The jewel of Africa, Victoria Falls is on the Zambezi River, which is on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. At the widest point the falls are 1,800m in width. It was David Livingstone who came across the waterfall and named it Victoria Falls in honour of Queen Victoria. The falls are neither the widest nor highest in the world, but Victoria Falls is accepted as the biggest on Earth. The water drops an amazing 108m, which is the world’s highest water freefall group.
History
The Zambezi River was formed some 200 million years ago and due to archaeological digs, we know this region was inhabited during the Middle Stone Age as settlers always need water. This section of the river has always been inhabited. A European explorer by the name of Nicolas De Fer drew a map of the river, showing the falls in the correct location; that was 140 years before David Livingstone walked the same path.
Thunderous Sound
The local name for the falls is ‘Mosi-Oa-Tunya’. This translates as ‘Smoke that thunders’, and the noise can be heard as far as 40km away. Of course, there is no stopping the continuous wall of water that drops off the cliffs and it takes a few hours to become accustomed to the constant roar as millions of litres per second go over the edge.
Seven Wonders of the World
Victoria Falls, one of the world’s seven wonders, is something you have to see in person to appreciate. As you would expect, there are many tourists and the area is well signposted, so you won’t get lost.
If you want to see Victoria Falls when the most water is present, May through to August is the autumn and winter in South Africa, while the dry season runs from September to April. The falls are so impressive, even the dry season is amazing, while when the river is full, the noise is deafening.
Touring Africa
The best way to see and appreciate the African continent is to book a cabin on the luxury Pride of Africa train tour, which stops at all the best places, including Victoria Falls. The epic journey takes 15 nights, covering South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, which is more than 5,800km. Stay for one night at the Victoria Falls Hotel, where you can hear the roar of the falls. If you are trying to imagine how much water falls off the cliffs, think of 200 Olympic size swimming pools every minute!
Zimbabwe Or Zambia
When you book a cabin on the Pride of Africa luxury train, you can enjoy Victoria Falls from both sides – Zimbabwe and Zambia. The former has the better views, as most of the attraction is within Zimbabwe’s border. As you would expect, rainfall has a lot to do with how spectacular the falls will be when you arrive (consult a leading tour operator for more details).
Amazing Wildlife
Aside from Victoria Falls, Africa has much to offer the traveller and if you book a cabin on the luxury train, you will be staying in some of the top National Parks in the continent. Of course, everyone wants to see the Big 5 and your English-speaking guide knows the best spots for observing wildlife.
A day at Victoria Falls is something on everyone’s bucket list and spending 16 days traversing this huge continent is the best way to experience Africa.
