Operators pride themselves on offering the best commercially run rapids in the world. You need to be reasonably fit (not only to deal with the grade 3-5 rapids, but also for the 230m/754-ft. climb out of the gorge at the end of a tiring day). You should also be a competent swimmer. Don't worry if you haven't done anything like it before -- organizers offer dry-ground preparation before launching onto the water, and the safety and guiding standards are excellent; note that this does not prevent unforeseen disasters. The best time for rafting is when the water is low and the rapids impressive, in September and October. (Apr-May, when the water is particularly high, some rafting companies close altogether.) You should be aware that there is a certain level of danger and that the rapids claim a few lives every year. The safest option is to get on a boat that has an oarsman who guides you along the safest path, but the alternative, where everyone in the group has his or her own paddle, is much more fun, despite the fact that -- or in large part because of it -- you'll definitely end up in the water. River-boarding is the most hair-raising way to brave the rapids -- alone, on a boogie board, you literally surf the waves created by a selection of grade 3-5 rapids. Most river-rafting companies offer an optional half-day rafting, half-day boarding experience. The kings of the river are Raft Extreme (tel. 260/3/32-3929; www.raftextreme.com) and Safari Par Excellence . Both offer trips from the Zambian side -- though it's a bit of an effort to go across the border, these trips have the added advantage of including a few extra rapids, and they also begin right beneath the falls. Zambian guides are also usually the longest-serving guides and are, therefore, very familiar with what can be a dangerous river. Expect to pay US$100/£52 for a half- or full day. Prices include lunch, drinks, and all equipment. On the Zimbabwe side, you can book your rafting or river-boarding through Shearwater Adventures.
While you're drifting down the river, keep an eye out for taita falcons. These rare, swift-flying birds nest in the cliffs and can sometimes be spotted from the water swooshing in and out of updrafts.
Courtin' the Zambezi River God -- Every year Nyaminyami, the Zambezi River god, claims one or two of the 40,000 lives that hurtle down his course. It is said that by wearing his serpentlike image around your neck, you will escape harm. Hundreds of hawkers in and around the falls make a living selling Nyaminyami pendants, which forever brand you as a brave warrior who has ridden the mighty Zambezi River.
