Canoeing on the Zambezi

Paddling the Upper Zambezi

Above Victoria Falls, the Zambezi is a different river entirely — wide, calm, and brimming with wildlife. Canoeing here offers an experience that perfectly complements the adrenaline of the falls and rapids below. In a canoe, you move at the river's own pace, gliding silently through channels between islands where elephants come to drink and hippos surface with lazy, explosive breaths.

The Experience

Half-Day Trips

Half-day canoe trips typically cover 10-15 kilometres of the upper Zambezi, launching from points upstream and paddling downstream to finish near the falls. The pace is relaxed, with guides stopping frequently to point out wildlife, explain the river's ecology, and allow time for photography. No experience is necessary — stable, two-person Canadian-style canoes are easy to paddle and remarkably forgiving.

Full-Day Trips

Full-day trips extend further upstream, covering 20-25 kilometres with a riverside lunch on one of the Zambezi's many islands. These longer trips access quieter stretches of river where wildlife encounters are more frequent and more intimate.

Wildlife on the Water

Approaching wildlife by canoe is a fundamentally different experience from a vehicle-based game drive. The silence of the canoe allows you to get remarkably close to animals without disturbing them:

• Elephants — herds regularly wade across channels and feed on the islands. Paddling past a family group of elephants from just 30 metres away is a breathtaking, humbling experience
• Hippos — your guide will navigate carefully around hippo pods, maintaining a safe distance while still providing excellent viewing. The guide's knowledge of hippo behaviour and territories is your primary safety measure
• Crocodiles — Nile crocodiles bask on sandbanks throughout the river. Seeing them at eye level from a canoe gives you a visceral appreciation for these ancient predators
• Birds — the riverine forest supports an exceptional diversity of birds. Fish eagles are practically guaranteed, along with kingfishers (pied, giant, malachite, and half-collared), herons, cormorants, and — from August to March — spectacular carmine bee-eaters nesting in the riverbanks

Safety

Guided canoe trips on the upper Zambezi have an excellent safety record. Guides are highly experienced river specialists who know the hippo territories, the safe channels, and the sections of river to avoid. Life jackets are provided and must be worn at all times.

The primary safety considerations are:

• Hippos — the main hazard on the river. Guides maintain strict distance and always have an escape route planned
• Crocodiles — generally not a concern while you're in the canoe, but swimming stops are carefully chosen in crocodile-free areas
• Sun exposure — bring sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water. The river reflects the sun intensely

There is a particular quality to the silence of a canoe on the Zambezi — the soft dip of the paddle, the call of a fish eagle, the distant rumble of the falls downstream. It is one of those rare moments when you are genuinely present, genuinely still, genuinely part of the landscape rather than just passing through it.