Carving its way between Zambia and Zimbabwe and crashing spectacularly over a deep gorge is one of the most dramatic natural phenomena - Mosi-oa-Tunya - The Smoke that Thunders, Seongo or Chongwe - The Place of the Rainbow, Victoria Falls.

The Victoria Falls is the greatest falling curtain of water on Earth, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Combined with shifting plates of the Earth’s surface, the mighty Zambezi River, on its way to the Indian Ocean, is a powerful force of nature and has carved a unique pattern of gorges through the basalt rock and sandstone for 150kms. Together, these gorges are known as the Bakota Gorge. Today, the Falls are cutting a new gorge at the Devil’s Cataract.

Presently, the Falls are 1708m wide and 125m high. At one time, when the river cascaded over the Songwe Gorge, the Falls was 3.3kms wide and fell over 140m. An amazing thought. Even now, in height and width, the Victoria Falls are rivalled only by the Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil. If you are into adventure, then the Class 5 Rapids the Zambezi River navigates after leaving the boiling pot provide some of the best, and most exciting, white water rafting in the world. During the flood season, the sheer volume of water hides the foot of the falls and its face.

David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer, arguably the first European to see the Falls, was so captivated by the beauty of the Falls in 1855, said, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." Endangered Taita falcons, Black eagles, Peregrine falcons, and Augur buzzards, delight in the air currents and use the cliffs as breeding grounds.

A body of water of such beauty and immensity would not exist without local legends and stories, and you will be swept up in the aura that surrounds this magnificent natural spectacle when you take a guided tour of Victoria Falls.

A guided walk is indeed the best way to experience the Victoria Falls; its power and beauty arched over with double rainbows, and on occasion the moonbows, the awe-inspiring views, and thunderous rumble is only truly felt when standing on its edge, and the storybook atmosphere of the rain forest. The paths along the cliff are shrouded by the spray from the Falls which can be seen over 40kms away. The rain forest exists only as a result of the spray. It is a narrow, but highly significant ecosystem. Waterberries, figs, mahogany and palms shade Zimbabwe’s national flower – the flame lily, as well as blood lilies, the forest-dwelling orchid, ferns and hibiscus all inhabit this forest. In fact, despite its size, over 70 species of shrub, and 170 other flora, some endemic, exist here.

Finish the tour with a visit to the arts and craft market.