The Zimbabwe Rafting Association (RAZ) has restarted high white water rafting activities on the Zambezi River as water levels started falling.
RAZ president Skinner Ndlovu said activities started recently and doing higher water rafting from Rapid No 11 to Rapid No 23. Said Ndlovu:
The industry is open now and we are rafting from Rapid 11 to 23. We are seriously affected by COVID-19 and it’s as good as there’s no business because this year due to the pandemic, we have run about 50 clients so far from all companies.
Usually, the rafting season closes between March and June depending on which month the river receives huge inflows from upstream.
During this period any rafting activities will be dangerous as the river will be at its fullest
High water rafting period is prominent between mid-May and mid-August as well as mid-December to mid-March.
Low water rafting takes place between September and mid-December.
At its peak, the rafting industry would handle more than 1 000 clients per month.
About 90 per cent of rafting clients are usually international and the remainder is shared between regional and local.