The Trail Less Traveled

Kulu (Alec) Banda was born and raised in Livingstone, Zambia, near the mighty Zambezi River and Victoria Falls — known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders.” In 1981, he began working on the Zambezi as a porter, carrying heavy rafts and expedition gear in and out of the steep basalt gorge below the Falls — demanding work that required exceptional strength, endurance, and knowledge of the river.After proving himself as a porter, Kulu advanced to the role of “high sider,” a critical position on whitewater rafts where he paddled and moved his body weight to help stabilize the raft on the Zambezi's in order to prevent flips.In 1984, Kulu began his long and distinguished career as a professional river guide on the Zambezi River, one of the world’s premier whitewater destinations. He worked for Sobek, the legendary adventure company associated with the first commercial descents of the Zambezi River. Through Sobek, Kulu traveled to the United States, where he trained and guided on numerous