The sun is sinking in the sky and a few hippos are honking at each other in the distance as a croc slides silently into the river. A few kilometres upstream of the Victoria Falls, where the Zambezi River is still slow and peaceful, we’re floating past small islands, sipping on our gin-and-tonics and toasting the palm trees on the shore.
A sunset river cruise on the Zambezi is a must if you come to the Victoria Falls. Depending on your personal taste, it can be a couple of hours of bird- and game-watching tranquility; a romantic interlude of staring into each other’s eyes, backlit by the setting sun; or a brain-numbing shindig where you whoop it up to see who can drink the most G&Ts from the complimentary bar.
Thankfully, our cruise was primarily a sedate one, with the additional excitement of a bride and groom with two of their entourage on board. The bride was a large young black lady and the groom a small, grey-haired Scotsman in a kilt.
On the dock to send us off were traditional singers, dancers and drummers, decked out in their animal skins. It seemed somehow appropriate, then, that the Scotsman should be decked out in his ‘traditional dress’ too. They were sweet people who endeared themselves by sharing their heart-shaped wedding cake with the dozen other people on board.
On the dock to send us off were traditional singers, dancers and drummers, decked out in their animal skins. It seemed somehow appropriate, then, that the Scotsman should be decked out in his ‘traditional dress’ too. They were sweet people who endeared themselves by sharing their heart-shaped wedding cake with the dozen other people on board.
A number of operators offer sunset cruises from Vic Falls on the Zimbabwean side or Livingstone on the Zambian side. Cruises cost in the region of US$45 per person. Some companies to try include: Afrizim, Shearwater Adventures and Wild Horizons.
More about Zimbabwe
Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
More about Zimbabwe
Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
