You will be granted accesss to EWWS x LiLi Big Water Creeking Trip to Zambezi, Zambia 2026.
Dates 28th December 2026 - 6th January 2027 CATEGORIES Adult Trips, Creeking Trips, Creeking Trips, Teen Camps Tags big water, Creeking class IVEWWS New Year’s Big Water Trip – High Water Zambezi, Zambia
28/12/2026 06/01/2027
Livingstone, Zambia
Quim Fontane
Bartosz Czauderna
Guest coach
+15 years
Livingstone (LVI)
Glamping at the Victoria Falls Riverfront
Big Water - Class IV
6-12 spots
BOOKINGS ARE OPEN REGISTER NOW
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OVERVIEW
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GALLERY
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PROGRAM
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PRICING
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F.A.Q.
The EWWS is going to return to the mighty Zambezi in 2026, one of the most famous pieces of whitewater on Earth, and we are going in style! More than a kayaking trip you are signing up for an experience of a lifetime. We will paddle the top 25 rapids of the Zam, we will visit the Victoria Falls from the bottom and glance at the Minus Rapids, we will sleep in the gorge and have a bonfire by the river, we will take an afternoon off to do an evening sunset cruise safari and observe elephants and hippos on their natural habitat, and we will paddle until we can’t hold our paddles anymore!
At the bottom of Victoria Falls and minus rapids. This view will stay with you forever.
Waterfront restaurant area
A section of Victoria Falls as seen from Zimbabwe.
Sunsets in Africa are simply special.
Flying over the boof on #5.
Eating area at the Waterfront – our accommodation.
Our favourite boof on the Number 5 rapid.
Surfing #12
Glamping at the Waterfront.
The raft joins us on the overnight trip.
Overnight base camp. Nothing else like waking up to the sound of the river and smell of warm sand.
Another sunset view.
A quick bath under the small stream from Victoria Falls.
Surfing #12 in the half-slice. Because... why not? :D
Rapid number 4, a technical one.
Paddlers sending the -1 rapid!
#5 highway to heaven - follow the leader down the green highway!
A visit to an African village, where some people have never experienced the artificial lights of a city, is always mind-blowing and eye-opening.
One of many many many big waves. Yeeey!
Zambezi is a paradise of kickflips & stern stalls.
Guards of the Black Rhinos in the local national park.
P1100445
Views of the Minus Rapids and Victoria Falls—an essential detour during our Zambezi trip.
Waterfront Pool Area
Number 9 AKA ‘Comercial suicide’ – the most impressive rapid of the Batoka Gorge.
Elephants are commonly spotted not only in the national park but also along the roads to town. You’ll experience African wildlife on a level that’s hard to imagine.
Hippos having an afternoon bath. Photo from the safari trip.
African wildlife is visible at every step we take.
Just to give you a perspective. Zambezi is just huuge. And so much fun.
Best to keep your distance from this gentleman—a crocodile spotted during the safari trip.
Lead-in to #18. The terminator!
Sunset River Cruise Safari experience
The rugged landscape of the Minus Rapids contrasts with the fertile, wildlife-rich jungle further downstream.
A spectacular view on the minus rapids.
Moments before tackling the massive curler on Rapid Number 4.
The raw jungle stretches along the walls of the Zambezi Gorge.
Glamping tent at the waterfront.
FLY IN/OUT & PICK UPS -Aim to arrive to Livingstone on the 28th of December. A dedicated taxi driver will pick you up from the airport so you can set a base at our charming base in Waterfront Victoria Falls.
DROP OFF – Aim to get your flight departing on the 6th of January from Livingstone, Zambia. The later you fly, the more time you will have to chill in the morning before heading to the airport.
GAME PLAN
This is subject to change depending on the level and energy levels of the group:
28th December – Arrival to Livingstone airport, we will be picked up by the taxi and driven to our accommodation at the Victoria Falls Waterfront where you will get a first taste of the African vibe. The accommodation has everything you can ask for – swimming pool, wifi, bar, restaurant, amenities and a selection of african primates that look cute but that you’ll want to stay away from – careful with your snacks!
29th December – First day on the water! We will paddle from rapid 14 to rapid 21. This already includes some famous rapids like the Washing Machine, the Terminators or Oblivion. You will alse get a first taste of the famous Zambezi walk outs – although they are not as bad as people make it sound.
30th December – We will start further upstream, just below number 9. Number 10 (Gnashing Jaws of Death) is the biggest wave train you’ve ever seen in your life – this is a prime kickflip area. Number 11 is also big, and 12B has one of the most famous surf waves on the entire river when levels are right (they should be at this time of the year).
31st December – It is a big day! We will start from the top at number one and go all the way to number 14. This is where the bigger rapids of the Zambezi are. The first challenge is to eddy out on number 1. Number 4, Morning Glory is the first truly big rapid and number 5, Stairway to Heaven is equaly awesome and famous for its boof line. The crux however is number 7 – Gullivers Travels. All odds point you will need to carry around number 9 – Commercial Suicide. We will need to rush back to Camp and get ready for our sunset safari cruise on top of the falls! Bring your camera and a lense to take pictures of the wildlife. We will celebrate the arrival of 2027 in the most iconic way possible. Star-gazing, overlooking the Zambezi River…
1st January – Rest day. You are welcome to enjoy your time as you see fit. Chill at the pool, visit elephant cafe, visit Victoria Falls etc.
2nd January – Overnight raft supported kayaking trip. We will start by paddling up to the bottom of Victoria Falls to enjoy one of the 7 wonders of the World from a unique perspective. We will also take the chance to scout the Minus Rapids which we will certainly not run. From there we will paddle all the way down to rapid number 10 where we will set camp and stay for the night. How awesome is it to be sleeping on the banks of the Zam!?
3rd January – Overnight raft supported kayaking trip. We will paddle from our camp all the way down to number 25. In the afternoon we will get some well deserve rest and we can have lil pool party at camp.
4th January – We’re going all out! 1 – 21 in one day, we do hope you can keep up! ;) We will also go for an evening safari on the National Park where you’ll be able to see game like Giraffe, Elephants, Rhino, Buffalo, Zebra and many other incredible wildlife.
5th January – Final 1 – 21 lap! Make the most of the Zam. Enjoy every rapid and every view, hug your adventure partners, soul surf the african waves. It is not every day you can paddle the Zam!
6th January – Departure day. Try not to cry – we can’t promise we won’t. Byebye Zambezi.
INCLUDES
✔️ Loco Parentis (24h supervision) from point of drop off until hand over or check in completion at return airport.
✔️ Accommodation – Glamping at the Victoria Falls Waterfront. Transport during the whole trip. Includes taxi from and to the Airport if flying to and from Livingstone.
✔️ Breakfast + Lunches – Dinners not included, we will go to local restaurants in town. Expect dinner to be 10-20$ per meal.
✔️ Accident insurance – covers rescue from the river.
Sunset Cruise + Safari
YOU WILL ASLO NEED
➕ Flights
➕ Kayaking gear. You can bring your own or rent it on spot. Half-slice kayak recommended. Rental is 150€ for the whole trip. Needs to be booked in advance – contact us to sort rental.
➕ Spending money for the dinners out + snacks & souvenirs – about 250,00$
➕ Own travel insurance advised
IS THE ZAM FOR ME?
The Zambezi has a fearsome reputation, however the reality is that there are a wide range of lines and all grades of rapids. If you have a solid roll and are confident on class III-IV you will most likely have the time of your life paddling the Zam. This is an intermediate to advanced trip. The trip will involve some fairly strenuous walk ins and walk outs of the gorge, as well as some long paddling days, so a reasonable level of fitness is also required. If you have any doubt at all about whether you will be suited to this trip get in touch.
WHAT BOAT SHOULD I BE BRINGING WITH ME?
If you ask us, you should consider renting a boat there. It will make your trip stress-free. The best option for the Zam is a playful halfslice.
WILL MY POSSESSIONS BE SAFE?
At the Waterfront accommodation there is a big safe and also lockers that you can use. There are a lot of people coming through and Zambia is a third world country – we strongly advise locking up all valuables and bringing them on a big trip obviously puts them at risk from damage/loss/theft. Bring a small combination lock with you to secure your locker.
WHAT VACCINATIONS OR ANT-MALARIA PILLS DO I NEED FOR THIS TRIP?
We are not doctors and do not pretend to be… Please contact your local doctor well in advance of the trip. They will fill you in on everything that you need to know.
MY ENGLISH IS NOT THAT GOOD… IS THIS OK?
Can you think of any better opportunity to study English without even noticing it? Sessions will be run in English but in case you don’t understand or you have any questions, our coaches do speak French, Spanish and Catalan. Other Athletes may be able to help you as well. Don’t worry, we will find the way to understand each other and your English will improve by the day!
ARE THERE CROCS OR HIPPOS!?
In the section below the falls, where we will be paddling there are small to medium sized crocodiles living on the flat pools between the rapids. Hippos do not leave in the gorge.
To our knowledge there has never been any crocodile accident involving a kayaker on the Zambezi. We will, however take extreme precautions and use the vast knowledge of our local guides to deal with the local wildlife.
WHAT SORT OF STUFF DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME?
– Personal paddling equipment including your paddle. Drytop must be shorty or otherwise stay home, it’s just too hot! Most people paddle with skins only. Rivershoes mandatory as there are big walk ins and outs and the volcanic rock gets too hot to walk barefoot!
– Basic camping gear
– Suncream, hats, sleeves to insulate from the sun
– Basic First Aid kit including anti-mosquito spray for extreme conditions
– Sleeping bag
– A book
– Your favourite board game
WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?
The weather in Zambia depends very much on the time of year. At the time of the trip it will be the beginning of the dry season / very end of the wet season. The weather is likely to be hot and dry, and the water will be warm, though you can occasionally get strong winds that cools things down a bit. Bring clothes to protect you from the sun and a long sleeved thermal or shorty cag for on the river. The temperature is pleasant in the evening and through the night. There is also the possibility of heavy rain – most likely at night. When it rains in Zambia, it doesn’t mess about! Expect heavy tropical rain and lots of lightning that normally only lasts a few hours. Heavy rain is so cool though, right?
HOW SHOULD I BRING MY KAYAK?
It is generally easy to book your freestyle boat onto most airline companies. However, some companies have length limitations that would exclude most creekboats. It is important to read the sport baggage policies of the companies you are considering to fly with before booking your ticket.
With the intercontinental airlines the best practice is to check their dimensions limits and even better call them asking for an additional information. It is best to not call your boat a “kayak” as majority of companies see it as a 5m long piece of luggage. A much better idea is calling it something like a “surfing equipment” and adding exact dimensions.
Here is a quick breakdown of the fares of various popular european airlines, just to give you an idea:
EUROPEAN OPERATORS:
Ryanair – 35€ for the regular Sports Equipment, 55€ for a Large Sports Item. It is possible to check in up to 2 Large Sport Items per person per flight. The maximum weight allowed is 20kg, but you might be allowed to fly paying an additional fee of 11€/kg up to 32kg. In general quite a friendly company for both freestyle and creekboats.
EasyJet – The fee is 55€ and only one item per passenger is allowed. You can check in your kayak without problems as kayaks are amongst the items that are allowed on the airline’s sports baggage policy. Up to 32kgs. Friendly for both freestyle and creekboats.
Eurowings – Up to 32kg allowed, it has a cost of 50€. Generally a friendly company for both freestyle and creekboats.
Norwegian Airlines – Max dimensions stated on website are 250cmx79cmx112cm. This is more than enough for any freestyle boat and borderline for most modern creekboats. Likely that they would not care about 20cm extra as width and height of the kayaks are much less than their max allowance. 32kg max. weight allowance makes it a good company to chuck your kayaking gear inside your kayak :).
Cost is very reasonable at 30GBP (if booked online) or 50GBP directly at the counter.
Vueling – Kayaks are not on the allowed item list, but surfboards are. You will most likely not have any problems convincing the employees your kayak is actually a paddleboard. The weight limit is 32kg and the maximum length 270cm, which is good for all freestyle boats and many creekboats. The cost is 45€.
Lufthansa – Kayaks are not on the allowed item list, but surfboards are. You will most likely not have any problems convincing the employees your kayak is actually a paddleboard. The maximum length allowed is 3,15m and the maximum weight is 32kg so this is a creekboat-friendly company. The cost is quite elevated, at 70 – 150€ depending if it’s a domestic flight or an international flight.
Aer Lingus – Kayaks are not on the allowed item list, but surfboards are. You will most likely not have any problems convincing the employees your kayak is actually a paddleboard. The maximum weight allowed is 23kg and maximum length is 240cm, so freestyle boats are a go, but it is not a friendly company for creekboats. The cost is 40€.
Wizz Air – Kayaks are not on the allowed item list, but surfboards are. You will most likely not have any problems convincing the employees your kayak is actually a paddleboard. A slightly odd company as the price depends on the season and it’s higher during the summer months and lower during the winter. Not the most kayak friendly company so better to be avoided if you travel with your boat.
INTERNATIONAL OPERATORS:
Air Canada – Generally happy to take boats but these need to be pre-registered and subject to space availability. Each kayak counts as one piece of baggage towards the maximum number of checked bags allowed by your fare type. Sometimes kayaks have flown for free whilst other times a fee has been charged.
Maximum length: 300 cm (116 in)*
Maximum width: 45 cm (18 in)
Maximum height: 76 cm (29 in)
– Even if they are checked in separately, kayak paddles and one kayak count as one piece of baggage
Oversize and additional piece charges apply to the kayak, but not to the paddles when they are checked with the kayak.
– When packed separately, all additional pieces of kayaking equipment (e.g. helmet, life vest, dry top, spray skirt) count as one piece of baggage.
– If your baggage count (kayaking equipment + number of bags to be checked) exceeds the maximum number of items allowed by your fare type additional checked baggage charges will apply. These fees will be collected at the airport.
Air France – Policy doesn’t state if they accept or not accept kayaks. They do accept “longboards” of up to 300cm in length and weight a maximum of 23kg. but these need to be booked in advanced through the customer service line. A fee applies and varies depending on the length of the flight.
Qatar Airways – They accept sporting equipment as checked baggage that’s part of the allowance on your ticket. Any sporting equipment that exceeds this allowance will be subject to the following rates:
When purchased in advance, specific sporting equipment rates will apply.
When purchased at the airport, regular extra baggage rates will apply.
The size of large pieces should not exceed a dimension of 300cm (length + width + height) – so really only playboats can really fly with this company.
Emirates – Emirates will accept wind surf boards, kite surfing equipment, kayaks, body boards, pole vault or other sporting equipment as checked baggage and part of your standard baggage allowance, provided:
Any sails are detachable and collapsible.
It is appropriately packed in a hard‑shell packing case.
The total dimensions do not exceed 300cm (118 inches). – This means only playboats can fly with this company.
KLM – Policy doesn’t state if they accept or not accept kayaks. You can however bring your “surfing equipment” instead of an item of checked luggage. Depending on your type of surfing, the equipment may consist of:
Surfing equipment: a (wave, boogie, or body) surfboard packed in a surfboard bag.
Windsurfing equipment: a board, mast, sail, and boom, packed together in a quiver bag.
Kitesurfing equipment: a board and a kite packed in a kite bag.
You need to make a reservation for the transport if the bag is longer than 107 cm. Note that on flights to or from Canada, Mexico and the United States, an extra fee may apply.
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We highly recommend that you book your sports equipment in advance to avoid higher fees in the airport check in, or even worse, finding out that the flight is full and not being allowed to bring your kayak with you on board.
Also, packing your kayak nicely in a bag or using a “sock” for surfboards will maximise the chances that everything goes smoothly and that you don’t have any problems.
EWWS New Year’s Big Water Trip – High Water Zambezi, Zambia
2,535.00 €
full Camp fee
If in doubt, please use the live chat in the corner to make sure the camp in Livingstone, Zambia is suitable for your age and experience.