Victoria Falls, Africa's great waterfall

Vic Falls from the Zimbabwe side
Vic Falls from the Zambian side
Victoria Falls is a spectacular waterfall along the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls can be visited from either side, that is the Zambian side and the Zimbabwe side. From either side, Victoria waterfall is a spectacular site. I have been able to visit both the Zambian and Zimbabwe side of the Falls. Both sides are quite different.

Falls in June towards end of high season
There is a huge seasonal difference in the amount of water going over the falls, but both low flow and high flow are spectacular.  The high season is from February to May with the peak during April. The height of the wet season is probably not the best time to go as the mist from the falling water makes it all but impossible to see the gorge and even the falling water. In the dry season, there is still a substantial amount of water going over the falls and I think that the views of the falls are more spectacular. There is also a small chance that you will not get totally soaked by the mist.

The Smoke that Thunders from the air

Zimbabwe side
From a Western point of view, the falls were discovered by the British explorer, David Livingston, who named the falls after Queen Victoria. It is believed that he was the first European to see the falls on 16 November 1855. The locals call the fall Mosi oa-Tunya which means the "Smoke that thunders". The "smoke" referring to the massive amount of mist and spray caused by the cascading water. The mist often reaches as high as 400 meters. One thing that is for sure, on either side of the falls is you will get wet. There are some places where you literally get soaked. Not so much of a problem for me, as like most people, I am pretty water proof. It is, however a bit of a problem for camera equipment! Make sure that if you are a frequent traveller and a photographer to get a good camera bag that is pretty water proof when closed up. On the Zambian side, there is a bridge called Knife Edge bridge and this gets particularly wet at most times of the year, but especially during the wet season. It can also be very slippery, and you really do not want to slip of the bridge into the gorge below! 
The Devil's pool - not my photo

Upstream of the Falls - Devil's Pool

The Zambezi river splits in two just above the falls, forming a large Island. On the Zambian side of the falls, you can move along the river bank at the top of the falls. There is a well known pool right on the edge of the falls, called Devils pool, which is right on the edge of the falls.  Much of the view from the Zambian side is the sheer drop of the falls into the narrow gorge. You can also walk to the point where the Zambezi comes together again (water from the Zambian side and from the Zimbabwe side join up. This is the view you get if you can get across the Knife edge Bridge. There is a train and traffic  bridge which crosses this gorge, which is the boarder between the two countries. Bungi jumping is done from this bridge. There is also white water rafting offered in the gorge below the falls. From the Zambian side, there is a path going down to the bottom of the gorge, where you get some interesting views from below the falls.
Knife Edge Bridge on the Zambian side


Left side - Zimbabwe, right side Zambia

Main bridge and bungi jumpers
From the Zimbabwe side of the falls, there are some spectacular views. I would say that the Zimbabwe side of the falls is probably better. There is another small island which splits the water. This has created a spectacular smaller fall which seems to get a lot of water. Much of the view from the Zimbabwe side is also the sheer drop of the falls.

The total length of the falls is around 1708 meters. The average drop of Victoria Falls is around 108 meters. Victoria falls is not the highest falls nor the longest falls, but Victoria falls is the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The only other waterfall in the world to rival Victoria falls in height and width is Iguazu Falls in South America. I have been to Iguazu Falls twice before, so look out for the posts. In the wet season, it is estimated that some 625 million litres pf water per minute flows over the falls.This is certainly a pretty big water fall and is one of the most spectacular waterfall in the world.

There are many baboons which have become quite used to humans on both sides of the falls. These can be very dangerous.
Baboons - quite used to humans

Photogenic baboon

Rainbow at the Falls
From the Zimbabwe side

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