The Sunday News
Wilson Dakwa, Business Reporter
CROCODILE cage diving has been gaining momentum as the latest attraction for tourists in Victoria Falls as it offers tourists a unique experience of feeding wild crocodiles along the Zambezi river.
The unique tourism facility run by Predator Diving, involve tourists being put in a cage and then lowered into the water using an elevator where they feed crocodiles. The tourists will be having an oxygen tank to enable them to breath under water while feeding the crocodiles.
In a telephone interview, Predator Diving manager Mr Jordan Dhada said the adrenaline pumping adventure can only be experienced in a few countries such as Zimbabwe.
“We believe that we are contributing towards tourism by offering a unique activity in Zimbabwe. Crocodile cage diving is there in Australia and a few other areas in Africa like Zimbabwe. This means that foreigners will come to Zimbabwe just to experience the adrenaline pumping diving activity and in the process, promote tourism,” said Mr Dhada.
The most thrilling part of crocodile cage diving is that it enables people to feed and possibly touch the predators while under water with the crocodiles milling about the cage. Mr Dhada added that crocodile cage diving is not for the faint-hearted because some crocodiles are the four -metre long Nile man-eating predators, which view humans as their prey.
“Business has been good but we are not as busy as we would like. Therefore, there is need for us to conduct vigorous marketing and awareness campaigns in the nation and abroad. People fear crocodiles although they are not dangerous animals when you come to understand them. Our lifts are stable and well maintained hence we guarantee safety as we value the lives of our clients and have mechanisms in place meant to ensure safety,” he said.
He highlighted that Predator Diving will open another cage diving point although he wouldn’t disclose the location.
Other high-wire experience activities which are available in Victoria Falls include gorge swing, bridge swing, white-water rafting, fishing, game reserve tours and bunjee jumping. Bunjee jumping involves jumping 111 metres off the Victoria Falls Bridge and this is the activity that most people who visit the resort town engage in. -@WilsonDakwa1
