The Victoria Falls are
shared between Zambia and neighbouring Zimbabwe. They are one of the
seven natural wonders of the world.
The falls are a spectacular sight and a must-see destination on any trip
to southern Africa. The explorer David Livingstone named them after
Queen Victoria when he first gazed upon them in 1855. The local people
call them Mosi-Oa-Tunya (‘the smoke that thunders’) after
the spray that can be seen 30 km away.
The falls thunder over a wide basalt cliff transforming the Zambezi
from a placid river to a torrent of rapids cutting through eight kilometres
of dramatic gorges. They are 1.7 km wide with a vertical drop of over
100 metres and the volume of water tumbling into the Bakota Gorge
at the height of the rainy season is nine million litres per second.
On the Zambian side you can view the falls in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National
Park and walk right up to the edge of the falls themselves. It’s
a great experience to look down on the thunderous waters and feel
the spray on your face. You may need a raincoat; put your camera in
a plastic bag; and don’t carry anything you don’t want
to get wet.
Another special vantage point is from the Knife Edge Bridge. This
is the best view of the main falls, the Eastern Cataract and the Boiling
Pot where the river turns and heads down the gorge. You may spot
people white water rafting in the rapids below.
The falls are at their most intense after the wet season, whilst during
the dry season the volume of water is much lower. This is when you
can walk along the lip of the falls, and if the water is really low,
walk all the way across to Livingstone Island - the place where David
Livingstone had his first glimpse of the falls.
You can also view the falls at full moon. The park remains open
in the evening for this, allowing visitors the opportunity to view a lunar rainbow.
Alternatively you can get an aerial view of the falls on a scenic flight
from Livingstone by microlight or helicopter. This is the best way
to fully appreciate their incredible size and the awesome power of
the water as it pours into the deep zigzagging gorge.
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