Devil's Pool and Livingstone Island: When You Can Swim and What to Book
3 min read
Short answer: the Livingstone Island tour with Devil’s Pool is the booking that starts in Victoria Falls: a minibus across the border, a 5-minute boat ride to the island, a guided swim and breakfast. It takes no one under 12, and the water level decides which pool you swim in, so pick your dates before your tour.
When it is open
The pool lies at the top of the falls, so the Zambezi has to be low enough to swim there safely. A 2018 article on zambiatourism.com by Green Safaris, who run tours to Livingstone Island, gives the Devil’s Pool season as usually August to January, depending on the water level. It names Angel’s Pool as the pool that is generally open when Devil’s Pool is not, and says Livingstone Island itself closes at high water, roughly mid-March to mid-June. The Devil’s Pool or Angel’s Pool listing gives a shorter window, usually August to December. These are general windows, not a guarantee: the operator goes by the water on the day, so ask before you commit a date.
What the tour includes
The page describes the morning like this: a safety briefing at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, a 5-minute boat ride, a welcome drink on the island, the view of Rainbow Falls and the Horseshoe on its eastern side and of the Main Falls on its western side, the swim, then breakfast. Depending on the water level you swim in Devil’s Pool, Rocky Pool, Angel’s Pool or Devil’s Cataract Pool; if Devil’s Pool is closed, the guides choose the safest of the others. The tour is listed at 3 hours and at €204.83, rated 4.6 from 285 reviews. Adult prices apply to everyone.
Livingstone Island is on the Zambian side, so the day involves crossing the border. Bring your passport; the visa is your own responsibility. The page puts the shuttle from Victoria Falls or Livingstone town to the check-in point at USD 20 per person, paid in cash, and transfers run for at least two people, so if you travel alone you pay for two.
What to check before you book
The tour does not take children under 12. The alternative listing is not suitable for non-swimmers or people afraid of heights. The rocks on the island are sharp and slippery, so the page asks for water shoes or slip-ons with good grip; bring a hat, sunscreen and your swimsuit too. Ask the operator about the water on your date.
The alternative
A listing from Livingstone offers Devil’s Pool or Angel’s Pool, described as a boat ride, a short swim and a light breakfast, lunch or high tea depending on the time slot, at €227.09 with 24 reviews. It picks up at four hotels in Livingstone: the Protea by Marriott, the Avani Victoria Falls Resort, the Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya and the Livingstone Resort, and its guide helps you take photos. It suits you if you are already staying on the Zambian side. For a view of the falls from the air instead, see our helicopter guide.
Our recommendation
For most visitors staying in Victoria Falls: the Livingstone Island tour, because it starts on the Zimbabwean side, organises the shuttle across the border and has far more reviews than the alternative. Book it in the low-water months, and plan something else for children under 12.
See dates and prices for the Livingstone Island tour with Devil’s Pool
