Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe and Zambia)

The Victoria Falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Spanning Zimbabwe and Zambia the falls are an enticing destination for many travellers.

One of the greatest attractions in Africa and one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River, the fourth largest river in Africa, which is also defining the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Victoria Falls is the only waterfall in the world with a length of more than a kilometre and a height of more than a hundred meters. It is also considered to be the largest fall in the world.

The noise of Victoria Falls can be heard from a distance of 40 kilometres, while the spray and mist from the falling water is rising to a height of over 400 meters and can be seen from a distance of 50 kilometres. No wonder that the local tribes used to call the waterfall Mosi-o-Tunya “The smoke that thunders”.

By the end of 1990, nearly 300,000 people were visiting the falls each year. Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the citizens of both Zambia and Zimbabwe no longer have fear of the “the smoke that thunders”, and are successfully developing the tourism on both sides of the river.
The falls were formed in a zone of crustal faults. On the crest of the fall, numerous islands divide the main flow into several branches. During floods, the water flow capacity reaches half a million litres of water per minute.

The water level varies throughout the year; it is at its peak in April, at the end of the rainy season when on average 500,000,000 litres of water flow and it is at its lowest level in October and early November.

Interestingly, during the dry season, the water level in the Zambezi River drops sharply, and it becomes possible to walk through some parts of the waterfall. However, during the rest of the year, Victoria Falls is a roaring machine that strikes anyone with its power.