Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls are the most significant feature of the Victoria Falls National Park, and when the Zambezi is in full flood (usually February or March) they form the largest curtain of falling water in the world. During these months, over 500 million litres of water per minute go over the falls, which are 1708m wide, and drop 99m at Rainbow Falls in Zambia.

At low water in November the flow can be reduced to around 10 million litres/minute, and the river is divided into a series of braided channels that descend in many separate falls. Below the falls the river enters a narrow series of gorges which represent locations successively occupied by the falls earlier in their history.

Since the uplifting of the Makgadikgadi Pan area some two million years ago, the Zambezi River has been cutting through the basalt, exploiting weak fissures, and forming a series of retreating gorges. Seven previous waterfalls occupied the seven gorges below the present falls, and Devil’s Cataract in Zimbabwe is the starting point for cutting back to a new waterfall that will eventually leave the present lip high above the river in the gorge below.

Vic Falls attract many ‘extreme’ sports lovers; bungee jumping off the Zambezi Bridge, white water rafting and body boarding are just a few options available.

Less adventurous visitors will enjoy walking through the National Park, where there are excellent viewing points. The spectacular views that can be obtained by taking a helicopter or light aircraft ‘flight of the angels’ are unforgettable!

The Zimbabwean Town of Victoria Falls in is a vibrant ‘Tourist’ destination with numerous shops, activities, casino and nightlife. The recent political troubles in Zimbabwe have not seriously affected life, other than making incidental expenditure remarkably cheap!