Victoria Falls, Zambezi River : Image of the Day acquired September 4, 2003 acquired September 4, 2003 download large image (5 MB, JPEG, 6144x4068) Victoria Falls is one of the most famous tourist sites in subsaharan Africa. Details of the Falls are visible in this image taken with the 800 mm lens by Astronaut Edward Lu from the Space Station on September 4, 2003. A major river in south-central Africa, the Zambezi River flows from western Zambia to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. In the sector imaged here, it flows southeast (top left to bottom right) in a wide bed before plunging suddenly 130 meters over the Victoria Falls into a narrow gorge. The falls and their famous spray clouds are 1700 m long, the longest sheet of falling water in the world. The falls appear as a ragged white line. The small town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe appears just west (left) of the falls, with smaller tourist facilities on the east bank in Zambia.

The international railroad bridge over the second gorge (between Zimbabwe and Zambia) can be seen in the detailed view on the bottom (arrow). The positions of the falls are controlled by linear fault lines in the underlying basalt rocks. The falls have moved upstream (bottom to top) by intense river erosion, elongating the zig-zag gorge in the process. Prior positions of the strongly linear falls can be detected. The earliest on this cropped view may have been the longest (dashed line). The zig-zags represent subsequent positions, all with the characteristic water-worn lip on the upstream side. The falls will continue to erode northward. Astronaut photograph ISS007-E-14361 was taken September 4, 2003 with a Kodak DCS760 digital camera equipped with an 800mm lens and provided by M. Justin Wilkinson (Lockheed Martin / Earth Observations Laboratory, Johnson Space Center). The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet.

Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Instrument(s): River Flows | Zambezi River Authority River Flows RIVER FLOWS The hydrometric network used for the control and day to day operations of the Kariba reservoir comprise of thirteen stations where water levels are monitored daily. Flow measurements are carried out at eight of these stations which include the Victoria Falls, one of the key stations on the Zambezi River. Coincidentally, the maximum flow recorded at Victoria Falls was during the early construction phase of Kariba Dam in March 1958 at 10,000 cubic metres per second. The lowest flows recorded to date at Victoria Falls were during the 1995/96 season which had an annual mean flow of 390 cubic metres per second, whereas the Long Term Mean Annual flow at Victoria Falls is 1,100 cubic metres per second. FLOWS AT SELECTED STATIONS: Facts on Victoria Falls plus information and history... Home | Facts on Victoria Falls Facts on Victoria Falls This remarkable place is filled with so much history and fascination.

Victoria Falls also known as "Mosi oa-Tunya" ("the smoke that thunders") is positioned almost exactly half way along the mighty Zambezi River's 2700 km journey from it's source to the sea. Here the river plunges headlong into a 100m vertical chasm spanning the full one-and-a-half kilometre width of the river. Creating the biggest curtain of falling water in the world and also one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The power of the falls is awesome with the highest ever flow recorded in 1958 ( read more about this flood and the mythology surrounding it ) when it reached more than 700 000 cubic meters of water a minute. The water in the gorges rose 18 metres (60 feet) above its normal flood level. This constant pounding by the currents of the mighty Zambezi has, over the millennium, cut through the rock faults and fissures and carved out not one but eight successive precipices (and now the ninth has begun). When our early ancestors inhabited this area some 1.5 million years ago, they would have seen a different Victoria falls to he one we see today.

Being one of the greatest physical spectacles in Africa it stands to reason that it has attracted so much much interest from us humans over time and therefore the area is steeped in history and mystery. In November 1855, Dr David Livingstone was transported in a canoe by the local Makalolo people to the very edge of these falls. The sensitive Scotsman was so overwhelmed by his first sight of these spectacular falls, that he momentarily abandoned his scientific observations and recorded. "It has never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so wonderful must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight". Loyally the good missionary, whose heart lies buried in Africa, named this great wonder of the world after Victoria, his British queen. We have gone into much more depth about these facts on Victoria Falls and many others in the links below: Facts on Victoria Falls Height, width, volume... Victoria Falls is approximately 1700m wide, and varies in height from 80-108 meters. It’s one and a half times wider than Niagara Falls and is twice the height making it the biggest curtain of water in the world. Around mid-April is when peak flood waters occur.

Roughly 625 million litres of water flow over the edge per minute. This huge volume of water produces a spray that rises up to 1650 feet into the air. Read more... To The Victoria Falls : The Zambezi River To The Victoria Falls A Natural Wonder The Zambezi River It is thought Zambezi means ‘Great River’ in the language of the Tonga people who inhabit its middle reaches. However the Lozi refer to the river as 'yambezhi' (pronounced 'le-am-by'), meaning 'heart of all', but it is possible the name has common ancestory in both languages. For many years the river was spelt 'Zambesi', with the now popular spelling of 'Zambezi' becoming only widely used in the latter half of the last century. The Zambezi River is the forth longest river in Africa (after the Nile, Congo, and Niger) and the largest to discharge into the Indian Ocean from the African continent, flowing for about 2,574 kilometres from its source on the Central African Plateau to sea.

Rising in Zambia at a height of 1,524 metres above sea level, the Zambezi flows through, or borders, six countries (Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique) before discharging into the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi River basin catchment area extends over the territory of eight countries - Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique - a catchment area of 1,320,000 km2 with a cumulative mean annual flow of approximately 97 km3 - making it the largest river in southern Africa. By comparison the Zambezi roughly equates to the Nile, but is significantly less than the annual flow of the Congo, which in turn is significantly less than that of the Amazon. The river is generally separated into three sub-sections, representing its different physical and biological characteristics. The coastal section, or Lower Zambezi , stretches 360 miles up as far as the Cahora Bassa gorge, now flooded by the Cahora Bassa Dam.

The Middle Zambezi is 600 miles long, in low-lying country, and is divided from the Upper Zambezi regions of the river by the Victoria Falls, 1,000 miles from the coast. Map of the Zambezi River basin (highlighted) within southern African context The wider Zambezi River Basin is home to some forty million people who speak Bantu-lineage local languages with English and Portuguese being the main official languages. The Basin is well endowed with mineral, water and energy resources, natural tourist attractions like the Victoria Falls, as well as a healthy wildlife population. Major Tributaries of the Zambezi River The Zambezi has a number of important tributaries, which constitute major rivers in their own right, including the Shire River, flowing from the territories of Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, the Luangwa, Kafu and Kabompo rivers, lying wholly within Zambia, the Luena, from the territory of Angola and Zambia, and the Cuando (or Kwando), also known as the Chobe, draining from Angola, Namibia and Botswana.

The most westerly of these is the Cuando (or Kwando), draining an area from Angola, Namibia and Botswana. Following a south-easterly course as far as the Botswana–Namibia border, it veers sharply northeastwards to link with the Zambezi via the Linyanti-Chobe floodplain. The mid-section of the Cuando is a floodplain, comparable with the Barotse floodplain, and linked to the latter by a broad belt of alluvium termed the Mulonga-Matebele Plain, which is subject to flooding in the wet season. The Kafue is a north bank tributary with headwaters on the Southern Equatorial Divide. It initially flows in a general southwesterly direction towards the Upper Zambezi, but the course veers sharply eastwards in the vicinity of a broad floodplain known as the Kafue Flats. This tributary links with the Mana Pools Basin of the Middle Zambezi below the deeply incised Kafue Gorge. The Luangwa River flows in a general south-westerly direction over most of its length – an unusual orientation for a major tributary of an east-draining river.

The course veers sharply to the south-south-east a little above the confluence with the Zambezi in the upper reaches of the Chicoa Basin. The mid-Zambezi has a number of relatively minor south bank tributaries, which rise on the central Zimbabwe divide. Their upper reaches flow in a general north-westerly direction. A major tributary of the Lower Zambezi is the Shire, which flows southwards from its headwaters in Lake Malawi, in Malawi. Hydrology of the Zambezi Catchment The hydrology of the Zambezi catchment is determined by the annual variation of summer rainfall, which is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The further south the zone moves, the greater the delivery of rainfall across the catchment. In winter these boundaries move north, resulting in drier conditions across the Zambezi Basin. River hydrology is further influenced by man. Off-take for agricultural, industrial and domestic use only amounts to about 3 percent of the total flow of the river.

Use by hydro-electric facilities, due to the evaporation lost from the large surface area of reservoirs such as Kariba and Cabora Bass Dams, amounts to just over 5 percent of flow. Usage by these sectors is however likely offset by the increased runoff caused by deforestation, drainage of wetlands and other changes in landuse. (Studies on Lake Malawi (Price et al 1998) indicates that increased runoff caused by the clearing of natural forests in the Shire catchment has meant the level of Lake Malawi in the early 1990s was 1m higher than it would have been otherwise). The annual variation in rainfall between dry winters and wet summers produce high flows in February-April and then progressively lower flows up to a November minimum. The annual flooding is however buffered by the natural flood regulatory capacity of the floodplains developed on the major headwater tributaries. The most important of these are the Barotse and Chobe floodplains in the upper Zambezi, the Kafue Flats on the Kafue River and Elephant March on the Shire River [major tributaries of the Zambezi].

Flow has been further affected by the construction of major dams in the Zambezi (Kariba and Cahora Bassa) and on the Kafue (Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge). (Gupta, 2007) The extensive wetland areas along the Zambezi, in particular the Upper Zambezi catchment are important biodiversity hotspots as well as playing a crucial role in regulating floodwaters. 'The densely vegetated floodplains such as the Barotse and Chobe (Upper Zambezi) and the Kafue Flats, with their shallow gradients, form natural sediment traps that greatly reduce the material supplied to the lower reaches of the river system. These floodplains as a consequence form major wetlands that provide important wildlife refuges, particularly for fish, avifauna and water-dependent mammals, including hippopotamus and the lechwe and sitatunga antelopes. Fish migrate into the inundated grasslands of the floodplains during the floods, spawn, and their fry utilize the rich plankton and benthic communities which develop after nutrient release from decomposing organisms drowned by the floodwaters.

Readily accessible stretches of the Zambezi and major tributaries, such as the Barotse floodplain, provide a reliable perennial water source, and are thus an important focus for human settlement and agricultural activity (Davies, 1986). (Gupta, 2007) Zambezi River Profile Damming the Zambezi As well as Kariba and Cahora Bassa Dams on the Zambezi itself, two other major dams, the Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge Dams have been built on the Kafue, a major tributary of the river. There have been marked changes to the ecology and utilization of the Zambezi River system as a result of the construction of several major dams, such as Kariba Dam and Cabora Bassa on the middle Zambezi, and the Itezhi tezhi and Kafue Gorge Dams on the Kafue. These impoundments had a major impact on the economy of the region. Thus, they represent an important source of hydroelectricity for the whole subcontinent, where there is a rapidly rising demand for power.

The introduction of the Lake Tanganyika sardine Limnothrissa miodon (colloquially known as ‘kapenta’) into Lake Kariba in 1967 has formed the basis of an important fishing industry. Against all expectations, this fish survived discharge via the Kariba turbines and sluice gates, as well as a journey of several hundred kilometres to colonise Cahora Bassa, where it now also forms the basis of an important fishing industry (Davies, 1986; Jackson, 2000). The large dams have also become the focus of an important tourist industry. Nevertheless, these economic benefits have come at considerable human and ecological costs. The construction of Lake Kariba led to the displacement of about 50,000 members of the Tonga tribe which had inhabited the area since about 1100 AD, while about 25,000 people were relocated as a result of the construction of Cahora Bassa.

These displacements have led to serious community disturbances, major psychological upsets and emotional problems in the attempt to adapt to new terrain and a new way of life, and bitterness and resentment that rankles to this day (Davies, 1986). The dams have also had severe ecological impacts on the major floodplains, as a result of the reduction of the supply of water and sediment. The resultant contraction of these wetlands impacts particularly on fish, avifauna and water-dependent antelope species, and are only marginally offset by the added wetlands of the lake shallows (Davies, 1986). This is well illustrated by the collapse in numbers of the semi-aquatic Kafue lechwe (Kobus kafuensis), which is endemic to the Kafue flats, following construction of the Itezhi-tezhi Dam. Today, this species is confined to a fragment of the former range, with a decline from an estimated population of 350,000 at the turn of the twentieth century to less that 30,000 today (Cotterill, 2005).

It has also been estimated that the closure of Cahora Bassa led to a 70% reduction of the supply of sediment to the lower reaches of the river, and that this could lead to severe erosion of the Zambezi Delta, threatening both agricultural activity and the important Marromeu wilderness area. During the annual floods prior to construction of the dams, the drowned grasslands of the delta were protected from overgrazing, and thus able to regenerate. The virtual elimination of the natural flooding regime has disturbed this important ecological dynamic. It may also be responsible for the present marked die-off of the coastal mangroves, and the catastrophic decline of the coastal shrimp-fishing industry (Davies, 1986). The latter author notes that a major problem in quantifying the ecological effects of the construction of the major dams was the lack of baseline environmental data prior to their construction. (Gupta, 2007) In addition to these exitsting dams, it is also proposed to build hydro-electric dam facilities at the Batoka Gorge and Devil's Gorge, both above Kariba, and the Mupata Gorge, between Kariba and Cahora Bassa.

These sites were first identified in 1973, and have been proposed repeatedly over the years. As of early 2013 Zimbabwe and Zambia were in advanced stages of planning for the construction of the Batoka Gorge Dam, which will flood the Zambezi at a maximum level to within 5 metres of the base outflow for the Victoria Falls Hydro-electric station. The dam is due for completion in 2019. The other two damns are looking increasingly likely as the region is predicted to suffer a widening energy deficit. For latest on the proposed Batoka Gorge Dam development please visit Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs Batoka Dam News (external site, opens in a new window). A sixth dam, not shown in the above diagram, is in the advanced stages of planning in Mozambique. Located 60 kilometres downstream of Cahora Bassa Dam has been a hot topic in recent years, being listed as possibly the least environmentally friendly dam in Africa. Zambezi River Dams, planned and constructed [Source: Zambezi River Authority] Management of the Kariba and other hydro-electric facilities requires a network of of thirteen hydrological stations where water levels are monitored daily.

Flow measurements are also carried out at eight stations. Major Towns along the Zambezi Along much of the river's length, the population is sparse, but important towns and cities along its course include Katima Mulilo (Namibia), Mongu, Lukulu, Sesheke and Livingstone (Zambia), Victoria Falls and Kariba (Zimbabwe) and Songo and Tete (Mozambique). Tete continues to dominate the centre-west part of the region, and is the largest settlement along the length of the Zambezi. Crossing the Zambezi The Zambezi is a major geographic boundary and barrier to land based transport. Historically control of the river by the Lozi and TokaLeya boatmen was strategically important to protecting their kingdoms from Matabele (Ndebele) raids, and access to the Barotse heartlands were strictly controlled through strategic crossing points such as Kazungula.

Over its entire course, the Zambezi is spanned by only a few bridges: in the upper Zambezi at Chinyingi by a simple suspension bridge and in the Caprivi the Katima Mulilo bridge; in the middle Zambezi the Victoria Falls bridge and two bridges at Chirundu; and in the lower Zambezi sections the Tete suspension bridge and Dona Anna bridge. There are two major ferry crossings, at Kazungula (between Zambia and Botswana) and Caia (in Mozambique). The Cazombo road bridge in Angola was bombed in the civil war and has not yet been reconstructed. The Katima Mulilo Bridge carries the TransCaprivi Highway over the Zambezi River between Katima Mulilo, Namibia and Sesheke, Zambia. It is a road bridge, completed in 2004, 900 metres long and with 19 spans. The Victoria Falls Bridge was constructed in 1904/5 as a railway bridge and part of Cecil Rhodes's failed scheme for a trans-continental railway stretching the length of Africa. Its location, so close to the Victoria Falls, was not without controversy at the time.

At the time of its construction it was claimed to be the highest bridge over water in the world. The bridge was originally designed only to carry railway traffic, supporting two sets of rails, but in 1929/30 the top deck was reconstructed, with only one set of rails, a road and pedestrian footways. Originally known as the Zambesi Bridge, with the construction of later bridges it became known as the Victoria Falls Bridge. The Otto Beit Bridge is a single-lane bridge built in 1938-9 by the Cleveland Bridge Company, the same builders as the Victoria Falls Bridge. The Otto Beit Bridge was the first modern suspension bridge outside the United States built with parallel wire cables. It has a span of 382 m (main span 320 m). As it was built two decades before the Kariba Dam, the engineers had to consider the annual Zambezi flood, now tamed by the dam: hence the requirement for a single span (which the second bridge did not need).

The second Chirundu Bridge is a two-lane, three-span continuous pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge, 400 meters long and 10.3 meters wide and was built in 2002. It is 90 metres upstream from the Otto Beit Bridge, using the same approaches and border control area. The one-kilometre-long Tete Suspension Bridge, finished in 1973 by the Portuguese and designed by Edgar Cardoso, is a major transportation facility in the region. The Dona Ana Bridge spans the lower Zambezi River in Mozambique, effectively linking the two halves of the country. It was originally constructed as a railway bridge in 1935 to link Malawi and the Moatize coal fields to the port Beira. At that time, it was the longest railway bridge in Africa, with a length of about 3 km, and was known as the Zambezi Bridge (the old 'Zambesi Bridge' had by now become known as the Victoria Falls Bridge). In the 1980s, during the Mozambican Civil War, it was rendered unusable.

In 1995, it was repaired with funds from USAID and converted to a single-lane bridge for vehicle traffic. The Dona Ana Bridge is the longest bridge to cross the Zambezi and currently the last before its mouth in the Indian Ocean. In 2007 construction started on the longest road bridge to span the Zambezi to replace the ferry at Caia, and which will become the last bridge before the mouth of the river. With a planned length of 2376 m and width of 16 m it will be exceeded only by the Dona Ana Bridge, which it is planned will be restored as a railway bridge. Above the Falls, the Kazungula Ferry is a pontoon ferry across the 400-metre-wide section of the Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia. It is one of the largest ferries in south-central Africa, having a capacity of 70 tonnes. The service is provided by two motorised pontoons and operates between border posts at Kazungula, Zambia and Kasane, Botswana.

It links the Livingstone-Sesheke road (which connects to the Transcaprivi Highway at Katima Mulilo) to the main north-south highway of Botswana and also to the Kasane-Victoria Falls road through Zimbabwe. Plans for a bridge to replace the ferry crossing are in development, with construction planned to begin towards the end of 2012. Victoria Falls Facts Victoria Falls Facts Victoria Falls Facts Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and the major waterfall on the Zambezi River in Africa. It is famous for being the largest waterfall in the world, in the wet season. The African people who live around the falls call it Mosi-oa-Tunya which means "smoke that thunders". The water makes a roaring noise as it falls over the cliff and down into the Zambezi River below. A cloud of water vapor is always seen around the falls. Interesting Victoria Falls Facts: Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is located on the border between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe in the continent of Africa. The Zambezi River is the largest river in Africa and one of the longest.

It flows 1,687 miles across Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique until it reaches the Indian Ocean. 550 million liters of water drops 305 feet (93 m) every minute over the cliff at Victoria Falls and continues flowing downstream as the lower Zambezi River. The width of Victoria Falls in the wet season is a bit over a 1 mile wide (1,609 meters). The water depth at the base of the falls is 229 feet (70m). The European explorer, Doctor David Livingstone called the falls after Queen Victoria in England when he visited there in 1855. The falls have been protected by the Zambezi National Park since 1983 and Victoria Falls National Park since January 2013. Tourists visit Victoria Falls in the dry season between May to October. Tourists can bungee jump from a bridge crossing the river downstream of the falls. With strong ropes tied to their ankles, they fall 364 feet until they hang upside down just above the water.

The African elephant can live for 70 years and is the largest land animal on Earth, growing to a height of 8.2 to 13 feet tall (2.5 to 4 m) and weigh between 5,000 to 14,000 lbs (2,268 to 6,350 kg). Elephants visit the falls to feed on grasses and fruits growing along the banks of the river and on islands in the middle of the river above the falls. Lions, Cheetahs, and sometimes Leopards visit the jungles surrounding the falls but they are shy and not often seen Rhinoceros have been re-introduced to the region surrounding the falls. They have had their horns removed so that poachers won't kill them for their horn. Buffalo graze on both sides of the Zambezi River near the falls. You can also see Antelopes such as Impala, Waterbuck and Bushbuck. Hippopotamus swim and rest in the Zambezi River upstream of Victoria Falls. They love to eat the swamp grasses growing in the water and along the banks. Fish live in the river above and below the falls.

Water birds such as the White-backed night heron feed on them and shellfish in the river mud above the falls. The Peregrine falcon will fly across the surface of the water and grab fish out of the river with their strong talons. Birds such as the Trumpeter hornbill will eat the fruit growing on the trees in the rainforest surrounding the falls. Humans have lived around Victoria Falls for at least 2 million years. The native African people who live around Victoria Falls today speak the Bantu language. They also speak Portuguese and English. Related Links: The water flow over Victoria Falls is rising fast The water flow over Victoria Falls is rising fast By ZimSitRep_M | January 19, 2016 via The water flow over Victoria Falls is rising fast – The Zimbabwean 19/01/2016 WATER levels are now rising steadily at Victoria Falls, but African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) chairman Ross Kennedy says, regardless, Victoria Falls is a year round natural wonder.

“Like any piece of beautiful art, you can look at and admire at different times of the day, light, season, year, angles, and in this case from two countries, and appreciate different virtues and attributes of this incredible world wonder,” Mr Kennedy said. “High or low water, Victoria Falls offers utterly different splendour, majesty, raw beauty and power – and so perhaps should in fact be a TWICE in your lifetime experience – to see them both?!” A blog published by local tourism operator Wild Horizons last week stated: The large fluctuation of the Zambezi River’s water levels are a part of a normal annual occurrence, with the minimum flow, which occurs in November, on average a tenth of the maximum flow in April, it said. “This phenomenon means that viewing the waterfall at different times of the year produces vastly different experiences … in high flow the entire length of the Falls is a thundering wall of falling water, whereas in low water the underlying structure can be seen and visibility is far better,” it said. The Zambezi River has been rising steadily since mid November, with more water now flowing over the world’s largest waterfall, following a drier than normal year last year.

Rafting Association of Zimbabwe chairman Skinner Ndlovu said daily water level readings from a hydrological station gauge upstream of Victoria Falls, show the Zambezi River has been rising by 0.5cm a day since Christmas. “We are now just 15cm below the average water level of the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls at this time of the year,” Mr Ndlovu said. Low rainfall in the catchment area north of Victoria Falls during the 2014-2015 rainy season brought the water to its lowest level last year since 1995, which was a drier year, Mr Ndlovu said. Share this: Victoria Falls the Largest Waterfall in the World Width of Victoria Falls The width of the Victoria Falls spanning across the Zambezi River The Victoria Falls are 1700m wide and are made up of five different “falls”. Four of these are in Zimbabwe and one is in Zambia . They are known as The Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and Horseshoe Falls in Zimbabwe and the Eastern Cataract in Zambia.

Height of Victoria Falls The height of the Victoria Falls from the top to the bottom of the gorge The Zambezi River 's gentle meander through the African landscape is spectacularly interrupted as the river plummets over a knife edge cliff into a narrow chasm below. The height of this chasm varies from 70 m (233ft) to 108m (360ft). The Devil’s Cataract (70 meters high) The name comes from the adjacent island in the river where the local tribes used to perform sacrificial ceremonies. When the missionaries arrived in the area they referred to these ceremonies as “devilish” and hence the name was given to this cataract. Main Falls (93 meters high) This is the largest waterfall and certainly the most majestic view of the falls. A wide curtain of water, with a peak flow rate of 700 000 cubic metres per minute. The sheer volume over the height of the falls is so great that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is buffeted by the strong rising winds and turned into mist. Horseshoe Falls (95 meters high) As the name suggests these falls are shaped like a horseshoe.

This is the section with the least volume of water and will be the first to dry up usually between October and November. Rainbow Falls (108 meters high) This is the highest point of all the falls. On a clear day a beautiful rainbow can normally be viewed at this point. A Lunar rainbow may also be seen on a full moon lit night. The Eastern Cataract (101 metres high) These are the second highest falls and they are situated completely on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls but you can have a stunning view of them from the Zimbabwean side at danger point. Largest Waterfall in the World These numbers seem inadequate to relay the awesome size and power of this the largest waterfall in the world. I hope that one day you are able to come and see for yourself….. Victoria Falls Victoria Falls You are here: Homepage > What to see > Waterfalls > The Victoria Falls The Victoria Falls V ictoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800’s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. In more modern terms Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometers, into a gorge over one hundred meters below. The wide, basalt cliff over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a placid river into a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges. Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height, and capped by mist-soaked rain forest. A path along the edge of the forest provides the visitor prepared to brave the tremendous spray, with an unparalleled series of views of the Falls. One special vantage point is across the Knife-edge Bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot, where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge.

Other vantage points include the Falls Bridge , Devils Pool and the Lookout Tree, both of which command panoramic views across the Main Falls. *As of December 2016, the KAZA visa for entry into both Zimbabwe and Zambia is available at all major ports of entry into both countries, making it easier than ever to experience both sides of the falls. To find out more, click here . Victoria Falls Information - Miombo Safari Camp Victoria Falls Mosi-Oa-Tunya "The Smoke that Thunders" Victoria Falls - also known by the local indigenous peoples as "Mosi-Oa-Tunya" ("the Smoke that Thunders") are widely accepted as the "Greatest Falling Curtain of Water on this Planet". They are positioned almost exactly half way along the mighty Zambezi River - the fourth-longest river in Africa , which has its source in Zambia, as it flows on its 3,540km journey through Angola, along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, back into Zambia again, then through Zimbabwe, before finally entering Mozambique where it empties into the Indian Ocean.

Here where the Zambezi Rivers' gentle meander through the seemingly endless African landscape is spectacularly interrupted as the river plummets over a knife-edged cliff spanning the full 1.5km width of the river into a narrow chasm between 80 & 100m below, Victoria Falls are omnipotent. Quite simply put, Victoria Falls is considered to be the world’s largest waterfall qualifying them as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of our World. They are not the widest waterfalls, nor the highest waterfalls, but with all dimensions taken into account, including the largest rate of water flowing over them, they justly deserve such a billing. The actual geological age of Victoria Falls is not really established other than to say they were formed by a seismic shift in the earth’s continental plates at least a millennium ago, altering the course of a river known now as the Zambezi. Constant pounding by the currents of the mighty Zambezi has, over the millennium, cut through the rock faults & fissures carving out not one but eight successive precipices, with the ninth precipice having begun.

When our early ancestors inhabited this area some 1.5 million years ago, they would have seen a vastly different Victoria Falls to the ones we see today. Being one of the greatest topographic physical spectacles in Africa it stands to reason that Victoria Falls have & continue to attract so much interest from humankind over time, therefore the entire area is steeped in history & considerable mystery. Archaeological sites in the immediate vicinity around Victoria Falls have yielded Homo habilis stone artifacts carbon dated from 3 million years ago; also 50,000-year-old Middle Stone Age tools & Late Stone Age weapons, adornments & digging tools, dated 10,000 to 2,000 years old. Khoisan hunter-gatherers, who were known to use iron, displaced these Stone Age people & in turn were themselves displaced by Bantu tribes such as the southern Tonga people known as the Batoka / Tokalea. They called the falls "Shungu na mutitima".

The Matabele tribes people who were later arrivals, named them "aManz' aThunqayo" & the Batswana & Makololo (whose language is used by the Lozi people) call them "Mosi-Oa-Tunya". All of these indigenous names essentially mean "The Smoke that Thunders" & is as apt of a description as could be given. The Bundu people of Zambia believe the Zambezi River has a spirit called Nyami Nyami. This spirit brings them water to grow crops & catch fish to eat, so they call it "the river of life". Victoria Falls are approximately 1700m wide, varying in height from 80m - 108m & to put them into perspective, they are one & a half times wider & twice the height of Niagara Falls. Annually mid-April is when peak flood waters occur. In flood, is scientifically acknowledged that 625 million litres of water flow over Victoria Falls per minute. This huge volume of water produces a spray that can rise up to 450m into the air.

The power of the Falls is immense & often referred to as "majestically awesome" with the highest ever water volume flow recorded in 1958 when in late April that year it reached more than 700 000 cubic meters of water plunging over the Falls each minute. The water in the gorges below the Falls rose 18m (60 feet) above normal flood level. Victoria Falls comprise five different “cataracts”, four of which are in Zimbabwe & one is in Zambia. The four cataracts in Zimbabwe are known as The Devil’s Cataract (a height of 70m high), Main Falls (93m), Rainbow Falls (108m), Horseshoe Falls (96m) & the Eastern Cataract in Zambia (101m). The Devil’s Cataract was named as it is located beside the adjacent island in the Zambezi River where the local tribes used to perform sacrificial ceremonies. When the missionaries arrived in the area they referred to these ceremonies as “devilish” & hence the name was given to this cataract. Main Falls high is the largest of the defined cataracts & without doubt the most majestic.

With a peak flow rate of 700 000 cubic metres per minute, the water is buffeted by the strong rising winds created down the face into the chasm & turned into a raging uplifted mist. Horseshoe Falls as the name suggests are shaped just like a horseshoe. This is the section with the least volume of water going over & is usually the first cataract to literally dry up early October through November. Rainbow Falls are the highest point of all & on a clear day a stunning rainbow usually can be seen at this point. A Luna rainbow may also be seen on an African night lit by a full moon. The Eastern Cataract is the second highest point of Victoria Falls, situated entirely on in Zambia, but visitors gain a stunning view of them from the Zimbabwe side at Danger Point. The entire volume of the Zambezi River pours through the First Gorge’s 110m wide mouth for a distance of 150m (500ft), it then enters a zigzagging series of gorges.

The water entering the second gorge makes a sharp right turn & has carved out an extremely deep pool which is known as the Boiling Pot, which gets it name from the enormous, slow swirling, boiling turbulence it engenders. During April & May when the highest volumes of water are coming over the Falls, this part of the gorge measures 150m across. The Boiling Pot may be accessed from the Zambian side down a steep path & the view back up the falls is well worth the climb. The walls of the gorges are nearly vertical & generally 120m above river level, however the level of the Zambezi River does vary significantly by up to 20m between the extremes of wet & dry seasons. The more recent of Victoria Falls` geological history is to be seen in the form of the gorge directly below the falls. The basalt plateau over which the Zambezi River flows has many large cracks filled with weaker structured sandstone. The largest cracks run in a line which is virtually east to west, with smaller north-south cracks inter-connecting.

Factually Victoria Falls has been receding up stream over the last 100000 years, eroding the sandstone-filled cracks to form the zigzag chasms which are called the Batoka gorges. The present river’s course in the vicinity of the falls is north to south, therefore opening up the large east-west crack across its full width, which then cuts back through a short north-south crack to the next east-west one. Past sites of the falls are the Second to Fifth Batoka gorges - the Songwe Gorge representing where they once fell into one long straight chasm, as they do now. The sizes of these Batoka gorges where the river has flowed over in the past indicate that the current Victoria Falls will one day be wider than they are at present. At the one side of the Devil’s Cataract the Zambezi has already started cutting & eroding back the next large east-north-east line of weakness across the river & it is here at this point that the next full width falls will form.

The principal gorges are: • Firstly: the gorge the Zambezi River currently plunges over – today’s Victoria Falls • Secondly: (spanned by the Victoria Falls Bridge) 250m south of the current Victoria Falls & some 2.15km long • Thirdly: 600m south of the current Victoria Falls, 1.95km long • Fourth: 1.15 km south of the current Victoria Falls, 2.25 km long • Fifth: 2.55km south of the current Victoria Falls, 3.2 km long • Songwe: 5.3km south of the current Victoria Falls, 3.3 km long, the small Songwe River coming from the north-east & the deepest of the gorges at 140m at the end of the dry season. • Batoka is the gorge below the Songwe. It is about 120km long (the straight line distance to its end is about 80km east of the current Victoria Falls). The river flows swiftly through the Batoka gorge, the current being continually interrupted by reefs.

It has been described as one of the world's most spectacular adrenaline pumping whitewater trips, a tremendous challenge for kayakers & rafters alike. Acclaimed as the wildest one-day whitewater run in the world, the Zambezi River is also recognized by rafting & kayaking enthusiasts as one of the top ten paddling rivers on the planet! If you don't immediately associate the terms "Stairway to Heaven" & "Oblivion" with adventure, then you haven't experienced Zambezi Whitewater! Zambezi River conditions & white-water activities are determined by seasonally predictable fluctuations in water levels. Low water season generally runs from August to January each year - this is when the Zambezi is at its very wildest. High water timing is from about February to July with a short "closed season" around April / May depending on the season's rains. In November 1855 Dr David Livingstone was the first white European to lay eyes on the Falls when he was transported by the indigenous Makololo tribes´ people in a canoe to the very edge of "Mosi-Oa-Tunya".

Loyally Livingstone whose heart lies buried in Africa & as the good missionary that he was, named this great natural wonder after his British monarch – Queen Victoria. European settlement of the Victoria Falls area started around 1900 in response to the desire of Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company for mineral rights & imperial rule north of the Zambezi, as well as the exploitation of other natural resources such as timber forests north-east of the falls, ivory & animal skins. Before 1905, the river was crossed above the falls at the Old Drift, by dugout canoe or a barge towed across with a steel cable. Rhodes' vision of a Cape to Cairo railway drove plans for the first bridge across the Zambezi & he insisted it be built where the spray from the falls would fall on passing trains, so the site at the Second Gorge was chosen. From 1905 the railway offered accessible travel to whites from as far as the Cape in the south & from 1909, as far as the Belgian Congo in the north.

The falls became an increasingly popular attraction during British colonial rule of what was at that time known as Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) & Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), with the town of Victoria Falls becoming the main tourist centre. In that respect, nothing has changed as Victoria Falls continues to be a major tourism magnet. Drawing countless hundreds of thousands of international visitors who themselves want to witness that which Livingstone had, in November 1855. Activities that gained popularity in the area included whitewater rafting in the gorges, bungee jumping from the bridge, game fishing, horse riding, kayaking & both helicopter & micro-light flights over Victoria Falls By the end of the 1990s, almost 300,000 people were visiting Victoria Falls annually & this was predicted to rise to over a million in the next decade. One of the very real draw cards & famous features of Victoria Falls is the "Devil's Pool", which when water levels are at their lowest in the dry season is a naturally formed safe swimming pool, right at the precipitous edge of the falls, accessed via Livingstone Island in Zambia.

When the river flow is at a safe low level, usually during the months of September and December, people can swim as close as possible to the edge of the falls within the pool without continuing over the edge; this is possible due to a natural rock wall just below the water level at the very edge of the falls that stops their progress despite the current. Historically the numbers of visitors to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls has been much higher than the number visiting the Zambia side, due to the greater development of the visitor facilities there. Despite a decline in international visitors during the early 2000´s, Zimbabwe is making a strong comeback with the lure of Victoria Falls, nearby Hwange National Park, Mana Pools & the lower canoe trails, as well as the Matusadona region, below Lake Kariba. There are two National Parks at Victoria Falls, both relatively small — Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park is 66 sq km & Victoria Falls National Park is 23 sq km. However, next to the latter on the southern bank is the Zambezi National Park, extending 40km west along the river.

Animals can & do move between the two Zimbabwe National Parks & can also reach Hwange National Park to the south. The National Parks contain abundant wildlife including sizable populations of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra & a variety of antelope. Lion & leopard are only occasionally seen. Of the primates, vervet monkeys & baboons are common. The river above the falls contains large populations of hippopotamus & Nile crocodile. Elephants frequently cross the river in the dry season at particular crossing points. Klipspringers and clawless otters can be glimpsed in the gorges, however the hillsides are better known as havens for 35 species of raptors amongst which Taita & Peregrine falcon, Black eagle & Augur buzzards all breed there. Above Victoria Falls herons, Fish eagles & numerous species of waterfowl are very common in the marshy areas & amongst lush river grasses. It is here bird lovers can watch grey, white & Goliath herons, pelican, egret & whistling ducks, all of which are present in large numbers.

On the Zambian side, fences & the outskirts of Livingstone tend to confine most animals to the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. The most notable aspect of the area's vegetation though is the rainforest nurtured by the spray from the falls, containing plants rare for the area such as pod mahogany, ebony, ivory palm, wild date palm, numerous creepers & lianas. Mopani woodland savannah predominates in the area, with smaller areas of Miombo & Rhodesian Teak woodland as well as scrubland savannah. Riverine forest with palm trees line the banks & islands above Victoria Falls. Fascinatingly the Zambezi River is home to 39 species of fish below the falls & 89 species above it, mostly black cod & slippery trout. This illustrates the effectiveness of Victoria Falls as a dividing barrier between the upper & lower Zambezi. Weather Zambezi River Zambezi River T he Zambezi is Africa’s fourth largest River system, after the Nile, Zaire and Niger Rivers. It runs through six countries on it’s journey from central Africa to the Indian Ocean.

Its unique value is that it is less developed than others in terms of human settlement and many areas along it’s banks enjoy protected status. It’s power has carved the spectacular Victoria Falls and the zigzagging Batoka Gorge. The Zambezi has been harnessed at various points along the way including the massive Kariba Dam between Zambia and Zimbabwe and Cabora Bassa Dam in Mozambique. Plans for another dam at the Batoka gorge have fortunately been shelved. The River’s beauty has attracted tourists from all over the world providing opportunities for a myriad of water sports and game viewing. Running for a length of 2700kms, it begins it’s journey as an insignificant little spring in the corner of north-west Zambia in the Mwinilunga District. It bubbles up between the roots of a tree, very close to the border where Zambia, Angola and Zaire meet. It enters Angola for about 230kms, where it accumulates the bulk of its headwater drainage, and re-enters Zambia again at Cholwezi rapids flowing due south but substantially enlarged by the entry of various tributaries.

This upper part of the river is thinly populated by pastoralists, farmers and fishermen and although wildlife is sparse it is remarkably free of pollution. This is also the scene of the remarkable Ku-omboka Ceremony where thousands of inhabitants move annually to higher ground as the Zambezi floods into the low lying plains. It passes through the flat sandy country of the Western Province, then traverses the broad, annually flooding Barotse Plains, where much of the water is lost to evaporation, then over more rocky country where it’s tranquil course is interrupted by the Ngonye falls and rapids. As it turns to an easterly direction it forms the border between Zambia and Namibia and eventually joins up with the Chobe River in the Caprivi Swamps, briefly forming a border with Botswana. For the next 500kms it serves as the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe thundering over the Victoria Falls and through the narrow, steadily deepening Batoka Gorge, providing a fantastic playground for white water rafting, kayaking, river boarding and jet boating. From here the steep sides of the gorge eventually flatten out at the broad Gwembe Valley.

Then it flows into the Kariba dam for 281kms – it’s width at one point being 40kms. From the dam wall the river travels due north, heading east again at Chirundu. Here it is flanked by the Lower Zambezi National Park on the Zambian side and Mana Pools National Park on the Zimbabwean side. This middle zone supports one of Africa’s most important wilderness areas. After the Luangwa confluence, it’s a much larger Zambezi that flows into Mozambique and out towards the Indian Ocean, having provided power, food, pleasure and transport for many and a home for untold numbers of wildlife along it’s journey. Fishing Trips on the Zambezi River

Question: Which river flows over the Victoria Falls?
Answer: Zambezi