Abseil Victoria Falls activity opens in Rainforest

Nqobile Sibanda in Victoria Falls

A NEWLY introduced tour activity, abseiling, has become a hit in Victoria Falls with scores of local tourists flocking to sample it to view the majestic waterfall during the just ended Easter holidays.
Abseiling, derived from a German word abseilen, which refers to a top rope down, resembles rock climbing where clients are controlled to descend using a rope.

New tour operator, Abseil Victoria Falls, introduced the activity on Saturday and immediately attracted scores of clients who got a chance to view the Victoria Falls from its base at the danger point.

All along tourists would view the waterfall from the top and now have an opportunity to descend to the boiling point at the bottom of the gorge and take pictures, thereby adding value to the tour of the falls. The company is operating from within the Rainforest thereby giving a double treat to tourists.
For most residents and tourists this will be the first time they are experiencing the activity, which costs $65 per person, although some operators once offered it some years back. Abseil Victoria Falls director Mr Comfort Chinengune explained how the new activity is done.

“We started the eco-friendly activity on Saturday and we are operating from right inside the Rainforest. It involves putting a client on a full body harness and helmet as well as being connected to three ropes for safety. The activity is eco-friendly and clients are assured of 100 percent safety,” he said.

The three safety lines include the main rope controlled by a jump master, safety line which the client can control and is used to pull a person up the cliff.

Clients can go as low as 100 metres down the gorge depending on the water levels. One will be accompanied by a guide who will be monitoring them and ready for rescue in the event of any mishap.

For those with cold feet who may not be comfortable to go down the gorge, Mr Chinengune said there was a ladder that would take them for only two metres for a photo shoot. The activity gives clients a rare treat as it is the only one where one can capture photos with the background of the rainbow.

“The guide is there as a whistle-blower in case anything happens but we want to assure our clients of 100 percent safety because we spent nine months researching on it. The three lines are manually powered and are anchored on a 12-tonne base from where the jump master will be controlling speed.

“One is able to take pictures and can request to stop regularly for a better view and to take selfies. The response has been overwhelming and is already the talk of the town because of its uniqueness,” said Mr Chinengune.

He said the “low” price was meant to cater for everyone. Those who go for the activity also have to pay entrance fees into the Rainforest to access the Abseil point. Locals pay $7 for adults and $4 for children to enter the Rainforest while international clients pay $20 for those from the region and $30 from other countries.

Mr Chinengune said they were planning on planting some trees around the site as he urged other tour operators to go green. He said the company was “here to stay” and hopes to contribute towards growth of the tourism sector. Lately, tourists would get to the bottom of the gorge near the Victoria Falls Bridge using some steps on the Zambian side.

@nqoesibanda82

Source: New tour activity a hit in Victoria Falls (04/04/18)

Website: Abseil Victoria Falls

Steam Train Trips Are Back in Victoria Falls

Taking off from the Victoria Falls Station in Zimbabwe, the Bushtracks Express has brought back the elegant and exciting trip to the Victoria Falls Bridge by Steam Train. The trips were launched on March 1st of this year and are run on a regular schedule every Tuesday and Friday.

The train's journey starts off at the station in the late afternoon, and makes its way into the Victoria Falls Park, where one might spot some game (depending on the season). From there, guests are taken to the Victoria Falls Bridge where they can disembark for some sight-seeing, or stay in the air-conditioned train and enjoy the drinks and the view. The variety of canapés and beverages are provided by the Victoria Falls Hotel, along with premium beverages which are not included on the ticket, but can be purchased on the train.

After sunset, the train slowly makes its way back through the park to the Victoria Falls Station.

"The train offers discerning guests the ultimate pre-dinner experience going back in time to the age of Steam train travel" - Bushtracks Africa

Bushtracks Africa also offer dinner runs from the Zambian side of the border, in the Royal Livingstone Express. 

Source: Steam Train Trips Are Back in Victoria Falls (08/03/16)

Paramotor gliders for Vic Falls

THE build-up to the staging of the inaugural paramotor competition is gaining some momentum after the Air Sports Federation of Zimbabwe revealed yesterday that they are expecting more than 30 international competitors, including some from the United States, for this big event that is set to be held at Victoria Falls from January 4-8 next year.

Lawrence Madamombe, the ASFZ president, told The Herald yesterday that a paramotor club from the United States has already expressed an interest in sending some competitors to this event which is also expected to attract other top paramotor gliders from South Africa and a number of European countries, including Germany. “A paramotor club from the United States is willing to come and compete in our inaugural event at the Victoria Falls from January 4-8. I think this is a good start and a big boost for us as we now also have to move fast in having our own paramotor gliders from Zimbabwe who will take part in this international competition.

“We need to train about 10 to 15 racers and two to three instructor pilots who will train or handle our paramotor gliders between now and December before they compete in the international competition in January next year.

“The Paramotor Extreme Racing is sanctioned by the Air Sports Federation of Zimbabwe which is now recognised by the Sports Commission as the motherbody of all aviation sports in Zimbabwe.

“The international event in January 2016 is in line with the Government’s ZimAsset initiative in which we aim to grow our economy through sport tourism,” said Madamombe, a former Air Zimbabwe pilot.

He said they were expecting between 30 to 40 competitors and their supporting staff for the January 4-8 competition at the Victoria Falls and “although the number is lower, they usually have significant tourism revenue”.

“The big appeal of the event is not the number of the competitors but the wide coverage of the sport into millions of homes thus further putting our country, through the iconic Victoria Falls, on the world stage. “Paramotoring or paragliding are sports that are fast getting interest in the world. There are hundreds of thousands pilots in the world who partake in this sport. France alone has more than 25 000 registered pilots. Our objective is to bring these adventure pilots to our shores to compete in precision adventure flying.

Source: Paramotor gliders for Vic Falls (24/09/15)

Star Gazing at Victoria Falls

Africa Albida Tourism is pleased to announce that Complimentary star gazing into the incredible African night skies has been introduced for guests of the 20-room Victoria Falls Safari Club, located adjacent to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

The Star-Talk Experience, led by a specialist guide, is already proving very popular with guests.  In this amazing experience, the guide talks about the night sky, putting into perspective just how big the universe.

Source: Star Gazing at Victoria Falls (03/11/14)

Beware: Devil's Pool viral video scam

(22nd June 2014)

There are currently at least two video links doing the rounds on Facebook which claim to show fatal accidents at the Devil's Pool, on the very lip of the Victoria Falls. One claims to show a man taking a selfie, and in the process, slipping over the edge of the Falls. Another shows a man with a child and claims the child is swept over the edge.
Beware - the images shown are genuine, however their claims and the videos they link to are not - this viral scam could infect your computer with malicious malware.

The video links take you to a fake site that will most likely infect your machine with malicious or dangerous software. Apparently when you click on the video, you are taken to a fake website which tries to trick you into downloading and installing this malware - and to view the video you first have to share it on Facebook, thus ensuring others fall into the trap.
Do not view any videos which require you to share the link before viewing, or download any files from these sites, as they will almost certainly be malicious files which will infect your machine.
The Devil's Pool trip is an official tourist activity operated as part of the Livingstone Island tour run by Tongabezi Safaris, and where clients are taken by boat to Livingstone Island from the Zambian side of the river. Here, water levels allowing, tourists are able to safely swim in the Devil's Pool, under the close supervision of trained guides. The trip is hugely popular, and no-one has ever been swept over the Falls on these tours - in fact no-one is known to have ever died at the Devil's Pool.
Before Tongabezi launched their Livingstone Island tours many tourists would undertake 'unofficial' (and illegal) trips along the crest-line of the Falls, which at low water are bare for much of the length and gives access to the various dive and swim pools along the lip. In 2009 a guide sadly died saving a tourist - see Zimbabwean Tour Guide plunges into the Victoria Falls gorge - however this accident did not happen at the Devil's Pool as is often claimed in online news reports. The client slipped while leaping across a small water channel on the edge of the Falls and the guide saved him, and unfortunately in the process slipped into the water and was swept over the edge.
Which is why official tours are operated to professional standards with rigerous safety procedures. Watch a great video (without downloading malware or seeing anyone die) of an official Devil's Pool tour here - and you'll realise why it is so popular! For more visit the Tongabezi website:

Source: Man slips after epic selfie capture at Devil’s pool, Victoria Falls - cyberwarzome.com
Scam Alert: Victoria Falls Selfie Video Takes You To Nowhere - gizmodo.in
Watch This Man Accidentally Slip after Epic Selfie Capture at Devil's Pool Hoax - onlinethreatsalet.com
Tour Guide plunges into the Victoria Falls gorge - africasafariblog.com

Bear Grylls survival academy to launch in Zimbabwe

Source: Telegraph Travel (UK)
4 December 2013
Bear Grylls, the adventurer and television presenter, will launch a new ‘Survival Academy’ in Africa
The academy will give intrepid travellers the chance to learn the same techniques used by the Briton in shows such as Born Survivor, which was screened for several years by Channel Four, and Get Out Alive, which aired this year on Discovery Channel.
The first academy will take place in January at the Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve near Victoria Falls. Participants will learn survival techniques such as fire lighting, emergency shelter building, knife skills, foraging for grubs and rodents, as well skills including rappelling, river crossings, and white water rafting.
The course has been designed by Bear Grylls, and will be run by a team of highly-trained experts. It follows the launch of a similar academy in the Scottish Highlands last year, and one in the United States in November.
“The greater Victoria Falls area provides the perfect backdrop for Bear Grylls Survival Academy course to launch,” said Scott Heffield, lead instructor. “Topography, the rivers, the incredible Victoria Falls, extreme weather conditions and African wildlife are all important factors to consider when looking to recreate an environment that simulates real life Bear Grylls survival situations.”

VICTORIA FALLS BUNGEE INCIDENT - FOLLOW UP

Go to Victoria Falls have received the following update from Victoria Falls Bungee, in response to the bridge incident on 31 December 2011. This follows the official statement released on 2 January 2012.

We remain in contact with the Australian lady involved in the incident who is recuperating in South Africa where she has received expert medical attention. We are pleased to advise that she has now been released from hospital and although she remains bruised and sore she will shortly be free to return home to Australia.

As a matter of record we wish to highlight her bravery and survival skills, which contributed significantly to her own rescue and her continued positive disposition and strength of character has been an inspiration to us all.

It goes without saying that we deeply regret the incident, which has come as a huge shock to us. Despite the experience of the crew and parameters and procedures, which have successfully guided the operation for 17 years and over 150,000 jumpers, we were unable to prevent this accident. We take this exceptionally seriously and our objective now is to learn from this incident and review every component part of our operation to determine where we can further minimize the risk of bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge.

To this effect the following preliminary measures have been implemented:

- We have removed all bungee cords from the system, which were made with the same batch of rubber as that used to make the failed cord. These have been retained for further testing.
- An entirely new set of bungee cords have been installed on the system. These have been extensively load tested and inspected thoroughly and we are satisfied that they are safe to jump on.
- The entire bungee system has been thoroughly inspected and checked and we are fully confident that everything is safe to jump on.
- In addition to our normal checks and procedures we have instigated additional daily and intermittent checks on the bungee cords and we are fully satisfied that these checks and procedures are more than sufficient to ensure our clients safety.
- Our own crew are conducting test jumps before the commencement of daily operations and throughout the day.
- Experts in South Africa have been contacted and we expect them to be on site next week to help us with our ongoing investigations as to the cause of the incident.
- The broken cord has been carefully stored and will shortly be sent to South Africa for forensic testing.
- A qualified river guide with first aid certification and necessary safety and recovery equipment will be positioned in the gorge below the bridge.
- In light of the above Victoria Falls Bungee are entirely satisfied that everything humanly possible has been done to ensure the safety of our clients and bungee jumping operations have now recommenced without further incident.

Source: VICTORIA FALLS BUNGEE INCIDENT - FOLLOW UP (Jan 2012)