Toka Leya Camp is located in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the banks of the Zambezi River and just upstream from The Victoria Falls.

The camp is located on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River and offers the perfect locale for accessing The Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world and a must-see for visitors to Southern Africa. Activities from the camp include river cruises, game drives in the national park, guided walking tours of the waterfall, rhino tracking with a Park Ranger, fishing (catch-and-release), cultural tours and local school visits, and a tour of Livingstone town and its museum.

There seems no end to the variety of extra activities that guests can enjoy (booked separately and at extra cost) during their stay at Toka Leya. Some of the most popular activities include white-water rafting, the bungee jump from The Victoria Falls Bridge, helicopter and microlight flights above The Falls, sitting at the edge of the waterfall in 'Devil's Pool, canopy tours, the gorge swing, kayaking, and many others.

Toka Leya has been involved in various eco-friendly initiatives since opening in 2008, including tree-planting, pioneering energy-saving projects and recycling efforts. The land around the camp was formerly badly degraded, but thanks to these initiatives, is now rehabilitated into a lush riparian woodland. Guests staying at the camp are invited to tour the Toka Leya's tree nursery and worm farm to learn and even participate in the initiatives.

Toka Leya offers 12 spacious tented guest rooms (3 of which are double/family units) in a tranquil setting on the northern bank of the Zambezi River. The guest tents are spread out along the river and views from the tents decks are magical. The camp's main areas include an extensive lounge, bar, and dining area on elevated wooden decking under canvas, all with views over the river and often of passing wildlife. The camp also offers treatments in its Health & Beauty Spa and a well-equipped gym.

The name 'Toka-Leya' is derived from the names of two tribes, the Batoka, a group of Tonga people who inhabit western plateau areas north of the Zambezi River, and the Baleya, a small group of Bantu people that live in and around Livingstone town.

Wilderness Safaris are one of Africa's leading safari operators and they strive to minimize energy consumption at all their camps. Toka Leya Camp is powered by the national grid with a diesel-powered generator used as a back-up. Strict eco-friendly environmental standards are maintained so that no harmful chemicals or waste is allowed to enter the pristine ecosystem of Zambezi River and Victoria Falls.

About The Victoria Falls

The legendary waterfall named for Queen Elizabeth and known locally as 'Mosi-oa'Tunya' (which means 'The Smoke that Thunders' in the Lozi language) is one of the great wonders of the natural world and one of Southern Africa's most visited attractions. Besides touring the waterfall (which is an amazing experience at either high water or low water), there are myriad adventure activities that can be enjoyed both above The Falls and in the gorges below.

The Victoria Falls are created by water in the Zambezi River, which originates far to the north in northern Zambia. Around 20 000 years ago, the river was redirected to its current course and it began cutting into fissures in the volcanic, basalt rock in this area and causing huge chunks of rock to crack off. Over time, deep gorges were created and The Falls have progressively moved upriver to the west, with a total of six individual gorges existing today. Collectively the gorges below The Falls are known as the Batoka Gorge.

At 5 604 feet (1 708 meters) wide and 354 feet (108 meters) high, the Victoria Falls forms the largest single curtain of falling water in the world, measuring 1.5 times the width of Niagara Falls and twice as high. In terms of combined height and width, only Brazil's Iguazu Falls is comparable.

The border between Zimbabwe and Zambia runs through the middle of the Zambezi River, both upstream and downstream of The Falls, so the river and waterfall are shared by both countries. In order to view both sides of The Falls, visitors must have a visa for both countries.

Visitors planning to visit The Falls can choose from a multitude of accommodations on both the Zambian side and Zimbabwean side. The Victoria Falls Bridge, which was completed in 1905 and spans 2nd Gorge just below The Falls, connects the two countries via roadway and rail. The Falls can be viewed from either country (regardless of which side is used for accommodation) and many visitors obtain visas to allow viewing from both sides.

The small town of Victoria Falls (on the Zimbabwe side) was long the preferred base for visitors coming to The Falls, while Livingstone town in Zambia was largely overlooked. However, due to Zimbabwe's political tension and instability over the past 20-30 years, a good portion of the tourism has shifted to the Zambian side and today, guests stay about equally on both sides.

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park covers 27 square miles (70 sq kms) and is divided into two sections: the wildlife section in the northwest between Livingstone town and the Zambezi River above The Falls, and the section beginning at The Falls and extending downstream to Songwe Gorge. There are separate gates for each section.

The park is home to elephant, buffalo, white rhino, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, blue wildebeest, bushbuck, and greater kudu. Birding in the park is very good, with over 250 species recorded. Hippos and crocodile are abundant along the river banks.

Activities at The Falls

The Victoria Falls region has become known as The Adventure Capital of Southern Africa and this is for very good reason: there are seemingly endless activities beyond just seeing the waterfall. Some of the most popular activities are discussed below.

White-water rafting
White-water rafting is perhaps the most popular of all the 'adrenaline' activities offered at The Falls. The gorges below The Victoria Falls offer some of the most spectacular rapids and scenery of any river in the world and rafting here is renowned amongst enthusiasts. The rapids here are mostly Class IV and V, but no prior experience is required as the rafts are steered by experienced guides.

During low water (usually August thru late December), rafting trips cover a long stretch of the river. The rapids at this time of year are at their most spectacular, with lots of white water, exposed rocks, high waves and pronounced troughs. This is the most desirable time to experience rafting on the Zambezi.

Rafting is also offered during high water (generally February to July), but the trips are shorter, starting just below Rapid #9 on both sides of the river. Rapid #9 is always a walk-around/portage, as it is too dangerous even during low water. Although high water rafting may seem less dramatic, as there is much less white water, it is actually much more dangerous due to the vicious undercurrents and whirlpools. When the water becomes very high (usually March thru May), all rafting is postponed.

More Adrenaline Activities
One of the most popular activities at The Falls is the hair-raising bungee jump off The Victoria Falls Bridge, where jumpers leap off a platform and free-fall 364 feet (111 meters) into the gorge with the Zambezi River water below. For thrill seekers, this is certainly one of the most intense activities at The Falls. Tandem jumps are also offered. Jumpers are winched back up after the jump. During the rainy season (Nov-May), there are interruptions in this activity, as the cords have to be dry.

From mid-August to late December (October/November is best), the low water levels at The Falls allow daring visitors to take part in a guided adrenaline activity, by swimming a short distance from Livingstone Island to the 'Devil's Pool'. Devil's Pool is a natural pool of water created by a depression in a rock wall along the lip of The Falls that limits the water flow enough for people to sit safely within. This amazing infinity pool is located right at the precipice of The Falls and one can peer over the edge and down the long drop into the gorge below.

For those wishing to see The Falls from above, there are several ways to get bird's-eye views. These flights are commonly called the 'Flight of Angels', after the famous quote by the explorer David Livingstone. Options include helicopter, microlight, and light fixed-wing aircraft.

Additional popular activities include canoeing on the upper Zambezi River, abseiling, canopy tours, gorge swinging, river boarding, kayaking, zip lining, the flying fox, jet boating, the bridge slide, and the bridge walk.