One of the original natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls is a World Heritage Site and a well-known tourism attraction. Known locally as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ this spectacle is accessible from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the Zambezi River.
The western world first knew about this wonder when it was discovered by David Livingstone in 1855. He came across it during his missionary explorations, and named it Victoria Falls, after Queen Victoria. The Zambezi River flows broad and placid to the brink of a 1700m wide basalt lip before plunging down 100 metres to create a spectacle of frothy, boiling and bubbling water in the chasm below. On the edges of the waterfall, sparkling droplets of water fall from the sky creating a constant light drizzle, which in turn encourages the growth of the small rain forest. At peak flow times (April/May), the thundering of the water shakes the ground for miles around.
Excellent spas and golf courses are found on both sides of the river. For adrenalin junkies there’s a Pandora’s Box of hi-energy activities to try out; white water rafting, bungee jumping and gorge swings, and microlight flights. Numerous other activities which are easily available include fishing expeditions, river cruises, horse rides, train rides, elephant interactions, bird walks, games drives and visits to Chobe National Park in Botswana for the day.
A rich resource for activities from Victoria Falls can be found at http://www.victoriafalls.net/
