THE sunset cruise has become one of the leading tourist activities in the resort city of Victoria Falls with 90 percent of the domestic and international tourists going for the activity, a tour operator has revealed.
Victoria Falls boasts of numerous adventure, water activities, day trips, and game drive activities that complement one of the seven wonders of the world; the majestic Victoria Falls. Employers Association of Tour and Safari Operators president, who is also Shearwater Adventures public relations manager Mr Clement Mukwasi said the sunset cruise has been one of the most subscribed activities in Victoria Falls.
“The sunset cruise has become a flagship activity for Victoria Falls. About 90 percent of people who come into Victoria Falls do the sunset cruise and 100 percent of those that sleep over in Victoria Falls actually do the sunset cruise,” said Mr Mukwasi.
He said one of the major reasons why people want to do the sunset cruise is because of the natural environment that they find themselves in, giving them time to harmonise with nature.
“The water body is unpolluted; they are no buildings that are along the river. The activity itself which is a two-hour activity has actually become very popular among not only the international tourists but also the domestic tourists,” said Mr Mukwasi.
An estimated 40 boat cruises are operated by different tour operators along the Zambezi River. The sunset cruise accommodates all age groups, an attribute that Mr Mukwasi believes could be one of the attracting factors.
“It accommodates the youngest people of any group, be it a one-year-old or less, be it an elderly person they are able to do the sunset cruise. This could be the reason why it has appealed more to every spectrum across the tourist social divide. We have actually seen that because of its price levels everybody wants to do the sunset cruise,” said Mr Mukwasi.
The Zambezi River has got several boats on the river and these are operated both on the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides.
Mr Mukwasi said the activity has become one of the survival activities that has helped to take the tourism industry spring back to life.
“The sunset cruise can only compete with entry into the rain forest. After the entry into the falls the second and the most popular activity then becomes the sunset cruise so you actually would realise that the surge levels of the sunset cruise in Victoria Falls are actually very high it has actually a touch between the tourist and the guides.
“There is also an educational element to the people who actually do the activity. Remember the activity is done on the Zambezi River on the upper part of the falls. It is one and a half kilometres above the main falls so one can actually see the steam from the sunset cruise, you can see the steam of falls from where the activity actually occurs,” said Mr Mukwasi.
The Zambezi River is the fourth longest river in Africa after the Naija, the Nile and Congo. That makes cruise legendary activities because of the place where it is being done. – Sunday News
