By Cadan, 11 years old (with help by Rhian, 14 years old)
As we hopped into the Wild Horizons truck we were wondering how it was going to be. It had been 7 years since the last time we did the canopy tour Victoria Falls and I did not remember a thing (probably because I was 5 years old then). We pulled up to the Lookout Café and walked to the office where we signed our lives away. After that we went to the deck and watched to see if anyone was going to do the Big Swing or any of the zip lines. I was pooping myself thinking that we were going to do the zip lines.
Suddenly we were taken to where we got our harnesses and met are guides Nacho and Hopewell. They strapped us in to our harnesses and took us to the first zip line. When we got there Hopewell explained to us what to do and where to put are hands. Then Nacho zipped across and Hopewell waited for the sign to tell him to let us go. Meanwhile we were getting into the order of which we would be going – first my brother Kai, then me, then my sister Rhian, then Dad. Hopewell checked our harnesses and hooked Kai – there was no turning back. With one swish leap Kai was off in a flash, zipping through the air. When he landed I stepped up on to the block and Hopewell harnessed me in and waited for the signal – a long sharp whistle. My hands were shaking as Hopewell double checked my harness, then Nacho whistled and I knew it was my time.
As I whizzed down the zip line, I felt a rush of cold air through my hair and it felt like I was flying. As I slowed down towards the end of the zip line I felt a sigh of relief and had a huge grin on my face as I finished my first zip line – there were still 8 more to come.
I watched Dad and Rhian come up after us. Watching Rhian scream for her life and Dad laughing with the GoPro on his helmet.
We then walked to the second zip line. The same order, the same way. But I was over my fears now and I felt like I could have the best time ever zooming over the gorge and through the tree tops. We repeated that a few more times and started to look out through the trees at the views, down the gorge, all the way to the bridge and mist of the Victoria Falls.
As we were zipping through the trees we thought we saw a giant white plastic bag being swirled around a whirlpool in the Zambezi River way below us. Hopewell told us it was actually an old dead hippo that had fallen over the Victoria Falls – wow, we always wondered if any animals fell over the falls.
Then we spotted a Knysna Turaco – we were so excited to see it and also to show off to Mum who always wanted to see this bird but was too scared to do the Canopy Tour.
On the 8th zip line there were two very low trees which we had to duck under in order to get through and it was really funny watching Rhian fly down the zip line very scared of hitting her head. I got stuck by the branch but Hopewell saved me by pulling me up the zip line to the platform where everyone was laughing at me – meanies.
It was the best experience, flying through the trees like a bird, it was the best fun ever!
There are endless exciting activities to do whilst at Victoria Falls. Read more in these blogs:
- Whitewater rafting Victoria Falls by 16 year old Kai
- A Flight of Angels – rejuvenate the soul through a birds-eye view of the Victoria Falls
Add the canopy tour Victoria Falls into any of the following Travel Africa itineraries or let us customise your very own, unique safari:
- Victoria Falls Magic – 4 days (Accommodated)
- Victoria Falls & Chobe Combo – 5 days (Accommodated)
- Zimbabwe: Falls & Elephants – 6 days (Accommodated)
- Botswana & Zimbabwe Combo: Delta & Rivers – 8 days (Accommodated)
- Best of Southern Africa – 13 Days (Accommodated)
- Family Self-Drive Botswana: Wildlife Wonderland – 15 days (Accommodated)
- Self-Drive Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe: including the Okavango Delta – 25 days (Camping)
