Dive into Devil’s Pool

An infinity pool with a difference

I have to say… I’m not sure I would do it. I’m getting the creeps just writing about it.

It’s called Devil’s Pool and for some madman reason, people love to hang half off the very edge of it or even dance and do back flips right by the rim. For thrillseekers, it’s the ideal dare.

It’s a rock pool at the edge of the world’s highest waterfall, Victoria Falls, also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders). The falls are one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its peak flow around June, a mile-wide chasm 100m straight down is filled with the roar of water falling at a rate of 3,000 tonnes per second. For most of the year, you’d be swept to your death if you entered the waters of Devil’s Pool. Instantly.

But from September to December, when the river flow is at a safe enough level, you can swim as close as possible to the perimeter within the pool without falling off to a nasty death. This is because the natural rock walls are more exposed and form a barrier, stopping you from being carried over.

So would you?

Would you jump on in and be ripped to the edge at stomach-churning speed to just inches from the rock lip where the Zambezi River’s fierce waters  crash over the edge?

Yes? Well here’s all you need to know, below… And if no, you’d rather sit and watch, it’s still a magnificent view and will probably make your heart race even from metres away. Enjoy the fine spray of the Victoria Falls, which rises like a cloud across the bushveld, throwing rainbows hundreds of feet in the air.

Where is it?

Devil’s Pool on the edge of the Victoria Falls is located along the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Getting there

Devil’s Pool is adjacent to Livingstone Island on the Zambian side of the Zambezi river. This is where David Livingstone first saw the Victoria Falls and remarked: “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. To get to Livingstone Island you take a motor boat from the landing at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. On the island you rock jump for some distance and swim through the river to a point where you can leap from into the pool.

Safety

Jumping into Devil’s Pool is not for sissies. It should only be done in the drier months September to December and only at the main point. It requires an adventurous spirit and decent swimming ability. There is a safety line to hold onto when you’re swimming to get to Devil’s Pool in case the current is too much for you. It’s essential to take a guide with you. See our accommodation options below as they offer guided trips.

Accommodation

Two places we suggest staying at, since they’re closest to the Vic Falls and offer guided trips there, are:

Royal Livingstone Hotel – On the edge of the Zambezi River, the Royal Livingstone Hotel is the closest accommodation to Vic Falls on the Zambian side and an excellent destination when visiting Victoria Falls. All guests staying at the Royal Livingstone enjoy free and unlimited access to the Victoria Falls, which is less than a five minute walk away.

Zambezi Sun – The hotel is right on the Zambezi River within earshot of Victoria Falls.

For a list of other accommodation near Victoria Falls, on both the Zambia and Zimbabwe side, click here.

Find out more

We at Rhino Africa are experts on Victoria Falls. Many from our Team here have made the dive into Devil’s Pool and spent a good deal of time exploring the region.

Read David, our adventurous leader’s blog about the pools and what he thought here.

Feel free to contact us to find out more about the Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls and tours and accommodation in the area. Find a list of tours we recommend here. We can also help you tailor-make one, to include the African destinations you’d like to.