Held by Strangers at the Edge of a 320-Foot Waterfall: One Woman’s Terrifying, Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure

When Bailey Roach booked her Africa trip, she didn’t plan on hanging off the edge of one of the biggest waterfalls in the world—held only by strangers. But that’s exactly what happened when she took a leap of faith at Devil’s Pool, a natural rock pool perched right at the lip of Victoria Falls, which straddles the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

At 33, Roach describes herself as a thrill-seeker. And true to form, she joined a group of solo travelers on a wild adventure to the pool, where 132 million gallons of water thunder over the falls every minute. There, she found herself inches from the edge of a 320-foot drop, with nothing stopping her from going over except a guide gripping her ankles.

“It sounds insane, I know,” she told PEOPLE. “But I felt safe—kind of. I mean, no one’s ever died doing it, so that helped.”

Roach shared her jaw-dropping experience on TikTok, where her video racked up more than 3.2 million views. Commenters were equal parts amazed and terrified as they watched her inch closer to the waterfall’s edge. She later posted a behind-the-scenes clip with the whole travel group to show how the adventure really went down.

Here’s the catch: you can only visit Devil’s Pool during the dry season when the rapids are low enough to safely guide people out to the spot. Even during her trip, she wasn’t sure they’d be able to go—it had rained that week. That made the moment even more rare and thrilling.

Getting there wasn’t easy either. The group had to cross powerful currents, gripping each other’s hands to stay together. For Roach—who’s just 5 feet tall—parts of the crossing were truly scary.

“There were times I couldn’t touch the ground, and I was just hanging on,” she said. “This kind man in our group literally held me through the rapids.”

After making it across, they waited their turn, clinging to ropes and rocks as the waterfall roared beside them. It was all part of the experience.

Roach says the guides were strict about safety and made sure everyone was comfortable before attempting the swim. “If you’re nervous or not a strong swimmer, they let you know there are safer options,” she explained.

So why do it? For Roach, it wasn’t just the adrenaline—it was the discovery. She found the trip through travel blogger @mylifesatravelmovie on Instagram, and until she saw the itinerary, she’d never even heard of Devil’s Pool.

“People think of Africa and picture just safaris,” she said. “But there’s so much more—Zambia and Zimbabwe are absolutely beautiful, and I want to shine a light on them.”

Would she do it again? Absolutely.

“It was terrifying,” she said with a laugh, “but in the best way. I’d go back in a heartbeat.”