Adventure
A short boat ride to the island where Livingstone first saw the falls, a swim to the edge, and a drop of more than 100 m just beyond the rock lip.
Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls, is a natural rock pool on the edge of the falls, reachable only from Livingstone Island on the Zambian side. In low water, a lip of rock holds back the current, so guides can lead small groups into the pool to sit — and, for the brave, lean out — at the top of a drop of more than 100 m. It’s the one falls experience that belongs entirely to Livingstone, because the island sits in the Zambian half of the river.
The outing is a guided session on Livingstone Island, where David Livingstone first saw the falls in 1855. You cross by boat from the riverbank, walk the island with a guide, swim if the season and conditions allow, and finish with a meal or high tea, depending on the session. For the wider picture of the falls, including the Zimbabwean side, see Victoria Falls.
Devil’s Pool & Livingstone Island
We book your session when we plan your itinerary, because places each day are limited and the low-water months fill early.
You arrive at the launch site on the Zambian bank about 30 minutes early for a safety briefing, then cross to the island by boat wearing a life jacket.
On the island, a guide walks your small group to the viewpoints on the lip and tells the story of Livingstone’s arrival here.
When the pool is open and conditions are safe, guides lead swimmers across a short stretch of moving water and seat everyone in the pool; they decide who swims and where you sit.
After drying off, you settle in for a meal or high tea, depending on the session, before the boat takes you back.
Devil’s Pool & Livingstone Island
Safaris
Lusaka · Mfuwe Airport · South Luangwa · Lower Zambezi · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
First-time visitors to Zambia who want walking, water and the falls in one well-paced trip
Lusaka · Lower Zambezi · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
Honeymooners and anniversary couples who want a gently paced safari with water and privacy
Lusaka · Busanga Plains · Kafue National Park · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
Repeat safari-goers and photographers who want space, few vehicles and landscapes unlike the valley parks
Lusaka · Kasanka · Liuwa Plain · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
Repeat safari-goers, photographers and naturalists who want spectacles few travelers see
Good to know
Usually from late August to late December, when the river is low enough for the rock lip to hold back the current. Exact dates depend on the year’s water levels. Earlier in the year, trips use Angel’s Pool or run as island visits without the swim.
It’s visited only on guided sessions from Livingstone Island, with a safety briefing, age limits and guides who decide when and where people swim, and it opens only when water levels allow. Official travel advice still notes that adventure activities at the falls carry risk, so follow every instruction and never attempt it independently.
Children must be at least 8 to visit Livingstone Island and at least 12 to swim, and they must be with an adult. The operator’s rules can change, so we confirm them when booking.
You need to be comfortable in moving water, because the short swim to the pool crosses a current. Guides are in the water with you and position you in the pool. If you’re not a confident swimmer, the island visit without the swim is still a remarkable way to stand at the edge.
Not directly. Livingstone Island and the pool are reached only from the Zambian bank, so if you’re staying in Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe, you cross the border for the session. A KAZA UNIVISA can make that simpler.
Experiences
On the water
Paddle a two-person canoe down the Zambezi’s side channels with a trained river guide, at eye level with elephants on the banks.
After dark
Head out after sundowners with a spotter and spotlight to look for leopard, genet and hyena in the park that made night drives famous.
On the water
Cast for the Zambezi’s tigerfish on a catch-and-release outing from a riverside camp, while a non-fishing partner walks, drives or paddles.
Share your dates, who is coming and whether you want to walk, paddle or simply watch. A safari specialist will design a private Zambia journey around the seasons, with nothing booked until you approve it.
Plan My Zambia Safari