Victoria Falls: Everything You Need To Know | African Bush Camps

Victoria Falls, affectionately known as Mosi-oa Tunya by locals, meaning “the smoke that thunders.”

Victoria Falls is one of the most famous and iconic destinations in Africa. It is also one of the most visited tourist destinations on the continent. Your trip to Zimbabwe or Zambia, whichever side you decide to visit, is simply incomplete without a visit to Vic Falls.

As travel experts, we visit the Victoria Falls frequently, and there is only one word to describe our experience: breathtaking.

Vic Falls stretches along the Zambezi River and forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Kololo tribe, who lived in the area in the 1800s, named it “Mosi-oa-Tunya“—’The Smoke That Thunders’. You can see columns of spray from miles away when, during the peak of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per hour plummet over the edge. This is a distance of almost two kilometers and into a gorge of over one hundred meters below.

Which side is better: Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Zambia?

This is largely dependent on your safari expectations. Both sides have breathtaking views of Vic Falls, but your lodging choices and leisure preferences may impact your stay. Luckily, we have camps in both Zimbabwe and Zambia. In fact, you’ll be spoilt for choice when deciding.

It is important to note that the Victoria Falls Zimbabwe is home to about three-quarters the Falls, which means, it has the best vantage point.

If you want the best of both worlds, the Victoria Falls Bridge allows you to quickly cross the border. All you’ll need is a passport and a double-entry/multiple-entry visa, which you can get at the border. This means that if you live on the Zambian side and wish to see the Falls from the Zimbabwean side, you can do so on a day trip—and vice versa.

Walking down the footpaths of Victoria Falls National Park can be quite an experience. You’ll find yourself in a lush rainforest, and then reach gorge-edge viewpoints. Here, you will be met by the majestic Main Falls, which thunders down into the rock chasm below, causing tremors beneath your feet.

If you’re more interested in getting close to the cascades of water, then you should make your way to the Zambian side of the Vic Falls. During high-water season, you will be able to stroll along the paved trails on the waterfall’s edge and traverse the heart-racing Knife-Brink Bridge—an exhilarating (and drenching) trek along the edge of the precipice, about 100 meters (328 feet) above the gorge.

Even during low-water season, you can follow the trail down to the boiling pot, a large vortex at the bottom of the waterfall. Look up and be amazed at the sheer size of this natural phenomenon!

Is Victoria Falls the World’s Largest Waterfall?

The Victoria Falls is known as the greatest falling curtain of water on the planet and is now one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

The Victoria Falls is the world’s largest waterfall.

Though it may not be the widest or the highest , Vic Falls is classified as the largest because of its combined width of 1,708 metres and height of 108 metres. Surpassing the magnificent Niagara and Iguacu Falls.

Vic Falls comprises of five different ‘smaller’ waterfalls. One is in Zambia and four are in Zimbabwe. On a Zimbabwe safari, you can expect to see the Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls. In Zambia, you will find the Eastern Cataract.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at Each of These Smaller Falls:

The Devil’s Cataract

Devil’s Cataract is 70m high and named after the nearby island which local tribes still inhabit today. These tribes often partake in ceremonies, which were referred to as ‘devilish’ by missionaries who frequented the island. This is why the cataract was named Devil’s Cataract.

Main Falls

Main Falls is 93 meters high and is the biggest falls of the five. It also offers the most spectacular view of the Falls. Main Falls is surrounded by a wide curtain of water with a peak flow rate at 700 000 cubic metres per hour. The volume of water at the top of the falls is so large that the water is battered and transformed into a thick mist by strong rising winds.

Horseshoe Falls

Horseshoe Falls is 95 meteres high. This falls takes the shape of a horseshoe and has the lowest volume of water. It usually dries up between October and November.

The Eastern Cataract

The Eastern Cataract is found in Zambia and is 101 metres high. You will also be able to see the Eastern Cataract when visiting Danger Point, an exposed, rocky, raised mass of land with low shrubs and grasses, which is often battered by strong winds. The rocks here are extremely slippery and travellerss should stay away from the edge.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is 108 meters height, which means that it is the highest point among all five. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see a beautiful rainbow on a clear day. On occassion, when a full moon is on display you may even see a lunar rainbow.