Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, commonly referred to as Vic-Falls, are one of the largest waterfalls in the world. They are 1.7 km (1 mile) wide and their highest drop is 107 m (350 ft). An average of 550,000 cubic meters of water plummet into the Zambezi Gorge every minute, but during the rainy season, from March to May, the amount multiplies nearly by 10 as up to 5 million cubic meters of water pass the falls every minute. This enormous amount of water causes a constant spray over the surrounding area, which is covered with rainforest-like vegetation. The spray and the noise of the water is why the locals call the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya (smoke that thunders). It is unforgettable to experience the noise all this water produces.

Scottish missionary David Livingstone named the falls after Queen Victoria, when he visited them in 1855. Nowadays most people see the Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean side, from the Zambian side the views are completely different. You can walk down a steep path to the base of the falls and look up 100 meters to the top. One seperate piece of rock, called Knife Edge Point can be reached by a footbridge on the Zambian side. Not far from the falls on the Zambian side are an archaeological site and a museum that has an exhibition on the archaeological finds, which our ancestors have been living in the area for 2.5 million years.

From the Zambian side you can visit the falls for free, but for a different view you will have to enter from the Zimbabwean side where an entrance ticket has to be purchased to enter the surrounding Victoria Falls National Park, a real jungle created by the constant spray of water. A walk along the paths takes you all the way along the falls. Don't forget to bring rain clothing as you'll get soaking wet! A real special experience is to coincide your visit with the rising of the full moon when the park stays open later to allow you to see the magical lunar rainbow over the falls at night.

Victoria Falls (or Vic-Falls), the town on the Zimbabwean side of the falls, is a crowded tourist place. In the town you can rent bikes, book scenic flights over the falls, sign up for white water rafting on the crocodile infested Zambezi River or just wander around. At night the many bars and discos are packed with tourists; for a better night out try some of the places where the locals go just outside of town. A 111 m high bungee-jump can be made from the bridge spanning the gorge that separates Zambia from Zimbabwe.

You can walk along the Zambezi River above the falls and you might encounter warthog, hippo, and even elephant, buffalo and lion. Be careful not to walk too close to the shore as crocodiles are thick along the riverbank and appear without warning. There is a statue of Livingstone and further upstream you can see a giant baobab tree, signposted as Big Tree. If you really want to see crocs, then visit the Spencer Creek Crocodile Farm just north of Victoria Falls. Try to avoid the monkeys on your walk there though as they can be aggressive.

There are numerous hotels, hostels, campings, bars and restaurants in Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side, as well as in Livingstone on the Zambian side of the falls. This is prime tourist area, so you won't find anything really cheap. Victoria Falls is in the west of Zimbabwe, 560 km west of Harare, on the border with Zambia.