head on for The Washing Machine. This one is passed smoothly as well and we're confident that rapids nr. 16 a&b (Terminator I and II) probably will pose no thread to us as well.

JB's team getting in position for The Terminator.

Terminator I is a major rapid with some nice boils and eddies and we have to work hard to get through.

Terminator I poses no problem.RamonTonLisetteWillianCorReneJBPetra

Immediately following Terminator I is Terminator II. And that's where it ends. We enter the rapid just left from the middle rowing hard forward. Apparently one side of the raft rows harder because the raft turns just as a large wave is coming up. Then the raft is gone!

Terminator II; the raft is gone!

I'm under water without air. The wave hit us so suddenly that I hadn't time to breath. I don't know what's up or down and start counting to ten. Then I'm at the surface again heading towards another huge wave. There's just enough time to take a deep breath and I'm under water again. When I resurface for the second time I look around. The raft is nowhere to be seen. Apparently I have to go through the rapids alone. I try to take up the long-swimmer position. But that's easier said than done. After a few minutes floating through the rapids I'm reaching calmer waters. I discover a kayak nearby with Petra hanging at the back and swim towards it. With me holding on to the front and Petra to the back, we're brought to a nearby raft. Other members from our raft are rescued as well and ten minutes later we're all in our own raft again. What a sensation!

JB's team after their rescue from the flipped raft.JB, our steersman and guide.PetraLisetteCorReneTonRamonWillianI don't know

Time for lunch (it's about time). Being out in the open and doing some hard rowing makes you hungry and thirsty. And then we go on again. Three major rapids to go (Oblivion, Morning Shave and Morning Glory). No problem at all and just when we start thinking of reaching the end without problem we flip a second time at rapid nr. 24, today's last rapid. Again we're hit by a side-wave but this time it's not so unexpected and everybody is able to hold on to the boat's side-line. It's an appropriate end for the day. However, our physical exercise is not over yet. We still have to climb out of the gorge. This time the path is much better but it still is about 100 meters up after a tiring day on the mighty Zambezi and the sun shill shining brightly above.

Looking back after the strenuous climb up to the edge of the gorge.

On top of the gorge, cool drinks are waiting and the climb out is quickly forgotten. A last look backward and it's time to climb into the trucks again for our trip back to the campsite. We ask to be dropped off at the Falls' curio stalls because we still have some shopping to do. After half an hour of bargaining and using our last Zim$ we succeed in buying some beautifully carved masks and satisfied by this and the entire day we go back to the campsite. Travelling partly by taxi, partly by foot and partly in the back of a pick up we arrive at the campsite just in time to see the video of today's rafting trip. Looks good especially our first flip. Actually we didn't flip. Our raft just disappeared!