My group of 4 friends and I did the sunset cruise, rafting and helicopter ride/microlight flight on 3 consecutive days.
Livingstone Adventure put together a package for all three activities at a price that saved us >100 USD per person compared to if we'd done them separately (rafting was via Bundu Adventures and the flights were via Batoka Sky).
Pros:
- Each of the three experiences were beautiful and amazing. The sunset cruise was a great lazy, boozy way to relax after 17hrs of flying and layovers, and the sunset, hippos and crocodile were great sights. Rafting was the best I'd ever done - such and exhilarating challenge but with a constant feeling of safety and attention from the team. The microlight flight was one of the best experiences of my life.
- shuttle pickups for each of the experiences was via a comfortable van, whose drivers were accommodating in changing destinations when we wanted to get to a restaurant after each experience
- the team was generally responsive when we called each time to confirm itineraries.
- the price savings mentioned above - that 100 USD of savings went a long way for us!
- facilities and service at each of the experiences was generally good, especially with rafting. Toilets were clean (same too for the river cruise), plenty of water was provided to keep us hydrated, and you could tell the crew knew their jobs well.
Cons:
- communication was generally more reactive than proactive. We had to call ahead for confirmation, as we didn't get Whatsapped ahead of time. There was also an issue with them retrieving our booking, which caused the river cruise to be held up for some time as we became the last passengers to board.
- we were not informed at all that the microlight flight on Day 2 had been cancelled. This may relate back to Livingstone' Adventures not communicating well with their partner, Batoka Sky, on our booking. We literally waited for a pickup at 3pm, called to ask why it hadn't arrived, and was told the flight was cancelled. When we tried to get a refund, the initial amount offered was 63 USD - a far cry from the 179 USD that the website quoted. We reasoned that based on our discounted package, we weren't looking for a full refund. We ended up spending 2hrs trying to reason with the staff for a better refund, noting that past reviewers had also mentioned refunds that weren't processed in the end. In the end, the manager Saika got us on a microflight first thing Day 3, while my other two friends did a helicopter tour on the day itself.
Conclusion:
As a whole, I'd say it was a great deal and amazing experiences all around. Make sure to get a good roaming plan to make communication readily available, and schedule the microlight as your first activity if possible (and preferably in the morning when winds are less likely to be strong) so you have a buffer.
Tips:
For rafting, wear good walking shoes as you'll need to hike in and out of the gorge before and after rafting (your shoes will be put in a dry bag during rafting).
For the sunset cruise, sitting on the upper deck would afford you better pictures of the hippos and crocodiles than on the lower deck.
I find the microlight flight a significantly better deal than the helicopter, since it's not only cheaper, but you are guaranteed a good view as it's one passenger per flight - unlike helicopter rides where you might end up in the middle of the cabin.