The challenge saw former Spice Girl and current solo artist Melanie Chisholm, Waterloo Road actress and Strictly Come Dancing runner up Chelsee Healey, Radio 1 DJ Greg James, Olympian Phillips Idowu and top comedians Dara O’Briain and Jack Dee battling the rapids and dodging the crocs and hippos as they canoed and white water rafted over 100kms down Africa’s mighty Zambezi River… all in the name of raising vital funds and awareness for Comic Relief!
Day 1
The team started their journey by paddling in the traditional dugout canoes used by local fisherman on the river. They had to get to grips with poling and paddling these hollowed-out tree trunks, whilst navigating their way through busy ferry crossings.
Day 2
After spending their first night in the wilderness, day 2 saw the team tackle a series of upper Zambezi rapids in inflatable two-men canoes, often referred to as “divorce boats”. They to be careful to keep an out for the pods of hippos and resident crocodiles that call the Zambezi their home.
Day 3
On Day 3, the celebrity team joined children from a local village on their daily 2 hour walk to their nearest school. This is where the team truly began to understand the importance of their journey – to help children in Zambia go to school. These is also the day where the team had a couple of encounters of the wild kind…
Day 4
On Day 4, the team made their way towards the top of Victoria Falls in an inflatable raft, here they learnt the real importance of team work as if they don’t paddle together they simply won’t go anyway. The day finished on Livingstone Island, on the edge of the falls.
Day 5
On day 5, the challenge culminated on the awesome white water beneath Victoria Falls. They team had to brave 16kms of some of the most treacherous rapids in the world, such as the “Gnashing jaws of death”, “Oblivion” and the “Overland Truck Eater”!
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If you’ve been inspired and want to take on your own experience of a lifetime, then check out our amazing and global range of treks, bike rides and mountain climbs here. You can even take part in our exclusive Zambezi challenge. Click here to receive details once the challenge is complete.
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