Traveling to Victoria Falls of Zambia and Zimbabwe is one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonder, and it serves as a safari gateway for Southern Africa. The waterfall is situated in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between , shared by both Zambia and Zimbabwe and is territoriality divided by Cecil Rhodes’ famous bridge.
It boasts of being the largest waterfall in the world with the most unusual in form and having the most diverse and easily seen wildlife of any major waterfall site.
Victoria Falls is claimed to be the largest waterfall in the world. This claim of “largest” is based not so much on its height or width, but rather on it having the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Measured at 1.7 km wide and 108m high. Zambians for centuries had known of the Falls and even have a name for it – Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, which describes the spray and the roar as the Zambezi River drops 300 feet into the narrow gorge below. Victoria Falls is formed when the Zambezi River drops off the Zambezi basin into a canyon forming a long series of gorges. Victoria Falls was never seen before November 1855; Dr. David Livingstone was the first traveling European to see it claimed it for the British crown and named it after his Queen.
The Victoria Falls are roughly twice the height of the famous Niagara Falls in North America, and well over twice the width of its Horseshoe Falls. The Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a World Heritage site deserve traveling . The Falls are part of 2 National Parks – the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia, and the Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe (and UNESCO World Heritage site). Although the main feature of both Parks is the fall, they also do contain an abundance of wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and a variety of antelope.
The falls can be visited on both sides, but the Zimbabwean side is considered by many to be the more beautiful with direct viewing of the “Devil’s Cataract” and “Rainbow Falls” and where the tourism facilities are better developed.
Devils cataract in the Zimbabwe corner is the lowest point and hence has most water cascading over it. Devil’s Cataract is where you’ll find the unremarkable statue of David Livingstone. The final view point, nearest the falls bridge, is called Danger Point the Devil’s Swimming Pool is a famous feature naturally formed, near the edge of the falls, accessed via Livingstone Island.
The best traveling time to visit Victoria Falls is between May and August, when one can best enjoy the waterfall without having it totally obscured by its sprays. The most amazing thing about “Victoria Falls” is its location and the way it is still so raw even though it has become the adrenaline capital of Africa. It gives you reason to forget your problems, your worries and your world.
Visitors can kayak, canoe, fish, go on guided walking safaris; ride on horseback, lunch on Livingstone’s Island and in addition to the well-known “Flight of Angels”, for the more adventurous there is micro lighting with stunning views of the fall.
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