Devils Pool: Cheating Death at Victoria Falls Zambia

I remember the first time I saw Devil’s Pool on Social Media. It was in a video on facebook: a bunch of people hanging out on what looked like the end of an enormous waterfall. When I saw the video, I didn’t have any understanding to what Devil’s Pool actually entailed. I thought the video was playing a trick on my eyes (the same way I thought Kjeragbolton was). I was wrong.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with Devil’s Pool, it’s located at the top of Victoria’s Falls in Zambia. Victoria Falls is one of Earth’s largest waterfalls, and Devil’s pool is basically a pool of water that forms on the top of the 100-meter fall. A rock lip at the edge of the waterfall prevents you from going over the edge.

The Experience

Since Devils Pool is so popular, you have to sign up for a time slot ahead of time. We decided to pick the time slot at 8am since the we were told that the rainbow is more visible in the morning. And I have to admit, nothing wakes me up like jumping in the freezing cold water at the top of a waterfall.

A dingy picked us up at the side of the Zambezi river on the top of the falls and took us to Livingstone Island. Next, we held hands walking across the top of the waterfall. Eventually the water gets deep enough that you need to swim a little. Although the current isn’t that strong, it’s definitely strong enough to pick up someone that doesn’t know how to swim. At this point, you are about 50-100 meters from the edge of the falls. Once we reached Devil’s Pool, one person got in at a time. There is a worker in the water that assisted us in not getting swept away.

At the end of the fall, a rock lip protrudes upward which keeps you from falling over the edge. The rock lip seemed sturdy to me, but there is still a current you can feel going over the rock. The guides do tell you to keep your legs down, and I realized why. If any of your limbs come up in the water, you can feel the current trying to drag them over. So, it’s important to stay vertical. Now, could this rock lip give way one day? Probably. But I already did it, so that’s for you to risk.

When I put the picture below up on Facebook, I remember my aunt asked my mom if I was in front of a green screen. These pictures are especially daring. What you don’t see is one of the guides holding my ankles, which is preventing me from going over the fall. If he wasn’t, I’m not sure this would be possible without dying. If you plan on doing this, I’d advise against wearing sunscreen or anything that may make you slippery. 😉

Was it scary?

Well, it was scarier than I thought it would be. Although there is a rock lip there to hold you in, there is definitely a huge opportunity for something to go wrong if you’re not paying attention. With the amount of tourism going on today for social media in particular, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an accident here. The tour however doesn’t let you bring cell phones (you can give one to the guide for pictures), and this probably helps with safety. Other dangers include slipping on rocks or running into a hippo or crocodile during this trek. However, there are no casualties on record of people plunging to their deaths at Devil’s Pool during the Livingstone Island tour, which remains the only tour to access Devil’s Pool.

When To Go

Devil’s Pool requires lower water levels to operate, so it doesn’t operate all year long. If you definitely want to fit this into your trip, plan to visit around mid-August to mid-January. October and November have the best chances for low water levels.

How to Get There

Victoria Falls is on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe (which trust me can get pretty confusing). Devil’s Pool is on the Zambian side, but you will probably see the falls from both sides during your stay. Keep in mind that each time you have to cross the border, you have to go through customs which can be a pain in the ass. There are two options for airports: Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, Zambia, or Victoria Falls Airport, on the Zimbabwe side.

Interested in booking a time at Devils Pool? You can get tickets here!