Victoria Falls Tour and Safaris

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls Bridge

The iconic Victoria Falls Bridge which adrenalin junkies throw themselves off was the brainchild of Cecil John Rhodes; the world-famous and quite controversial explorer. It was part of his grand but unfulfilled mission to construct a railway system that would link Cape Town in South Africa with Cairo in Egypt. Rhodes never visited Victoria Falls and died before construction of the bridge started.

Originally known as the Great Zambezi Bridge, it was renamed Victoria Falls Bridge. It was designed by George Andrew Hobson and assisted by Ralph Freeman on stress calculations. Freeman went on to be the principle designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Victoria Falls Bridge was prefabricated in England by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company and then shipped to the Mozambique port of Beira. It was transported to Victoria Falls on a newly-constructed railway line and it took 14 months to construct. Victoria Bridge was officially opened by Professor George Darwin, the son of Charles Darwin, and opened to the public in 1905.

The iconic bridge is 198 metres long with a main arch spanning some 156 metres at a height of 128 metres above the lower water mark in the gorge below. The bridge carries a road, railway line and a footway. It’s the only rail link between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and one of only three road links between the two countries. Freight trains have historically carried copper ore and timber out of Zambia and coal into Zambia.

The iconic bridge is now a major attraction at Victoria Falls. Don’t miss out on a historical guided tour which promises fascinating information about its constructions. There’s also a small museum on the Zambian side. When that’s done, you have the choice of bungee jumping, gorge swinging or ziplining from the bridge.

LARGEST WATERFALL ON EARTH

Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall on Earth and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. This puts it in the same league as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Mount Everest in the Himalayas and the Grand Canyon in the United States.

The Angel Falls in Venezuela is higher but not as wide as Victoria Falls. It’s twice the size of Niagara Falls in North America; 1.5 times wider and double its height. The main difference is Victoria Falls has spectacular scenic national parks on both sides and you’re not limited to seeing them from a viewing platform.

The widest point of Victoria Falls is 1 700 metres; and the highest drop is 108 metres. The Makololo name for Victoria Falls means “the Smoke that Thunders” which describes the deafening roar of the water plummeting over the lip of the falls and the massive column of spray that rises from the seething cauldron below.

There are two islands on the crest of the Victoria Falls waterfall that are large enough to divide the massive curtain of water, even when it’s in full flood. Cataract Island or Baoruka Island, as the locals refer to it, is near the western bank of the waterfall. Livingstone Island is near the centre point of the falls. When the water is low, there are additional islets that divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams.

The main streams are named in order from Zimbabwe on the west side to Zambia on the east side: Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and the Eastern Cataract. Rainbow Falls is the highest point on the Victoria Falls waterfall.

GATEWAY TO PREMIER SAFARI DESTINATIONS OF AFRICA

A major attraction of Victoria Falls is its location to Africa’s premier wildlife destinations. The border post for Botswana is less than 2 hours’ drive from Victoria Falls and the world-renowned Okavango Delta about a half-day’s drive from the town.

Hwange National Park on the Zimbabwe side is just 180 kilometres from Victoria Falls and accessible via a decent tar road. The town of Livingstone on the Zambian side is a thriving economic and tourist hub and can be reached easily via the famous Victoria Falls Bridge which was built over the Second Gorge. It links Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe with the town of Livingstone in Zambia. Both towns are excellent as a base to view the world’s largest waterfall.

Travelling from Victoria Falls to Botswana you’ll cross over the only spot on Earth at the Kazangula border post where four countries meet at one point; Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS

The local name for Victoria Falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya which means “Smoke that Thunders”. The roar of the waterfall when the water level is high can be heard up to 40 kilometres away. On a wind-free day, a spectacular cloud of mist rises high above the falls and can be seen from hotels and guest lodges in Victoria Falls for miles out of town.

To put Victoria Falls into perspective, about 500 000 cubic metres of water falls over the edge every minute during high-water season. That’s 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools in a minute or 12 000 pools in an hour.

The entire volume of the Zambezi River pours down into the First Gorge which is 110 metres wide. It then zig-zags through a series of gorges. When the water enters Second Gorge, it makes a sharp right turn which, over centuries, has carved out a deep pool called the Boiling Pot. It’s about 150 metres wide and becomes a raging pot of turbulent water in high-water season which is characterised by enormous, slow swirls. Any animal or human swept over the falls will eventually be found washed up at the north-east end of Second Gorge.

GROWTH OF VICTORIA FALLS.

European settlers arrived at Victoria Falls in the early 1900s due to a call by Cecil John Rhodes that more manpower was needed for the exploitation of natural resources such as the indigenous timber forests, ivory trade and animal skin trade. Rhodes also harboured a vision to build a railway line that went from Cape to Cairo.

Allegedly, although not believed to be true; Rhodes insisted that a bridge be built over the Zambezi River at a point where the massive spray would fall on passing trains. For this reason, the Victoria Falls Bridge was constructed at the Second Gorge. Prior to 1905, travellers could only cross the river at the Old Drift in dugout canoes or on a rickety barge towed across with a steel cable.

The new railway line and Victoria Falls Bridge made the region accessible and opened up trade between Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) and Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia). The little town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side and Livingstone on the Zambia side grew as the region became a popular attraction during British colonial rule in Africa.

Ironically, Cecil Rhodes never visited Victoria Falls and never saw the famous bridge he was instrumental in developing. His legacy is shrouded in controversy but nobody can argue that Rhodes played a vital role in opening up trade between Northern and Southern Rhodesia.

BEST TIME TO VISIT VICTORIA FALLS

You may ask yourself when is the best time to visit Victoria Falls ? The best time to visit the waterfall is during the high-water season which is from February to July. This when you’ll experience the most spectacular view of the falls and get soaking wet in the spray.

Low-water season is from August to January, and generally known as the dry season in Zimbabwe. It’s not the best time for the falls themselves but it’s the best time for white-water rafting and for swimming in Devil’s Pool.

Peak safari season in Zimbabwe and Zambia is from June to October which is the dry, winter period. The grass is low and thinner which is ideal for game viewing.

The two best months to visit Victoria Falls and combine it with a safari tour of Botswana is June and July, possibly stretching into August. It’s also the busiest tourist season in southern Africa so you have to book well in advance for safari and or Victoria Falls tours and accommodation in Victoria Falls.

BEST SIDE TO SEE VICTORIA FALLS

One of the first questions tourists ask when planning a trip to Victoria Falls is which side is best to see Vic Falls ?: Zimbabwe or Zambia? In our opinion; both, if you have the time.

Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side

Most people opt to stay on the Zimbabwe side in the town of Victoria Falls. It’s geared for tourism although it has taken a big economic hit over the last decade due to political strife in the country and tourists staying away from Zimbabwe in general.

On the Zimbabwe side, you get an iconic view of the main falls which is the one most of us have seen in photobooks. The water flows over the edge of the fall all year round, although it’s greatly reduced in the dry season.

Zimbabwe has the best vantage points as three quarters of Vic Falls lies within the country. Walk down the Victoria Falls National Park’s footpath and meander through the damp rainforest until you come to the edge where you are greeted by one of the most spectacular sights in Africa.

The town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side is a hive of tourism activities and has a wide selection of accommodation from backpackers’ dormitories to 5-star luxury safari lodges. The falls are in walking distance from most hotels and guest lodges in Victoria Falls and you’ve got a great choice of restaurants, bars and craft markets in town. The best tour and activity operators for Victoria Falls are based on the Zimbabwe side.

Victoria Falls on the Zambia side

On the Zambian side, you can get exceptionally close to Victoria Falls. If you’re brave enough, you can swim in Devil’s Pool during low-water season and have a great photo taken of you lying on the lip of the falls. At the right time of the year when the water level is low, you can visit Livingstone Island which is where Dr David Livingstone parked his fleet of canoes in the mid-1800s.

During the low-water season, you can join a guided walk down to the Boiling Pot in Second Gorge. It’s an incredible opportunity to experience the sheer magnitude of Victoria Falls from the bottom of the gorge.

The town of Livingstone is an economic hub rather than a tourist town. It’s suited to the more mature set who’re looking to escape the busy crowds of in the town of Victoria Falls. It’s not the best side to be in if you’re young and prefer a party town with lots of vibey pubs and hangouts.

One advantage of staying on the Zambian side is you’re a short drive from Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park which is a small but delightful wildlife nature reserve. You can also pop into the Livingstone Museum for more on the history of the local people and David Livingstone’s epic expeditions.

Both sides if possible

Regardless of which side you stay on when visiting Victoria Falls, you can easily see the falls from both sides by crossing the famous bridge. If you’re white-water rafting, gorge swinging or bungee jumping; your tour operator will organise the transfers and get you to where you have to be on whichever side of the Zambezi River.

Don’t forget you need a passport to cross over into Zambia or into Zimbabwe.