Devil's Pool, Victoria Falls

Devil's Pool is a natural rock pool on the edge of Victoria Falls, reached from Livingstone Island on the Zambian side. When the Zambezi is low, a lip of rock just beneath the surface holds the water back, and swimmers can sit at the very edge of the falls with nothing between them and the 108-metre drop but a ledge they cannot see.

How the Devil's Pool tour works

Tours leave from a riverside lodge upstream of the falls. A short boat ride takes you to Livingstone Island, the spot where David Livingstone first looked over the falls in 1855. From the island, guides lead small groups across the rocks and through a gentle channel to the pool itself. You slide in, swim a few strokes to the edge and, holding on as instructed, lean out to look straight down the face of the falls. Guides take photographs from the rocks. Most tours include breakfast, lunch or high tea on the island afterwards.

When Devil's Pool is open

The pool is only safe when the Zambezi is low enough for the rock lip to break the current. That usually means from about mid-August to the end of the year, sometimes into January. In high water, from roughly February to July, the pool is under a torrent and closed; tours visit Livingstone Island and, when conditions allow, the nearby Angel's Pool instead. Exact dates change every year with the rains, so check the season when you book. Read why water levels matter more than dates.

Is Devil's Pool safe?

With a licensed operator, in the right season and following the guides' instructions, yes. The rock lip is broad and solid, guides hold swimmers' ankles at the edge, and numbers are tightly controlled. What is not safe is swimming above the falls on your own or outside the licensed tours: people have died doing so. Our Devil's Pool guide covers the rules in detail.

Booking and what to bring

Island tours are small and sell out from August to October, so book as early as you can. Bring swimwear under your clothes, a towel, reef-style shoes or sandals with grip, and a dry bag for your phone. Leave valuables at your lodge. Stay at Tongabezi or the Royal Livingstone to be close to the departure point.

Combine it with a safari

Devil's Pool fits into any trip to the Zambian side of the falls. Our three-day Victoria Falls break and seven days with Chobe include time for it in season.

Read our Victoria Falls guide and check the month-by-month water levels before you book.

Seasons, age limits and operating days are set by the operators and can change; check them when you book.