Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, by some measures the largest in the world, are a truly spectacular sight.

The Victoria Falls were named after Queen Victoria upon their discovery by the British explorer Prof. Livingstone in 1855, yet the Falls have always been of far greater importance to the local Kololo people than they ever were for the colonists. To the locals, the Falls are known as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ - ‘the Smoke that Thunders’. It is a fitting name. Located on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls are a truly grand sight.

Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as 546 million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge (at the height of the flood season) over a width of nearly two kilometres into a deep gorge over 100 meters below. The wide basalt cliff, over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a wide placid river to a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges. Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height and capped by mist-soaked rainforest.

One special vantage point is across the Knife edge bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. Other vantage points include the Falls bridge and the Lookout Tree which commands a panoramic view across the main Falls.

In and around the Victoria Falls, Zambia
The Victoria Falls and the nearby town of Livingstone are a hotspot for adrenaline seekers; here you can take part in a range of activities from white water rafting, bungee jumping and gorge swinging, to walking with lions. As the Zambezi continues below the Falls there are marvellous opportunities for canoeing safaris. Or you can just while away the day relaxing on the verandah of your lodge watching the sunset.

The Victoria Falls Bridge spans the 2km gorge and allows access between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The bridge offers a stunning view of the Fall, with many vantage points along the way.