Victoria  Falls -UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site

Victoria Falls are situated on the western tip of Zimbabwe. The Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as Mosi oa Tunya- The Smoke that thunders, is one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” and one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls on earth.

ThThe falls are 1.7 kilometres wide and nearly 550 million litres of water cascade 70 to 108 metres into the chasm below -every minute- during the Zambezi River’s peak flow. Victoria Falls is made of five different “falls”. Four of these are in Zimbabwe: The Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and Horseshoe Falls -and one, The Eastern Cataract, is in the bordering country of Zambia.

The main falls are the most majestic part of the Victoria Falls. With a wide curtain of water thundering down 93 metres into the gorge below and peak water flows of 700,000 cubic metres per minute, this section throws out a magnificent spray that continually nourishes the evergreen rainforest around the area.

The Devil’s Cataract

The Devil’s Cataract derives the name from an adjacent island in the Zambezi River where it is reported that locals used to conduct sacrificial ceremonies. With the advent of the missionaries, this practice was frowned upon and considered “devilish”, resulting in the name of the area.

Horseshoe Falls

This section is horseshoe shaped and is 95 metres deep. This section usually dries up at the height of the dry season between October and November.Rainbow FallsA beautiful rainbow can clearly be seen from this viewpoint. The falls are 108 metres deep at this point and are the deepest of the whole series.

The Eastern Cataract

These falls are situated completely on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls but have a stunning views

The Boiling Pot

This place is appropriately named to describe the turmoil where water from opposite sides of the falls collide in the Zambezi River as it turns in a southeasterly direction passing through several gorges.

Other Attractions

Victoria Falls Bridge

Having been designed in England, the bridge was transported from Europe in pieces and was assembled on site, bridging the Zambezi River and linking Zimbabwe and Zambia in 1906. The bridge is also renowned for its popular bungee jumping.

David Livingstone Statue

The David Livingstone statue can be found at the left end of the Falls near the spectacular Devil’s Cataract viewpoint. On 16 November 1855, Livingstone (the first Western explorer to view the Falls) wrote in his journal: “…scenes so lovely must have been gazed on by angels in their flight.”

Zambezi National Park

The Rainforest on the banks of the Zambezi River and near the Victoria Falls is part of the Zambezi National Park. The forest is rich in unique flora and fauna . One can wander amongst the Fig, Mahogany and Date Palm groves while gazing at the falls from magnificent viewpoints. Many species of birds and small mammals may be spotted beneath the protective canopy of the forest.

The park covers an area of 5600hac on the northern borders  of the Zambezi river from which it was named. Some of the mammals in the park include elephant, leopard, sitatungas, white rhino, water buck, kudu, zebra, giraffe, monkeys, eland, sable antelope, impala, lion, and many others.

The river too is important for fishing-catches include the delicious bream and tiger fish, boating, sightseeing, houseboating  and other adventures.

Zambezi National Park has two main game-viewing sections: the Zambezi River Game Drive, with an extensive network of roads along the river accessed through the main gate of the Park, and the 25 kilometre Chamabondo Game Drive in the southern part of the Park, which begins about 5 kilometres outside of Victoria Falls town – just off the main road to Bulawayo.

Best time to go

During the summer months (November to March) the weather is hot and humid, whilst during the winter it is pleasantly cool and dry – occasionally becoming cold at night. The water falls are at full bream during the rainy season. During the dry season, the gorge at the falls is revealed.

Hotels and Accommodation

The accommodation units at Zambezi Camp are self-contained lodges on the river bank, situated 6 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp is served by a tar road and is open all year around. The lodges are all fully equipped and each has 2 bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen with stove and refrigerator.Three exclusive fishing camps: Kandahar, Siansimba and Mpala Jena, are attractively situated on the banks of the Zambezi just off the Zambezi River Game Drive. Facilities consist of a flush toilet and cold shower; running water, a sleeping shelter (with low side walls at Kandahar), cement table with bench and braai unit. Fishing by boat is excellent in these areas.

Getting there

Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks lie on the southern bank of the Zambezi River. Visitors can travel by car, driving 440 kilometres northwest from Bulawayo or through Kazungula Border Post with Botswana 90 kilometres to the west. The Victoria Falls Border Post is within metres of the Falls for access by road from Zambia. The road from Bulawayo to the Falls is completely tarred and the roads around thee Falls can easily be negotiated by all types of vehicles. Victoria Falls boasts an international airport with services from Harare and many regional and international destinations

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