WELCOME TO THE MIGHTY VICTORIA FALLS THE SOURCE OF ZAMBIA`S TOURISM

The Victoria falls is located on the Zambezi river, the fourth longest river in Africa on latitude 17 -59 South and 25 -59 East, ten Kilometers from the Livingstone town whose smoke is clearly visible from the town centre. Mosi-oa-tunya and Shungu-na-mutitima are the local names for the falls both meaning the smoke that thunders.

This is one of the worlds most spectacular natural sites inscribed on the world  heritage list in December 1989. The  name Victoia falls was given on 16^th November 1855 by David Livingstone the scotish Missionary after the queen Victoria, Livingstone was the first whiteman to see the falls.

Livingstone Island is the place where he saw the falls from and viewing he wrote “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angles in their flight”

The statistic of the falls

1. The width of the Victoria falls  is 1.7km of which 1.2km is on the Zambia side and 500m Zimbabwe side
2. Height of the falls is 108m drop while salto angel in  Venezuela is the heighst in the world with a drop of 807m
3. The water flow in peak season about 10million litre/second.
4. the falls  is divided in six parts and you  able to view them when using the knife edgebridge trail
5. eastern cataract 98⁶⁵mtrs
6. arm chair falls 92.mtrs
7. rainbow falls 82.85mtrs
8. horse shoe falls 78
9. main falls 65.7mtrs
10. devils cataract (Zimbabwe) 60.72mtr4q

5. And the attitude of Victoria falls station above sea level is 906.19 meters while attitude of Victoria falls  bridge above  sea level is 894.92mtrs.

At the entrance of the falls they is a site map which shows four trails:

• The upstream trail. It will lead you to the back of the falls where you will be able to see the zambezi river as it  flow in the gorge. In dry season the Livingstone island normally move their clients acros the rocks to the devils pool which is an awesome experience to move on top of the falls.
• Knife edge bridge trail: this bridge was  constructed   in 1968 it enables you to view the falls in front of it giving you spectacular view of the falls.
• This is a trail you will need to put on a rain coat as  you will pass through the rain forest upto  the  danger point (main gorge) in peak season.
• Boiling pot trail: this  trail it has stairs lead down to the end of previous fall-line to the banks of the   whirl pool where the zambezi sweeps from the foot of the  falls into the first stretch of the batoka gorge. It  takes about 10min going down and 15-20min coming back.

This view  gives as interesting perspective from the base of the  falls and the impressive Victoria falls bridge above the gorge also the entry point for those going for lifting.

• Photographic trail: with this trail you view the falls from a distance point normally used in peak season for good photos because the knife edge bridge trail is full of mist hence photographic trail.

Formation and retreat of the Victoria falls, this happened about 1.5million years ago Basaltic lava originating  from the  interior of the earth  oozed onto the surface covering a distance of approximately 70km southwards from Kazungula at the  confluence of  chobe and Zambezi river. this process repeated itself a number of times resulting into the present day basaltic layers as can be seen on the gorges.

due to warping (uplifting ) of the land the zambezi river was diverted from its original path towerds the basalt lava.It flowed over the lava via livingstone area to the area near mutetsi (beyond batoka area) where it fell over the basaltic forming the first falls.  due to erosion through the weak points (cracks) in the basaltic the falls has been  retreating in a narrow way until it  reached Batoka (130km) down stream where cracks were running across the river forming a broad falls.

Present which is the eightieth (8) falls and the ninth has already started forming at the devils cataract Zimbabwe.It took the falls 40000 years to retreat from the  first falls to the present.

On average it takes 5000 years for the falls to shift to next crack and form a complete water falls.

Uniqueness of the falls

The Victoria falls is the only unique water falls in the world where one can walk on the opposite gorge  cliff and view the falls from the front.

The particularly activities that shouldn’t be missed out by one in life time in and around Victoria falls.

The Bungee jumping:

Most of travelers from around the world coverage on the historical victorial falls bridge in no-man’s land between Zambia and Zimbabwe to experience the 111 meter drop of pure adrenalin. One of the highest bungee jump destination in the world jump destination in the world.

• White water rafting  and river boarding; take on the power of the might Zambezi by rafting the white water rapids. This happens  down to the boiling pot which is the entry point (first rapid)
• Swimming under the rainbow falls in dry season. This is a better place to swim in the rock pools right under the victorial falls sorounded by the blade basaltic rocks and watching the water cascading around you is certainity a breathtaking experience.
• Gorge swing and abseiling a kind of throwing yourself into the gorge include the fox line zip wire a truly  heart stopping activity which is awesome experience.
• The Livingstone island  (devils pool)

The island is where David Livingstone took his first glance of the Victoria Falls in 1855 an amazing place to have operated by (Tongabezi) picnic or breakfast, lunch or high tea. Right here at the main falls is the devils pool unforgettable experience of swimming at the lip of the Victoria Falls.

• The lunar rainbow which happens during the high water period and on the night of full moon, the Victoria Falls Park is open till late view the falls by night and to see mystical famous and quite   spectacular lunar rainbow.