Located at the edge of Africa’s greatest natural spectacle, taking a dip into the Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls should be at the top of your bucket list.
With 110 million gallons per minute crashing into a 105-meter-deep canyon, there are not many places around the world as astonishing and imposing as Victoria Falls. It is considered the world’s largest curtain of falling water and one of the 7 natural wonders. It attracts backpackers, honeymooners, solo travelers, and tour groups seeking to get a glimpse into this wonder of nature. Whether you take a look from any of its viewpoints at the Zambia or Zimbabwe parks or marvel at it from the air on a helicopter ride, Victoria Falls won’t disappoint you. However, if you want to get the closest to the edge and feel the force of the falls without taking an unnecessary risk, taking a leap of faith and getting into the Devil’s Pool might be what you are looking for.
This natural pool at the cliff’s edge offers the most thrilling experience at Victoria Falls. Caused by thousands of years of erosion and plates collisions in southern Africa, natural rock formations enclosed a section of the falls. Here, the water current is minimal in the dry season, and people can jump into the water and even look into the endless canyon below.
It was one of the coolest and most exciting activities I’ve done in Africa. Still, additional information and preparation are necessary to make this experience more than memorable. From the different tours you can book to essential things you should bring. Here is a guide on preparing yourself before visiting the Devil’s Pool in Victoria Falls.
What kind of tours are there?
Even though all tours are run by the same company, Tongabezi Safaris, you might find more than a dozen different prices on the internet for visiting the Devil’s Pool in Victoria Falls.
Viator, Lonely Planet, or Trip Advisor sell the same activity at a higher price. In comparison, local tour operators offer a lower price but generate fewer clients due to their lack of name recognition. Other companies add an extra cost because they include a short boat tour around the Zambezi River or a walking tour to Livingstone Island – even though that is already included in all tours. (Only transfers are not included in the official prices from Tongabezi Safaris)
If you want to book a tour to the Devil’s Pool, it does not matter which company you use; just keep in mind they use official guides.
NOTE: Unofficial guides are offering a visit to Devil’s Pool for half of the official price. You find them usually recommended by taxi drivers or someone on the street. They are usually locals who own a boat and know the route to Livingstone Island. These are unregistered and unprofessional guides who underestimate the danger and conditions of the falls. If you ever get suggested to join one of these unofficial tours, you should avoid it.
The cheapest places to book your Devil’s Pool tour are the official site of Tongabezi Safaris, the official guide of Victoria Falls, or directly with your hotel.
For a visit to the Devil’s Pool, there are only three official tours:
Livingstone Breezer (morning tour)
Departing at 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 am and lasting 90 minutes, the morning tour costs 110 USD and includes a welcome drink (a local corn non-alcoholic drink) and two breakfast options with coffee or coffee or tea.
Lunch on Livingstone Island
Departing at 12:30, the Lunch Tour lasts 60 minutes longer (the lunchtime is longer). Here, you have a three-course menu and more time to walk independently at Livingstone Island. However, for 175 USD, this is the most expensive option of all three.
High Tea (afternoon tour)
High Tea tours depart in the afternoon at 15:30 and last 30 minutes longer than the Livingstone Breezer. In this tour, you will choose different savory and sweet snacks and alcoholic drinks to enjoy after a dip in the pool.
The current food menu for all three tours is available in the official Victoria Falls Guide. All tours spend more or less the same amount of time at the Devil’s Pool, and groups can be as large as 16 people. Fortunately, I went in low season (Dezember 2021 and was the only person in that time slot.
INSIDER INFO:
Since Tongabezi Safaris has the monopoly of the Devil’s Pool tours, they selected the different prices according to the most asked time slots. According to an official local guide, the additional cost you pay for the lunch or tea time is simply not worth it, and this price was chosen primarily because of demand.
Viator offers tours on both sides of Victoria Falls. They are the largest tour operator search in the world, and with them, you can find and book in just a few clicks any tour you want to do in Zambia or Zimbabwe.
Here are some of the tours they offer:
Is a visit to the Devil’s Pool worth it?
Absolutely! This is one of the most extraordinary natural spots on earth, and being able to step so close to the edge of a waterfall without any security is simply breathtaking. Even though lots of blogposts and YouTubers describe a visit to the Devil’s Pool as dangerous, these videos and articles are mainly created to generate views and not to property inform the reader.
The team taking you to the Devil’s Pool is highly professional, and they will take care of you during the whole activity. You don’t need to be an extraordinary swimmer to get across into the pool, and even if you don’t know how to swim correctly, the staff can help you to fulfill your dream of stepping to the edge of the world.
The price for this activity is, in my opinion, a little bit expensive. Unfortunately, every activity in Victoria Falls is simply overpriced. On the other hand, visiting Livingstone Island was merely incredible. This is probably the best view of the whole Victoria Falls from the land, and if you visit Livingstone Island, a visit to the Victoria Falls National Park might be something you can skip.
NOTE: If you want to visit the Devil’s Pool from Zimbabwe, consider that you need to pass through customs and passport control, exit the country, and enter a completely different country, Zambia.
Read more: How to plan a trip to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia
Where to stay in Victoria Falls
With accommodation in all price ranges, finding something that suits your budget and taste is not difficult.
Book your accommodation in Victoria Falls using Booking.com and support the blog and the creation of more amazing content!
Where to go next?
Want to start booking activities in Victoria Falls? Check out which tours Viator is offering. They have not only the best quality of service worldwide, but they also offer the most secure payment methods, as well as organization service.
Additionally, by booking a tour with Viator, you will be supporting the blog and helping me generate more great content.
When to visit
With heavy rainy seasons between December and April, the Devil’s Pool is not accessible from January to June. The water levels are too high, and it is unsafe to be at the pool.
If you visit Zambia during July and early August, it might happen that the tours to the Devil’s Pool are not open yet. However, it depends on each year and is difficult to predict beforehand.
For a safe and 100% available visit, the months between August and December are the best. Especially in August and December, the water levels are high enough to feel like swimming at the edge of the world. For visits into the dry months of September to November, the water levels at the Victoria Falls could be so low that you can see and even sit on the rock, isolating the natural pool.
During the rainy season, travelers can also visit Angel’s Armchair, another natural pool at the edge of Victoria Falls. While this pool might not be as close to the edge as the Devil’s Pool, Angel’s Armchair is available for a more extended period than the Devil’s Pool, and I personally find the views from here way better.
Read more: What are the best national parks in Zambia
Photography at the Devil’s Pool
Looking for the perfect picture, but are you concerned about your phone or camera? Don’t worry! The staff from the Devil’s Pool will have one person whose only job is to take photos and videos of you. You can give him your phone at Livingstone Island, and he will take care of taking pictures of the best angles during this unique experience. Of course, you can also bring a GoPro with a selfie stick.
Keep in mind. The use of drones is highly prohibited at Victoria Falls. You won’t only fly a drone on a border between two countries, but you will also be in an area where there are constant helicopter and microlight flights. If you want to use a drone at Victoria Falls, you will need a special permit from the government – a permit that is rarely granted and heavily monitored.
If you properly and securely want to see the Devil’s Pool from a distance, you can get a good glimpse of it from the Zimbabwe side of the Victoria Falls National Park or from the air during a microlight or helicopter flight.
Read more: What are the best activities to do at Victoria Falls?
Planning a trip to Zambia independently is fun. However, if you want to arrange everything with tour operators beforehand from the comfort of your home. SafariBookings is the best platform for it.
They have the largest database of tour operators in Africa and you can simply send a request and negotiate a tour and a price directly with the operator. You don’t have to pay any additional fees.
These are some of the most popular tours in Zambia at SafariBookings
How do I find cheap flights to Victoria Falls?
Finding a cheap flight anywhere around the world is not always easy. It’s about comparing platforms, selecting the right routes and booking at the right time. Fortunately, platforms like Skyscanner became known as an all-in-one tool for booking flights at the lowest cost possible.
They analyse every potential company and sub-contractor in order to find the lowest price available for you. Not only that, but you can also select the option “Travel Anywhere” and let Skyscanner find the cheapest place to travel at any selected date.
I check all my flights first at Skyscanner, and in 90% of the cases, I find the best option for me to book.
Also, by booking here using Skyscanner, you will support my blog and help me create more amazing and useful content.
