A Brief Note on Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls (Lozi: Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders”; Tonga: Shungu Namutitima, “Boiling Water”) is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa that is home to various rare plant and animal species. It is one of the world’s greatest waterfalls, with a width of 1708 metres, and is located on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border (5604 ft).

The Zambezi River is transformed into a furious torrent cutting through a succession of stunning gorges by the massive basalt rock over which the falls thunder.

Another steep basalt wall faces the Falls, rising to the same height and crowned by a mist-soaked rain forest. A trail along the forest’s edge offers an unrivaled succession of views of the Falls to those brave enough to face the torrential rain.

History of Victoria Falls

• Livingstone first heard about the enormous waterfall in 1851, but it wasn’t until 1855 that he decided to go see it. After walking down the river, he spent the night on Kalai Island, a few kilometres upstream of the Falls, and headed out the next morning in a tiny boat to approach the thundering smoke. He landed on the largest island on the falls’ lip, today known as Livingstone Island, and got his first view of the Falls from there
• “Creeping to the edge in awe, I peered down into a large rent that had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi, and saw a thousand-yard-wide stream leap down a hundred feet and then become suddenly compressed into a space of fifteen to twenty yards….the most wonderful sight I had seen in Africa”
• “No one can picture the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England,” he said of the surrounding landscape. It had never been seen by European eyes before, but scenes so beautiful must have attracted angels in flight” (Livingstone 1857)

Interesting Facts about Victoria Falls

1. When David Livingstone found the Falls in 1855, he was the first European to observe them. He stood on what is now known as Livingstone Island, a little outcropping of land on the edge of the Falls in Livingstone, Zambia, to see them.
2. They are part of the Zambezi’s 2,574-kilometer course and are almost exactly halfway through the river’s length, with the Zambezi subsequently leaving the Falls and flowing east to the Indian Ocean.
3. The Zambezi’s flow decreases and water levels decrease from September to December. Daredevils can swim to the very edge of Victoria Falls and look down into the chasm below in a naturally formed pool. The pool is formed by a rock wall that stops the river long enough for a swim; it is dubbed ‘Devil’s Pool’ for its sinister moniker.
4. While Victoria Falls is the world’s largest waterfall, it is neither the highest nor the widest (Angel Falls) (Khone Falls). It is, however, the world’s greatest curtain of falling water, measuring one and a half times broader and twice as high as Niagara Falls.
5. This unique location is home to a variety of plants and animals, some of which are native to the area. Their surroundings are also one-of-a-kind, as the rainforest is the only area on the planet where it rains all day, every day! The water vapour rising from the Falls causes this, which eventually falls as rain in the jungle.
6. When the sun sets on a full moon, Victoria Falls provides a rare and spectacular sight: the moonlight bouncing off the spray creates a moonbow,’ a nighttime rainbow. It is one of Africa’s most distinctive and striking secrets, lasting from sunset to sunrise.
7. A vacation near Victoria Falls may be a very wonderful experience, and it’s a great place to visit if you’re searching for an active vacation. The Victoria Falls can be explored in a variety of ways, including a helicopter trip over the top, bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge, jet boating, and white water rafting. A sundowner cruise is our favourite way to see Victoria Falls, where you can see the famous ‘moonbow’ come to life. Victoria Falls is the ideal honeymoon spot.

Conclusion

Victoria Falls is a mile-wide gorge where the mighty Zambezi River roars over a precipice and plunges 400 feet to the valley floor below, making it one of the world’s seven natural wonders. The falls are part of two national parks, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia and Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe, and can be seen from both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Falls are the main attraction, but Victoria Falls is a really diversified and famous bucket-list destination with a wide range of exciting activities, cultural experiences, and luxurious accommodations.