Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
WHITE water rafting activities in Victoria Falls have moved downstream from the waterfall due to increased inflows as the river level is reportedly rising by a centimetre each day.
Rafting is categorised into low water (Rapids 1-11) and high water (Rapids 12-24) and each is guided by water levels.
It becomes dangerous rafting upstream when water rises in the Zambezi River. The river usually starts receiving inflows in November and starts filling between February and March when in most cases rafting activities close for almost a month.
The river will be full until around July when it starts subsiding.
Rafting Association of Zimbabwe (RAZ) president, Mr Skinner Ndlovu, said the water level in the Zambezi has been rising by 1cm each day but was still lower compared to previous seasons.
He said they anticipate closing operations next week if the water continues rising.
“We are still rafting but doing rapid number 11 to number 24, which is high water. The water level is rising by about 1cm per day according to our daily readings at the gauge above the Victoria Falls waterfall,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said business was starting to pick up now after a dip at the start of the year.
Traditionally business gets lower from the 5th of January until the end of February and picks up at the beginning of March and by then rafting will be closed, said Mr Ndlovu.
“We are going to close when the level of water rises to unsafe levels but for now our water level is lower than normal.
We could be closed in two weeks’ time if we receive heavy rains,” he said.
Rafting runs between the Victoria Falls Bridge and Rapid 24 in Chisuma.
White water rafting is one of the popular tourism activities in Victoria Falls with clients mainly from western countries. Commercial rafting on the Zambezi River started in 1981.
Companies that offer white water rafting include Wild Horizons, Shearwater Adventures, Shockwave, Adventure Zone and Khanondo Safaris. -@ncubeleon
Online Reporter