Livingstone Discovers Victoria Falls, 1855 Livingstone Discovers Victoria Falls, 1855 Printer Friendly Version >>> Born in Scotland, David Livingstone arrived in Africa in 1840 at the age of 27 as a missionary and physician. He spent most of the remainder of his life on the continent, his exploits making him the most famous explorer of the century. An encounter with a lion in 1843 cost Livingstone the use of David Livingstone his left arm. Undeterred, Livingstone continued his exploration of the African interior, particularly the Zambezi River area in 1852-1856. It was during this expedition that he became the first European to witness the magnificence of Victoria Falls. In 1866, Livingstone set out at the head of an expedition charged with the task of finding the headwaters of the Nile River. His lack of contact with the outside world over a period of four years raised concerns for his welfare and prompted the New York Herald to send Henry Stanley to find Livingstone. Stanley achieved his goal on November 10, 1871 approaching the explorer in an African village with the immortal words "Dr.

Livingstone I presume" (see Stanley Finds Livingstone, 1871 ) Years in the wilderness took their toll however, and David Livingstone died in Africa in April 1873 at age sixty. A Scene "Gazed Upon by Angels in Their Flight" In early November 1855, Livingstone traveled down the Zambezi River to see for himself the area the natives called "smoke that thunders." Approaching the spot in canoes, the party could see the columns of spray and hear the thunderous roar of water miles away from the falls: ADVERTISMENT "After twenty minutes' sail from Kalai we came in sight, for the first time, of the columns of vapor appropriately called 'smoke,' rising at a distance of five or six miles, exactly as when large tracts of grass are burned in Africa. Five columns now arose, and, bending in the direction of the wind, they seemed placed against a low ridge covered with trees; the tops of the columns at this distance appeared to mingle with the clouds. They were white below, and higher up became dark, so as to simulate smoke very closely.

The whole scene was extremely beautiful; the banks and islands dotted over the river are adorned with sylvan vegetation of great variety of color and form�no one can imagine the beauty of the view from any thing witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight. The only want felt is that of mountains in the background. The falls are bounded on three sides by ridges 300 or 400 feet in height, which are covered with forest, with the red soil appearing among the trees. When about half a mile from the falls, I left the canoe by which we had come down thus far, and embarked in a lighter one, with men well acquainted with the rapids, who, by passing down the centre of the stream in the eddies and still places caused by many jutting rocks, brought me to an island situated in the middle of the river, and on the edge of the lip over which the water rolls.

In coming hither there was danger of being swept down by the streams which rushed along on each side of the island; but the river was now low, and we sailed where it is totally impossible to go when the water is high. But, though we had reached the island, and were within a few yards of the spot, a view from which would solve the whole problem, I believe that no one could perceive where the vast body of water went; it seemed to lose itself in the earth, the opposite lip of the fissure into which it disappeared being only 80 feet distant. At least I did not comprehend it until, creeping with awe to the verge, I peered down into a large rent which had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambesi, and saw that a stream of a thousand yards broad leaped down a hundred feet, and then became suddenly compressed into a space of fifteen or twenty yards. The entire falls are simply a crack made in a hard basaltic rock from the right to the left bank of the Zambesi, and then prolonged from the left bank away through thirty or forty miles of hills.

If one imagines the Thames filled with low, tree-covered hills immediately beyond the tunnel, extending as far as Gravesend, the bed of black basaltic rock instead of London mud, and a fissure made therein from one end of the tunnel to the other down through the keystones of the arch, and prolonged from the left end of the tunnel through thirty miles of hills, the pathway being 100 feet down from the bed of the river instead of what it is, with the lips of the fissure from 80 to 100 feet apart, then fancy the Thames leaping bodily into the gulf, and forced there to change its direction, and flow from the right to the left bank, and then rush boiling and roaring through the hills, he may have some idea of what takes place at this, the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa. In looking down into the fissure on the right of the island, one sees nothing but a dense white cloud, which, at the time we visited the spot, bad two bright rainbows on it.

From this cloud rushed up a great jet of vapor exactly like steam, and it mounted 200 or 300 feet high; there condensing, it changed its hue to that of dark smoke, and came back in a constant shower, which soon wetted us to the skin� An expedition artist's rendition of the falls On the left of the island we see the water at the bottom, a white rolling mass moving away to the prolongation of the fissure, which branches off near the left bank of the river� The walls of this gigantic crack are perpendicular, and composed of one homogeneous mass of rock. The edge of that side over which the water falls is worn off two or three feet, and pieces have fallen away, so as to give it some- what of a serrated appearance.

That over which the water does not fall is quite straight, except at the left corner, where a rent appears, and a piece seems inclined to fall off Upon the whole, it is nearly in the state in which it was left at the period of its formation�On the left side of the island we have a good view of the mass of water which causes one of the columns of vapor to ascend, as it leaps quite clear of the rock, and forms a thick unbroken fleece all the way to the bottom. Its whiteness gave the idea of snow, a sight I had not seen for many a day. As it broke into (if I may use the term) pieces of water, all rushing on in the same direction, each gave off several rays of foam, exactly as bits of steel, when burned in oxygen gas, give off rays of sparks.

The snow-white sheet seemed like myriads of small comets rushing on in one direction, each of which left behind its nucleus rays of foam." References: Livingstone, David, Missionary Travels and Researches In South Africa (1858) How To Cite This Article: "Livingstone Discovers Victoria Falls, 1855," EyeWitness to History, (2000). After his death, Livingstone's body was transported to England and buried in Westminster Abbey. His heart remained in Africa however, buried at the foot of the tree where he died in modern-day Zambia. Victoria Falls -- World Heritage Site -- National Geographic Reason: This waterfall is among the most impressive to be found anywhere in the world. * * * This legendary waterfall is among the biggest, and most awe-inspiring, on the planet. The Zambezi River is more than 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) wide when it cascades over the lip of a large basalt plateau and plunges as much as 354 feet (108 meters). The flow has been slicing slowly through this plateau for some two million years.

During this time the river has slowly retreated and the remnants of earlier, ancient falls can be seen in the gorges downstream from the current cataract. The falls generate mists that can be spotted from more than a dozen miles (20 kilometers) away. Famed Scottish explorer David Livingstone dubbed this waterfall Victoria Falls; its older, Kololo name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, means "the smoke that thunders.” The mists also sustain a rain forest-like ecosystem adjacent to the falls and on the opposite cliff that faces them like a dried-up mirror image, thick with mahogany, fig, palm, and other species of vegetation. The national border between Zambia and Zimbabwe lies midstream, and national parks of both nations exist on either side of the Zambezi. The gorges and cliffs below the falls in these parks are prime territory for raptors, including falcons and black eagles. Stone artifacts from the hominin Homo habilis have been identified near the falls and show that early humans may have lived here two million years ago. More “modern” tools also evidence far more recent—50,000 years ago—Middle Stone Age settlements.

Today several hundred thousand visitors from around the world trek to the falls each year; several hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, and other tourist businesses cater to them. The beauty of the falls lies in their natural state, but the area is at some risk of runaway tourism-based development—more resorts, hotels, and even a possible dam below the falls that could flood several park gorges. Operators in the area offer everything from helicopter overflights to bungee jumping, and the management of these activities while preserving a quality visitor experience for all is an ongoing challenge. How to Get There Most visitors visit from either Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) or Maramba (Zambia), where complete tourist facilities exist. Each town is accessible by road, rail, and air. When to Visit The river is typically in full flood during February and March, when as much as 540 million cubic meters of water fall over the edge every single minute. During the rainy season, however, the spray plume can obscure the view of the falls themselves. By November, when the water is at low ebb, visitors may see the curtain split into many smaller channels of falling water. How to Visit The falls are massive and invite contemplation from many different viewpoints.

Trails invite you to walk around the area and enjoy vistas. Unique views are also to be had from the Knife Edge Bridge and Victoria Falls Bridge. River-level views from below the falls are a good way to experience their power up-close. At certain times of the year the daring may even swim in pools on the very crest of the cataract. Comment on This Story Victoria Falls Victoria Falls VICTORIA FALLS & ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARKS UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks are situated on the western tip of Zimbabwe. The Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as Mosi oa Tunya- The Smoke that thunders, is one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" and one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls on earth. The Falls The falls are 1,7 kilometres wide and nearly 550 million litres of water cascade 70 to 108 metres into the chasm below -every minute- during the Zambezi River's peak flow. Victoria Falls is made of five different "falls".

Four of these are in Zimbabwe: The Devil's Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and Horseshoe Falls -and one, The Eastern Cataract, is in the bordering country of Zambia. The Devil's Cataract The falls here are about 70 metres deep. They derive their name from an adjacent island in the Zambezi River where it is reported that locals used to conduct sacrificial ceremonies. With the advent of the missionaries, this practice was frowned upon and considered "devilish", resulting in the name of the area. Main Falls The falls at this point are at their most majestic. With a wide curtain of water thundering down 93 metres into the gorge below and peak water flows of 700,000 cubic metres per minute, this section throws out a magnificent spray that continually nourishes the evergreen rainforest around the area. Horseshoe Falls This section is horseshoe shaped and is 95 metres deep. This section usually dries up at the height of the dry season between October and November.Rainbow Falls A beautiful rainbow can clearly be seen from this viewpoint. The falls are 108 metres deep at this point and are the deepest of the whole series.

The Eastern Cataract These falls are situated completely on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls but have a stunning view from the Zimbabwean side. They are the second deepest falls of the series at 101 metres deep. Cataract Viewpoint A unique view of the falls below can be found by descending 73 steps into the gorge. David Livingstone Statue The David Livingstone statue can be found at the left end of the Falls near the spectacular Devil's Cataract viewpoint. On 16 November 1855, Livingstone (the first Western explorer to view the Falls) wrote in his journal: "...scenes so lovely must have been gazed on by angels in their flight." The Rainforest The rainforest area of Victoria Falls is filled with many unique species of flora and fauna. One can wander amongst the Fig, Mahogany and Date Palm groves while gazing at the falls from magnificent viewpoints. Many species of birds and small mammals may be spotted beneath the protective canopy of the forest. The Boiling Pot This place is appropriately named to describe the turmoil where water from opposite sides of the falls collide in the Zambezi River as it turns in a southeasterly direction passing through several gorges.

The Big Tree This is a large baobab tree near the Falls. The tree which has withstood the test of time is 16 metres in diameter and 20 metres tall. Victoria Falls Bridge Having been designed in England, the bridge was transported from Europe in pieces and was assembled on site, bridging the Zambezi River and linking Zimbabwe and Zambia in 1906. The bridge is also renowned for its popular bungee jumping. The Game Park Zambezi National Park together with Victoria Falls National Park cover an area of 56,000 hectares. The northern border of the Park is formed by the great Zambezi River which also forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia for much of its length. A wide variety of larger mammals may be found within the Zambezi National Park including The Big Five: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and white rhinoceros. In addition, herds of sable antelope, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck and impala as well as many of the smaller species of game can be viewed.

The Zambezi River is home to a large variety of fish and is famous for its bream and fighting tiger fish.Zambezi National Park has two main game-viewing sections: the Zambezi River Game Drive, with an extensive network of roads along the river accessed through the main gate of the Park, and the 25 kilometre Chamabondo Game Drive in the southern part of the Park, which begins about 5 kilometres outside of Victoria Falls town - just off the main road to Bulawayo. Seasons During the summer months (November to March) the weather is hot and humid, whilst during the winter it is pleasantly cool and dry - occasionally becoming cold at night. Facilities Lodges The accommodation units at Zambezi Camp are self-contained lodges on the river bank, situated 6 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp is served by a tar road and is open all year around. The lodges are all fully equipped and each has 2 bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen with stove and refrigerator.

Fishing Camps Three exclusive fishing camps: Kandahar, Siansimba and Mpala Jena, are attractively situated on the banks of the Zambezi just off the Zambezi River Game Drive. Facilities consist of a flush toilet and cold shower; running water, a sleeping shelter (with low side walls at Kandahar), cement table with bench and braai unit. Fishing by boat is excellent in these areas. Camping Sites For an unforgettable wilderness experience, there are 4 minimum development camping sites available in the Park. Situated on the banks of the Zambezi, these areas are unfenced and completely in the wild and are equipped with a braai stand and bush toilet only. Chundu 1 (25 kilometres upstream from the reception office) and Chundu 2 (26 kilometres) are situated in an acacia forest close to the river's edge. Chomuzi (40 kilometres) is sited near some rapids and Siamunungu (47 kilometres) is located at the end of the Zambezi River Drive on a particularly lovely stretch of the river. Each camp can accommodate a maximum of 12 people.

Picnic Sites Upstream along the Zambezi River Drive, there are 25 numbered sites where day visitors may picnic or fish. These sites are attractively situated on the banks of the river and sheltered beneath the beautiful shady riverine vegetation. Amenities The town of Victoria Falls has most modern conveniences and there are several world-class hotels, lodges and restaurants. Supplies of fuel, food and provisions may be found here, as well as hospital facilities and many curio and craft shops. Game viewing - visitors use their own vehicles for transport. • Fishing - visitors bring their own fishing gear and boats. • Walks - marveling at the splendour of the Falls is, of course, the prime activity of the area. Visitors should plan on viewing the Falls at several different times, as the ever-changing mist and light can afford spectacularly different views throughout the day. • Scenic views. • Boat cruises - daytime and sunset cruises on the Zambezi River. • Moonlight viewing - an unique opportunity to view the Falls and the Lunar Rainbow which takes place during periods of the full moon.

• Other activities include: guided tours, bungee jumping, whitewater rafting, helicopter and micro-light flights over the Falls, tribal dancing, etc Why Visit Victoria Falls? This is one of the 7 Wonders of the World • Victoria Falls is one of the world's most prolific and spectacular waterfalls. • Victoria Falls is a one stop destination affording the visitor several aspects of tourism ranging from prime game viewing, cultural tourism and the Falls themselves How to get to Victoria Falls Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks lie on the southern bank of the Zambezi River. Visitors can travel by car, driving 440 kilometres northwest from Bulawayo or through Kazungula Border Post with Botswana 90 kilometres to the west. The Victoria Falls Border Post is within metres of the Falls for access by road from Zambia. The road from Bulawayo to the Falls is completely tarred and the roads around thee Falls can easily be negotiated by all types of vehicles. Victoria Falls boasts an international airport with services from Harare and many regional and international destinations.

Victoria Falls History Pre-colonial History D iggings in Archaeological sites found around the falls area have yielded Homo habilis stone artifacts that date back to some 3 million years ago. Middle Stone Age tools (50 000 years) and Late Stone Age weapons and digging tools (10 000 and 2000 years) have also been found. Khoisan hunter gatherers using iron tools displaced these Stone Age people and they in turn were displaced by the Southern Tonga people now known as the Batoka tribe, these people still live in the area today. Iron-using Khoisan hunter-gatherers displaced these Stone Age people and in turn were displaced by Bantu tribes such as the southern Tonga people known as the Batoka/Tokalea, who called the falls Shungu na mutitima. The Matabele, later arrivals, named them aManz’ aThunqayo, and the Batswana and Makololo (whose language is used by the Lozi people) call them Mosi-o-Tunya. All these names mean essentially “the smoke that thunders”.

Later many more tribes arrived these included the Matabele and the Makololo tribe, also still present in the area. It was members of this Makololo tribe that escorted David Livingstone the first person to spread the word of the existence of the falls to the Western World on the 17th November 1855. However, Nicolas de Fer’s 1715 map of southern Africa has the fall clearly marked in the correct position. It also has dotted lines denoting trade routes that David Livingstone followed 140 years later. There also exists a map from c.1750 drawn by Jacques Nicolas Bellin for Abbé Antoine François Prevost d’Exiles marks the falls as “cataractes” and notes a settlement to the north of the Zambezi as being friendly with the Portuguese at the time. The falls were well known to local tribes, and Voortrekker hunters may have known of them, as may the Arabs under a name equivalent to “the end of the world”.

Livingstone names the Falls During his 1852–56 journey from the upper Zambezi to the mouth of the river, Livingstone had been told about the falls before he reached them from upriver on 17 November 1855 and was paddled across to a small island that now bears the name Livingstone Island on the Zambian half of the river. Livingstone had previously been impressed by the Ngonye Falls further upstream, but was astounded with the new find, and gave them their English name in honour of Queen Victoria. He spent the night on Kalai Island a few kilometers upstream of the Falls, having come down river by foot, and the next morning he was paddled out by the local villagers in a small canoe to approach the thundering smoke. He landed on the biggest island on the lip of the falls, now called Livingstone Island and from there obtained his first view of the Falls.

” Creeping with awe to the verge, I peered down into a large rent which had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi, and saw that a stream of a thousand yards broad leaped down a hundred feet and then became suddenly compressed into a space of fifteen to twenty yards….the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa.” Of the surrounding area he wrote: “No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight” (Livingstone 1857). He sent word of the Falls to England deciding he would name them after Queen Victoria. Locals still refer to the Falls as Mosi Oa Tunya and the area continues to be revered as a sacred site among the local tribes. David Livingstone was obviously not the first person to see the Victoria Falls, although he is always credited as having discovered it. Many locals feel they should be rebranded Mosi Oa Tunya. In 1860, Livingstone returned to the area and made a detailed study of the falls with John Kirk.

Other early European visitors included Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto, Czech explorer Emil Holub, who made the first detailed plan of the falls and its surroundings in 1875 (published in 1880),[17] and British artist Thomas Baines, who executed some of the earliest paintings of the falls. Colonial Settlement The falls were seldom visited by other Europeans, until the area was opened up by the building of the railway in 1905. 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 and imperial rule north of the Zambezi, and the exploitation of other natural resources such as timber forests north-east of the falls, and ivory and 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-Cairo railway drove plans for the first bridge across the Zambezi and 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. See the page on Victoria Falls Bridge.

The falls became an increasingly popular attraction during British colonial rule of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), with the town of Victoria Falls on the Southern side, becoming the main tourist centre. By the end of the 1990’s almost 300,000 people were visiting the falls annually, and this was expected to rise to over a million in the next decade. The two countries permit tourists to make day trips from each side and visas can be obtained at the border posts. Costs vary from US$45-US$80 (as of 01 December 2013). Visitors with single entry visas will need to purchase a visa each time they cross the border. Regular changes in visa regulations mean visitors should check the rules before crossing the border. World Heritage Site In 1989 Victoria Falls was inscribed as a World Heritage Site. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seek to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. UNESCO World Heritage Site. The falls also enjoyed the position of one of the seven natural wonders of the world for many years. (this is voted on and changed from time to time). A visit to this spectacular and breathtaking natural phenomenon – the Smoke that Thunders, is truly a must see on any visit to Africa. And with the many varied activities to do in the surrounding area, it makes the trip all the more worthwhile. The History of Victoria Falls | Rhino Africa The History of Victoria Falls i Lazy adult male lion gazes at tourists on safari in Namibia SHARE: Facts & Information : Dr. Livingstone's great gift to the Queen of England Scottish explorer David Livingstone was famous for many things. Hailed as one of the most enigmatic explorers of all time, he also had an impressive moustache, and was the first European ever to lay eyes on Victoria Falls .

He was led to the waterfall in 1855, by the Makalolo tribe in a dug-out canoe, during his travels from Luanda to Sesheke. Although Livingstone named the Falls after his queen, Victoria, it’s known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya – the Smoke that Thunders. The Smoke that Thunders Anglo traders began to amass by the Falls after Livingstone’s reports reached their ears, which led to a makeshift trading settlement popping up on the Zambian riverbank, named Old Drift – the first Victoria Falls town. Increasing numbers of visitors from the Transvaal and South Africa arrived, travelling by horseback or ox-wagon. Malaria began to ravage the settlement, forcing its relocation to the site where Zambia’s town of Livingstone now resides. Dr Livingstone I presume... Explorers lead hard lives if history is to be believed. Livingstone’s 14 years that followed his Victoria Falls ‘discovery’ included a nasty altercation with a lion that limited his use of one arm. The outside world got concerned about the poor chap when they didn’t hear from him for four years, so the New York Herald sent Henry Stanley off to look for him.

After a long search, Stanley found Livingstone on 10 November 1871 in a small African village, greeting him with the immortal words, “Dr Livingstone I presume”. The two bonded over their brilliant facial bristles (and a few other common interests) and became fast friends until Stanley headed back to Britain in 1872, having failed to convince Livingstone to join him. After travelling some 50 000km through Africa, and opening up the previously unknown continent to the world, the legendary Livingstone died from malaria and dysentery on 1 May 1873, at age 60. His loyal attendants buried his heart under a tree in Africa (the site now known as the Livingstone Memorial), while the rest of his body was ultimately flown back to Britain. Victoria Falls Bridge Built in 1905, the Victoria Falls Bridge was created to connect what are now Zimbabwe and Zambia. Cecil John Rhodes commissioned the project, ambitiously desiring the ‘spray of the Falls on the train carriages’, but he died before its completion.

Sir Ralph Freeman (also responsible for the Sydney Harbour Bridge) designed the arch from steel, which spans 156.50m, at a height of 128m above the Fall’s valley floor. Carrying cars, trains and foot traffic, the bridge is also the spot where the daring can do the famous 111m Shearwater bungee jump. The railway brought numerous guests to the Falls, prompting the building of the original The Victoria Falls Hotel in 1906. The village earned town status 66 years later. Today, train enthusiasts can pop into the railway museum near the Falls for more information. World Heritage The Victoria Falls was declared as a World Heritage Site in 1989 for being one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. When the river is in flood, the Falls are the largest curtain of falling water in the world. The Falls and the surrounding rainforest are preserved as a 23.4 kilometre National Park and form one of Zimbabwe’s four World Heritage sites.

To the Victoria Falls - Discovery of the Victoria Falls Discovery of the Victoria Falls Discovery of the Victoria Falls Return to the Zambezi Livingstone returned to the Zambezi in May 1853, spending a month in Linyanti (in what is now Botswana) with Chief Sekeletu, the son of Sebetwane, of the Makololo . Livingstone was determined to explore the possibility of opening up trade routes from either the east or west coasts, having realised the difficulties of a route from the south, whilst also preparing the way for a mission among the Makololo by the London Missionary Society under whose auspices he was travelling. In June 1853 Livinstone, Chief Sekeletu and a large entourage of Makololo set out for Old Sesheke on the Zambezi and they followed the river upstream, north, to the Barotse Plain, before returning to Linyanti. In August 1853 he encountered two Arab traders from Zanzibar who were assessing the slave and ivory resources of the area.

Livingstone believed that Christianity and free trade would liberate Africa from slavery, and determined to explore the possibilities of an overland route to the west coast, before eventually returning to the Zambezi and following it downstream to the east coast. In November of the same year Livingstone set off on his ambitious quest. Leaving Linyanti he retraced his journey upstream into Barotseland before branching off to the west and finally reaching the Atlantic coast at Luanda (in Angola) in May 1854. Along the journey he enountered the Balonda who traded slaves to the Mambari and the Portuguese. Further northwest at Katema slave trading was even more pronounced. The party consisted of 27 Makololo porters and carried three muskets, a rifle and a double-barrelled shotgun plus 10 kilos of beads, a small tent, a sheepskin blanket, a horse rug, some tea, coffee and sugar, a sextant and some spare clothes "to be used when we reached civilised life". Livinstone later recorded "I had always found, that the art of successful travel consisted in taking as few impedimenta as possible".

There can be few finer Victorian understatements than his observation: "It is not all pleasure, this exploration". During the journey Livingstone suffered 27 attacks of malaria, and was reduced to "a skeleton". At Luanda Livingstone recouporated and recovered his health, and was offered passage back to England by sea, which he refused. "I resolved to decline the tempting offers of my naval friends," he penned in his diary, "and take my Makololo companions to their chief [at Linyanti] with a view of trying to make a path from his country to the east coast by means of the great river Zambezi." Discovery of the Victoria Falls Livingstone arrived back at Linyanti on 11th September 1855, and was again well received by Sekeletu and his Makololo. There he found fresh supplies waiting for him sent by Moffat via Mzilikazi, the great Matabele Chief. Realising the impracticability of the western route he had explored, Livingstone set out again in a courageous attempt to cross the African continent to the Indian Ocean.

Here, as previously, he heard tales of the great waterfall, and in November 1855 he finally set out to visit it. Accompanied by Sekeletu and, initially by some 200 Africans, he left Linyanti again for Old Sesheke, and then followed the river downstream. Soon after leaving, the chief asked Livingstone: "Have you smoke that thunders in your country?", pointing at columns of vapour rising in the distance. The rains had already broken and the party had an uncomfortable passage downstream to the Katombora Rapids. At the rapids the party was forced to leave their canoes and proceed along the riverbank. Two days after leaving Old Sesheke, Livingstone reached Kalai Island on which he saw the graves of Sekute Leya Chiefs, surrounded with a fence of seventy large elephant tusks. It is interesting to note that 150 years later, the grave is still visible, marked with heavily weathered teak railway sleepers buried upright in the ground, with which the descendants of Chief Sekute replaced the ivory-tusk fence when it had weathered away. After a night on the island, Livingstone set out to the Falls.

Sekeletu had intended to accompany him, but as only one canoe could be found, he had to stay behind. A diary entry, in one of the rough notebooks which he wrote up once or twice a week, reads matter-of-factly; "Musioatunya bears SSE from Sekota islet after 20 minutes sail thence on 16th November, 1855, saw three or five large columns of vapour rising 100 or more feet" Livingstone must have wondered what lied ahead as they travelled down the rapids towards the rising coloumns of cloud, with the ever present roar growing closer. One can only image his awe as the local boatmen arranged by Sekeletu took him to an island right on the very edge of the lip over which the water rolls". The Victoria Falls of the Zambesi River (from Livingstone's Missionary Travels 1857) This etching was commissioned by the publisher from an artist in London, who having never seen the Falls relied on Livingstone's written descriptions to detail the scene.

Livingstone noted in the text that "The artist has a good idea of the scene, but, by way of explanation, he has shown more of the depth of the fissure than is visible, except by going close to the edge" Livingstone later expanded in his journal notes, published as 'Missionary Travels and Reasearches in South Africa' in 1857, writing: "After twenty minutes' sail from Kalai we came in sight, for the first time, of the columns of vapour appropriately called 'smoke,' rising at a distance of five or six miles, exactly as when large tracts of grass are burned in Africa. Five columns now arose, and, bending in the direction of the wind, they seemed placed against a low ridge covered with trees; the tops of the columns at this distance appeared to mingle with the clouds. They were white below, and higher up became dark, so as to simulate smoke very closely." [Livingstone, 1857] He was struck by the beauty of the river and its banks, recording emotively: "The whole scene was extremely beautiful; the banks and islands dotted over the river are adorned with sylvan vegetation of great variety of colour and form.

At the period of our visit several trees were spangled over with blossoms. There, towering over all, stands the great burly baobab, each of whose arms would form the trunk of a large tree, besides groups of graceful palms, which with their feathery-shaped leaves depicted on the sky, lean their beauty to the scene. Some trees resemble the great spreading oak, others assume the character of our own elms and chestnuts; but no one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." [Livingstone, 1857] This last passage has often been misquoted in reference to the Falls themselves, but it was the stretches of the river upstream of the falls which had already enchanted Livingstone, who felt the landscape only missing a backdrop: "The only want felt is that of mountains in the background.

The falls are bounded on three sides by ridges 300 or 400 feet in height, which are covered with forest, with the red soil appearing among the trees." [Livingstone, 1857] About one kilometre upstream of the falls Livingstone transferred to a smaller, lighter canoe and proceeded in this to the island between Main and Rainbow Falls which is today known as Livingstone Island. Landing on the island, he obtained his first view of the falls, which he named after Queen Victoria, from what must be one of the most impressive viewpoints. The following passage describes his journey to the edge of the Falls: "When about half a mile from the falls, I left the canoe by which we had come down thus far, and embarked in a lighter one, with men well acquainted with the rapids, who, by passing down the centre of the stream in the eddies and still places caused by many jutting rocks, brought me to an island situated in the middle of the river, and on the edge of the lip over which the water rolls.

In coming hither there was danger of being swept down by the streams which rushed along on each side of the island; but the river was now low, and we sailed where it is totally impossible to go when the water is high. But, though we had reached the island, and were within a few yards of the spot, a view from which would solve the whole problem, I believe that no one could perceive where the vast body of water went; it seemed to lose itself in the earth, the opposite lip of the fissure into which it disappeared being only 80 feet distant. At least I did not comprehend it until, creeping with awe to the verge, I peered down into a large rent which had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi, and saw that a stream of a thousand yards broad leaped down a hundred feet, and then became suddenly compressed into a space of fifteen or twenty yards...

the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa." [Livingstone, 1857] Livingstone's estimates of the length and width of the gorge are gross under-estimates - he wrote in 1857 "Whoever may come after me will not, I trust, have reason to say I have indulged in exaggeration." The Victoria Falls (etching) Livingstone incorrectly concluded that the Falls were the result of a fault line in the rock being pulled apart to create a fissure into which the river fell, and he assumed the gorges below to be a series of hills through which the river then flowed: "In looking down into the fissure on the right of the island, one sees nothing but a dense white cloud, which, at the time we visited the spot, had two bright rainbows on it. From this cloud rushed up a great jet of vapour exactly like steam, and it mounted 200 or 300 feet high; there condensing, it changed its hue to that of dark smoke, and came back in a constant shower, which soon wetted us to the skin...

"On the left of the island we see the water at the bottom, a white rolling mass moving away to the prolongation of the fissure, which branches off near the left bank of the river... On the left side of the island we have a good view of the mass of water which causes one of the columns of vapour to ascend, as it leaps quite clear of the rock, and forms a thick unbroken fleece all the way to the bottom. Its whiteness gave the idea of snow, a sight I had not seen for many a day. As it broke into (if I may use the term) pieces of water, all rushing on in the same direction, each gave off several rays of foam, exactly as bits of steel, when burned in oxygen gas, give off rays of sparks. The snow-white sheet seemed like myriads of small comets rushing on in one direction, each of which left behind its nucleus rays of foam." [Livingstone, 1857] Livingstone returned to the island the following day, in the company of Sekeletu, who had not seen the Falls before. On the island Livingstone planted a number of peach and apricot stones and some coffee seeds.

He arranged for one of the Makololo to return and make a hedge around the garden to protect it from hippopotami. When the garden was prepared, Livingstone cut his initials and the date 1855 on a tree on the island, which he called Garden Island. Baldwin, the second European to visit the Falls and who was still there when Livingstone returned for his second visit, recorded "the Doctor tells me that it is the only place, from the West Coast to the East, where he had the vanity to cut his initials." Today there is no sign of the garden and the tree bearing indecipherable marks commonly thought to be the initials carved by the missionary cannot be the original. Indeed Thomas Baines, who visited the Falls in 1862, only seven years after Livingstone, records that he visited Livingstone Island and found that the garden planted by Livingstone had planted there had been trampled by hippopotami and was completely overgrown. Elephant and hippopotami were until recently the only regular visitors to the island, and today's visitors are rewarded with the magnificent view, virtually unchanged since Livingstone's first sight of the Falls.

Leaving the Falls, Livingstone headed north-eastwards to the Kafue following it downstream to its confluence with the Zambezi, which he then followed, with only a detour near the Cabora Bassa rapids, to reach the Indian Ocean at Quelimane in May 1856, from where he returned to England. He later received a gold medal from the London Royal Geographical Society as the first explorer to cross the African continent from west to east. Debate on Discovery It is accepted that stories of the existence of the falls had reached European settlers in the south some 15 years before Livingstone first set eyes on them, and there has been much debate on if Livingstone actually was the first European to visit Falls. Writing in the The South African Handbook (No33) ‘The Victoria Falls’, and published in the early 1900’s, George Lacy records that: “Englishmen in the south had, as early as about 1840, heard reports of the existence, far, far away in the north, of a phenomenon called ‘Mosivatunya’, (the smoke that sounds), but little attention had been paid to them.

They were brought by Bechunaland hunters… who had ventured as far as the Chobe branch of the Zambezi, where, at Linyanti, dwelt the Makalolo. No European, however, was within a hundred miles of them until 1851. In that year, W C Oswell and David Livingstone reached Linyanti, and three weeks later S K Edwards and L H Wilson, and these four were the first in the district. None of them, however, made any attempt to visit the Falls. Oswell was on a hunting expedition, and Livingstone was his interpreter and wagon manager; Edwards and Wilson were hunters and traders.” He concludes that Livingstone discovered the Falls, and as he himself was one of the early visitors, having visited the Falls in November 1869, his contemporary record is significant. Numerous authors have addressed the issue, and in particular the claims including Karel Trichardt in 1838, Jan Viljoen, Erasmus Jacobs and Engelbrecht Viljoen, 1851 and W H Pretorius and Stoffel Snyman in 1855.

However in 1939 the Afrikaaner author Servaas Le Roux wrote "Pioneers and Sportsmen of South Africa 1760-1890". Le Roux's purpose was to highlight the discoveries of Afrikaaners, but on p119 he wrote: “For many years past, especially amongst people who do not draw a clear distinction between vague and ill-founded impression and a properly substantiated fact, there has been prevalent an idea that the Victoria Falls had been visited by European hunters before Dr Livingstone first saw them in November, 1855… "I have no hesitation in saying, after many years of careful investigation of the claims of all the possible visitors to the Falls before Livingstone, that there are no grounds whatsoever for believing that anyone but Livingstone was the first European to see them". Debate on Date In the build up to the 100th and 150th anniversaries of Livingstone’s discovery, there was much debate on the exact date of Livingstone's discovery of the Falls. Over the years there has been much confusion over this date.

Clark & Heath (1910?) state: "The date of the discovery of the Victoria Falls is frequently miss-stated. A common error is to assign it to November 5th, 1855. But the evidence of Livingstone's writings points to the date given in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, namely November 17th, 1855." According to the chronology set out in ‘Missionary Travels’, Livingstone states quite clearly that he left the Victoria Falls on the 20th of November after taking two days to explore the Falls themselves, giving a date of arrival of the 18th. However, on completing his journey across the continent and arrival at Quilimane (Mozambique) he found it was four days later than he reckoned, drawing into doubt the whole chronology of his journey. The debate over the date is thought to been laid to rest on the centenary when Mr P C G Adams (London Missionary Society) had unearthed correspondence from Livingstone stating that he was certain that the date on which he actually first viewed the Falls was the 16th November. 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... Victoria Falls travel guide - Wikitravel 10 Get out The article deals with the Zimbabwean side of the Victoria Falls. For information on the Zambian side, see Livingstone . Victoria Falls is a town in the western portion of Zimbabwe , across the border from Livingstone , Zambia , and near Botswana . The town lies immediately next to the falls. They are the major attraction, but this popular tourist destination offers both adventure seekers and sightseers plenty of opportunities for a longer stay. Tourist numbers are now back to historical levels, with many package tour operators adding Vic Falls back to their itineraries, and this is easily Zimbabwe's busiest tourist destination.

In response, there is a lot of a cartelisation and price fixing, with prices for accommodation and activities suspiciously high, even though the hotels are not full and activity operators not operating at full capacity. This destination is now considerably more expensive than other destinations in Zimbabwe. Understand[ edit ] Mosikalamosikala (meaning "The Smoke That Thunders"), commonly known as Victoria Falls, is one of the most amazing sights in the world: twice as tall as Niagara Falls and several times longer. Although not the highest, the widest or the greatest volume of water, they have the largest sheet of water for any fall in the world and are a sight not to be missed. History[ edit ] It took thousands of years of erosion for Victoria Falls to appear as and where it does now. Mosi-oa-Tunya, or "the smoke that thunders” became known to the western world as Victoria Falls only after David Livingstone first set eyes on this astonishing natural wonder in 1855, a heartbeat ago in geological time. Formation[ edit ] During the Jurassic Period (150-200 million years ago), volcanic activity resulted in thick basalt deposits covering large parts of Southern Africa.

As the lava cooled and solidified, cracks appeared in the hard basalt crust, which were filled with clay and lime. Erosion and the course of the mighty Zambezi River cut through these softer materials, forming the first of a series of waterfalls. Over at least 2000 years, the falls have receded 8 km upstream, as the Zambezi carved its way through seven gorges. This geological history can be seen in the dark basalt in the series of rocky gorges below the falls. It is believed that the Devil's Cataract, which is presently the lowest point of Victoria Falls, will eventually become the next gorge as the river continues to cut its way back upstream. Essentially, the river falls into a gorge directly in front of the falls, and then flows through a narrow cutting. You can view the falls straight on from across the gorge. Livingstone[ edit ] Scottish missionary David Livingstone first heard about Victoria Falls, known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, four years before he arrived there. The area was a sacred site for the Batoka and other local tribes.

On 17 November 1855, Chief Sekeletu of the Makololo paddled Livingstone to an island in the Zambezi, known as Goat Island. Although the water was low at the time, Livingstone still felt a "tremor of fear" as he approached the wall of spray. Gazing down into the churning chasm below must have been a heartstopping experience (you can still make your way out to the island, now called Livingstone Island, from the Zambian Side during the dry season). Rumours that a Portuguese man beat him to it have little evidence. Livingstone described what he saw: "No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." Zambian or Zimbabwean side[ edit ] The big question is which side to visit: Zambia or Zimbabwe? There are two things to consider, views of the falls and cost. Two thirds of the actual falls lie within the Zambian territory, as does Livingstone Island, from where David Livingstone first famously set eyes on the falls.

The water from Victoria Falls dives into a narrow gorge running parallel to the face of the falls, with the spray going high into the air, causing permanent rain, rainbows and the famous "smoke" which is visible from a distance, so, much of the time when you are viewing the falls, you are actually facing them. The gorge where the water exits is the limit on how far you can walk from either side. There is no crossing there. This limits your visibility from the Zambian side, as you can walk about only a quarter of the distance of the face of the falls. Although the view and the waterflow is still impressive, you simply cannot get a perspective on the full width of the falls from the Zambian side. The walk down to below the falls is closed on the Zimbabwean side. You can only walk down on the Zambian side. The footbridge on the Zambian side gives a unique experience, with a permanent torrential rain from the wet season through to August. Travelers will have an assortment of visa charges involved in seeing both sides of the falls. The variables include your nationality, single or multiple entry, and whether you will stay longer than 24 h.

To cross the border from Zambia to see the falls on the Zimbabwe side, you will need to pay at least US$30 for a Zimbabwe single entry visa (depending on nationality), and if you want to return the Zambian side, you will need to pay an extra US$20 for a multiple entry Zambian visa. To cross the border from the Zimbabwean side to the Zambian side you will need to pay an at least US$20 for a single day Zambian visa, and at least an extra US$15 for a multiple entry Zimbabwean visa. You will need to decide whether you are getting a single or multiple entry visa when you first apply for it. If you are flying from South Africa just to see the falls, consider if it is worthwhile arriving on the Zimbabwean side and leaving from the Zambian, as you will minimise your visa costs this way (but may pay more for airfares). Flying to the Zambian side usually costs less than flying into the Zimbabwe side. Still, for less than US$100, you can do both sides. Victoria Falls uses cash only. ATMs are available in both Livingstone, Zambia and Victoria Falls Town.

When to visit[ edit ] The park is open year-round, but you will get a very different experience depending on the season in which you visit. In the rainy season (December to March), the water volume will be higher, and the falls will be more dramatic. You are guaranteed to get wet if you cross the bridge or walk along the trails winding near the falls. On the other hand, it is precisely because the volume of water is so high that your viewing of the actual Falls will be obscured: by all the spray. In the dry season, (April to October), the water volume will be lower, and by October, Victoria Falls might just be a trickle. You will get a clearer view of the rocky ledge beneath the falls, which is pretty spectacular by itself, but the falls might be somewhat underwhelming. This said, it is still a great experience visiting the falls in the dry season (for instance November), as you can experience both "falls" and the rocky gorge. You can have the chance to swim in Devil's Pool. By plane[ edit ] British Airways [1] and South African Airways [2] offer daily flights between Johannesburg (JNB) and Victoria Falls Airport (VFA).

Air Zimbabwe also offers flights between Victoria Falls Airport and other destinations within Zimbabwe - NB please check whether Air Zimbabwe is operating at the time of your visit, as recently their schedule has not been reliable, and they ceased operations for a period of time. Cheaper flights from South Africa are often available to neighbouring Livingstone . Direct flights can be had from Nelspruit Airport (Kruger National Park) to Livingstone three times a week. Any flights from Kruger to Victoria Falls must go through Johannesburg. There is Proflight in Zambia who offers last minute cheap flights from Lusaka Airport to Livingstone Airport if you are lucky. By train[ edit ] The Victoria Falls station with train headed for Bulawayo. The classic way of reaching Victoria Falls is by the overnight train from Bulawayo, now back to running daily again. This train still uses lovely but somewhat downtrodden British 1950s coaches. First class tickets are $12 while second class goes for $8, no bed linen included. With old coaches and bad maintenance, do not expect everything to work fine or sleep too well. However the scenery is fantastic and during the last few hours before reaching Victoria Falls you're guaranteed to see a lot of wildlife.

Departure from Bulawayo is at 7:30PM, arriving the next morning at 9AM, although delays are more the norm than the exception. Trains from Zambia across the spectacular Zambesi bridge have been suspended for a few years time now, however catching a train to Livingstone and then continue by taxi is a possibility. By car[ edit ] The roads within Zimbabwe are not very good, with potholes commonplace. The most direct way to Victoria Falls overland is from Bulawayo . There is a good road network from the South African border at Beit Bridge right through to the falls. It's possible to drive in through Livingstone. Crossing an international border with a vehicle, however, will incur extra costs like carbon tax and insurance. Very annoying is the time consuming and disorganised procedure of obtaining a 'temporary import permit' for the car at the Zambian border post. Once at the Zimbabwe border post, the whole procedure is to be repeated, though it is a bit faster but also expensive. Coming from Namibia or Botswana . the best road is from Kasane in Botswana using the Kazungula border post. Distance to Vic Falls is 70 km.

By bus[ edit ] Buses operated by Intercape [3] plys the route between Windhoek in Namibia to Victoria Falls three times a week. Notice that the bus stops on the Zambian side, you have to cross the border by foot. A journey takes just over 14 hours and costs from R460. In Zambia side there is mostly recommended Mazhandu Family Bus. They have several buses every day. It takes around 5-6 hours from Lusaka to Livingstone. Roads are not bad and you can watch the African life in day time trip. Get around[ edit ] If you stay in the swanky hotels downtown, or even some of the budget accommodation options just outside the downtown area, walking is manageable. Most of places are no more than 3 km away from Victoria Falls. Some of the hotels in Victoria Falls are not really in Vic Falls, but most of these have their own transfer services. Cabs are plentiful, and should not cost more than $6 for a ride. However, for most occasions it is absolutely okay to simply walk (during the day that is).

If you arriving by plane and you need airport transfer or Chobe Day Trip Transfer or to go to the Boma, transfers from registered tour operators range from $5 Bomab, 15 Airport, $45 Kasane border. Find more Victoria Falls Transfers See & Do[ edit ] Perhaps you have seen postcards, holiday snaps, or film footage of the seventh wonder of the world, Victoria Falls. But have you actually been fortunate enough to stand beside the "smoke that thunders" watching and listening as the roar of 546 m³ of water, minute by minute, plunge down into a 100 m deep gorge below. Besides the falls themselves there are numerous land and water based activities to keep you busy for a day or two. There are several tour operators in town, who all take bookings for various activities, all are on commission, and you can only seemingly haggle over the size of the commission rather than cost of the activity. Wild Horizons offer many of the activities, so it may be better to negotiate direct with them rather than with a tout / agency.

Alternatively, you can use sites such as ZimShack.com to compare prices of activities between tour operators, book and pay securely online before you travel to Zimbabwe. Water based[ edit ] Canoeing [4] on the river above the falls, is a nice way to see some wildlife and relax. Canoeing is best described as "drifting" at walking pace with the flow of the river. If you want to cover some distance and do the paddling yourself, make it clear when you book. White water rafting [5] , on the river below the falls, spectacular and quite hair raising. Whitewater rafting day trips sell for about $110. The price includes a full day of shooting some of the best rapids in the world (including some Class V rapids); lunch, eaten on the water and all the beer you can chug after the climb out. Note that it is a tough decent on foot down the gorge to the launch point so wear no flip flops. Sunset cruises [6] on the Zambezi River, which is beautiful above the falls. A few drinks tend to be included.

The "sunset cruise" is a bit of a misnomer as all boats have to be off the river by Sunset. You will see most of the sunset after you are back in the dock. Victoria Falls Bridge-based[ edit ] Air-based[ edit ] Helicopter ride [13] , 15 min in a chopper, seems very popular, a downside of which is the constant noise. Microlight flights [14] over the gorge. At present, this is possible from the Zambia side only. The cost is roughly $190 for the 15 min tour and $380 for the 30 min tour. Land-based[ edit ] Visit the grand Victoria Falls Hotel for high tea. For about $30, you get tea, scones, a three-tiered sandwich platter, and a magnificent view of the Victoria Falls Bridge and gorge. From wherever you stay you can easily arrange for a safari (prices vary), a sunset cruise (around $50), or a helicopter ride(for about $150) over the falls. The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge has a no knock-out casino on site. For a casino, the Kingdom Hotel does have something to offer.

For something different try an elephant ride, or a horseback safari offered by a variety of tour operators in town. Chobe Day Trip will take you Chobe National Park, Botswana side known for its prolific wildlife. Trip Included breakfast, cruise, gamedrive & transfers from Victoria Falls Buy[ edit ][ add listing ] There is substantial opportunity to shop in Victoria Falls, and you can find a good deal. The curio markets are just behind the post office and has dozens of tourist shops from which you may select wood and stone carvings, jewelry, t-shirts, curios, books, postcards, artwork, etc. (For fun, see if you can find the shop with the pictures of Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, from their visit.) Traders in the sculpture markets are prepared to barter trade: hats, your shoes, T-shirts, pens, batteries are in demand. But think twice before you reduce people to the level of beggars. Just negotiate what you think is a fair price. Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Vic Falls has a sprinkling of top class restaurants, several African buffets often included in package tours, and a few coffee shops, sandwich shops, and fast food options.

The price/quality ratio is pretty good and for $20 US, you can feed an entire family. Budget[ edit ] In Da Belly, (in the Vic Falls rest camp / camp site)), ☎ +263 13 40509/11, [15] . breakfast, lunch and dinner. In spite of the rather lowbrow name, the place serves up a solid menu under a thatched roof overlooking the pool and railway line. Warthog and crocodile on the menu together with more standard fare. A nice place to have simple meal and hang out at the pool and meet overland travellers from around the world. Good value also. mains $6-$10. edit The Garden of Eat'n - Pizzas at Shoestring Backpackers Lodge. Selection of basic dishes. Prices are high for the food you receive. There are a Spar and a Seven-Eleven grocery store in town. Drinks and Food, snacks, camping supplies, are also available. Mid-range[ edit ] The Livingstone Room, (in the Victoria Falls hotel), [16] . closed Sundays. Elegant dining in elegant surroundings.

They have relaxed the dress code so you no longer need a jacket and tie, but do not rock up in your bermudas and sandels. If you only have one night in Vic Falls, this is the place to eat. Mains $15-25. edit Palm Restaurant, (in the Ilala Lodge, next to the railway station), ☎ +263 (13) 44737/8/9, [17] . lunch & dinner. Lovely terrace & garden setting where you can hear the falls and see the spray. Decent (border on fine dining) menu, with attentive service and tasteful surrounds. If you only have 2 nights in Vic Falls, eat here second (Vic Falls hotel should come first). Mains around $20. edit Makuwa-Kuwa [18] (also in the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge) offers a reasonable al a carte menu with a great view over a waterhole. The Rainforest Cafe, [19] . The perfect stop after a long, yet awe-inspiring walk through the World Heritage Site.

The Rainforest Café situated at the heart of the Victoria Falls Rainforest, offers sumptuous food, cool shade among the lush vegetation of this unique eco-system and a chance to relax before continuing onto your next adventure. Whether enjoying a delicious meal and much needed cold drink or simply sampling the divine coffee and heavenly homemade cakes, the powerful roar of this most majestic of waterfalls in the background enhances the ambiance of a tasty meal in a wonderful setting. Adjacent to the Café is the Interpretive Centre with information boards containing facts on the mighty Victoria Falls. There is also a lovely shop where visitors can purchase small gifts to remember their remarkable experience to the Victoria Falls. Groups are welcome and can book in advance. edit Splurge[ edit ] The Boma [20] (in the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge) offers a gluttonous 'eat as much as you can' buffet dinner with, ahem, 'authentic' African dancing. As with all tourist traps do expect a few coach parties to be there and don't expect top quality food, although the range is wide (Kudu, crocodile, impala, guinea fowl, mopani worms).

Lots of add-ons and upselling (the "boma" cocktail made with the "boma" stick, the medicine man who will throw the bones for you - for a price etc. etc.). You have been warned. $40-$60 or so for an evening meal. There is no food available within the park so bring it in yourself if you need something. Also, the monkeys within Victoria Falls will try to snatch your food if you are not paying attention to it. Drink[ edit ][ add listing ] Victoria Falls is not known anymore for its tremendous nightlife. There are a few small bars near the downtown area, but they are not well lit. It might be fun to stop in, but be careful. Alternatively, all the hotels feature huge, well-stocked bars. However, the prices will be higher, and you might not feel that you are in Africa anymore. Victoria Falls Travel Guide Victoria Falls Travel Guide Seasons - Accommodation - Towns - National Parks - Activities The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" -- the smoke that thunders and the Falls are remarkable.

There is a magic about them manifested in the towering column of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, the terrifying abyss and tranquil lagoons upstream in which hippo and deadly crocodiles lurk. The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummet over the edge every minute. Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860's. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialisation. Footage of Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls from the BBC Wild Africa series Seasons The river's annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 metres (1,300 ft), and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 km (30 miles) away.

During the flood season, however, it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia's Knife-Edge Bridge. As the dry season takes effect, the islets on the crest become wider and more numerous, and in September to January up to half of the rocky face of the falls may become dry and the bottom of the First Gorge can be seen along most of its length. Towns Victoria Falls town (in Zimbabwe ) lies on the southern bank of the Zambezi River at the eastern end of the Victoria Falls themselves. Victoria Falls Airport is 18 km south of the town and has international flights to Johannesburg and Namibia. Livingstone (in Zambia ) is a historic colonial city and tourism centre for Victoria Falls lying 10 km south on the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls. The Airport has international flights to Lusaka and Johannesburg in South Africa. Various accommodation options are available in Zimbabwe.

See also the options for Accommodation in Livingstone accros the river in Zambia. Open to visitors throughout the year, the Victoria Falls National Park in north-western Zimbabwe protects the south and east bank of the Zambezi River. It covers 23.4 km² extending from the larger Zambezi National Park about 6 km above the falls to about 12 km below the falls. A notable feature of the park is the rainforest which grows in the spray of the falls, including ferns, palms, liana vines, and a number of trees such as mahogany not seen elsewhere in the region. Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia is an UNESCO World Heritage site and is twinned to the Victoria Falls National Park on the Zimbabwean side. The Park covers 66 km² (25.5 square miles) from below the falls in a north-west arc along about 20 km of the Zambian river bank. It froms the south-western boundary of Livingstone and has two main sections, a wildlife park at its north-western end and the land adjacent to the Victoria Falls.

The national parks contain abundant wildlife including sizable populations of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and a variety of antelope. Activities A number of activities can be undertaken. The 'Flight of Angels' provides a fabulous vista of the falls, the upstream river and its many islands and for the more adventurous there is micro lighting with stunning views of the Fall. Rafting the wild rapids below the Falls is a very popular adventure. Visitors can also kayak, canoe, fish, go on guided walking safaris, ride on horseback and lunch on Livingstone's Island. Game viewing via boat or open vehicles is a popular activity above the falls or in in Chobe in Botswana. Source

Question: Who was the first Westerner to discover the Victoria Falls?
Answer: David Livingstone