Victoria Falls National Park
Dr. David Livingstone became the first white man to see Victoria Falls on November 16,1855, and named them after his queen. In his journal he wrote, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in flight.
Victoria Falls is approximately 5600 feet (1700 m) wide, twice the height of Niagara Falls, and one and one-half times as wide. It is divided into five separate waterfalls: Devil’s Cata¬ract, Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls and Eastern Cataract, ranging in height from 200-355 feet (61-108 m).
Peak flood waters usually occur around mid-April when 150 million gallons (625 million liters) per minute crash onto the rocks below, spraying water up to 1650 feet (500 m) in the air. At this time (March-April) so much water is falling that the spray makes it difficult to see the falls. May-February is actually a better time to see them, keeping in mind that they are spectacular any time of the year.
Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River form the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The banks of the 1675-mile-(2700 km) long Zambezi River, the only major river in Africa to flow into the Indian Ocean, are lined with thick riverine forest.
Daytime and sundowner cruises operate above the falls where hippo and crocs may be spotted and elephant and other wildlife may be seen coming to the shore to drink.
A rainbow over the falls can often be seen during the day and a lunar rainbow within a
two to four night period over a full moon.
Fortunately the area around the falls has not been com¬mercialized, and there are unobstructed views from many vantage points connected by paved paths. Be prepared to get wet as you walk through a luxuriant rain forest surrounding the falls, a result of the continuous spray. A path called the Chain Walk descends from near Livingstone’s statue into the gorge of the Devil’s Cataract, providing an excellent vantage point.
Spencer’s Creek Crocodile Ranch has specimens up to 14 feet (4.3 m) in length and weighing close to 1000 pounds (450 kg).
The Craft Village in the middle of town is very interesting with living quarters and other structures repre¬senting traditional Zimbabwean life of the country’s major tribes.
Big Tree is a giant baobab over 50 feet (15 m) in circumference, 65 feet (20 m) high and 1000-1500 years old.
The African Spectacular, presented every night at the Victoria Falls Hotel, features tribal dancing at its finest.
The “Flight of Angels,” a flight over the falls in a small plane, is highly recommended to acquire a feeling for the true majesty of the falls. Flights over the falls by helicopter and game-viewing flights by light aircraft upstream from the falls along the Zambezi River and over Victoria Falls National Park are also available. It is best to reserve seats in advance.
The falls can also be viewed from Zambia. Zambian visas for day visits are generally available at the border for most nationalities. The “Float of Angels", offered on the Zambia side of the falls, takes guests into the “Boiling Pot” below Victoria Falls by raft.
Generally speaking, the falls are more impressive and the accommodations and tourism infrastructure are better on the Zimbabwean side.
The Zambezi River offers one of the most exciting (if not the most exciting) white-water rafting trips in the world. One-day rafting trips are usually offered June-February (de¬pending on the water level of the river) in the gorges below Victoria Falls from both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides of the river. The Zambezi River is rated fifth class (the highest class runable). For many travelers, it is a highlight of their safari (see chapter on Zambia for details). Around 8:00 a.m. rafters take a short walk down to the river’s edge where the rafting safari begins. Longer ratfing safaris (2-7 days) are usually run August-December, Rafters must be 16 years of age or older to participate.
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