130128 TRAVEL TRAVEL ++ LEISURE / JANUARY 2017 LEISURE / JANUARY 2017
S
et on the edge of Victoria Falls in Zambia,
the Devil’s Pool lives up to its frightening name.
It is a rocky basin that has been hollowed out
by thousands of years of erosion as the waters
of the Zambezi River swept through it before
falling 350 feet downward—twice the height of
Niagara. For much of the year, the Devil’s Pool is
inaccessible to visitors. But when the river level
declines and the current slows between mid-August
and mid-January (the region’s dry season), it
turns into nature’s version of an infi nity pool.
These drier months reveal a rock wall at the edge,
which acts as a barrier that makes it safe to
jump in and take a dip.Experiencing this thrill requires a boat ride
to a small island in the Zambezi River, followed
by a swim to a large rock, then fi nally a leap into the
pool. Just inches away, the torrents cascade over the
precipice, producing dramatic clouds of rainbow-
dappled mist. Your guide will happily take your
picture as you pose to make it look like you’re going
over. Floating above the roaring falls, it’s easy to
understand why the locals call them Mosi-oa-
Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” — ADELINE DUFFFor help coordinating a visit, contact T+L A-List agent Craig
Beal ([email protected]), who specialises in travel to
Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Worth Flying For
Swimming in the zambezi River’s
DEVIL’S POOL, ZAMBIA
Illustration by Jun Cen