Tumbling down 100-metre-high cliffs surrounded by lush forest, Victoria Falls is, without a doubt, one of Africa’s most astounding sights one could encounter in a lifetime.
The biggest sheet of falling water on the planet stretching 1.7 kilometres wide, the falls span both Zimbabwe and Zambia, and on each country’s border, there are pathways that take you to the edge of cliffs where you can get dramatic views which could spice up your view of the site.
The site is the largest sheet of falling water in the world! That alone make Victoria Falls worth visiting by all manner of persons, but seeing this thundering waterfall is just one of the many highlights of Victoria Falls tours.
With so much to see and do at Victoria Falls you simply can’t skip it. The biggest decision you’re left with is which side of the Zambezi River to stay on. Victoria Falls is shared by two countries: Zambia (to the north) and Zimbabwe (to the south). Which is the right side for you - Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Zambia?
The Falls is comprised of five individual falls, of which, four of them are located on the Zimbabwe side of the border. These include Devil's Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls. The fifth Eastern Cataract is located on the Zambia side of the border.
On the Zimbabwean side, the town of Victoria Falls sits right by the falls themselves, and offers a huge array of adrenaline sports and safari activities including bungee jumping, abseiling, white-water rafting and wildlife spotting from horseback.
This part of the larger collection of waterfalls is often considered the most spectacular. This is one of the widest curtains of water which drop 305 feet (93 m) to the canyon floor. This powerful flow of water creates an abundance of spray which triggers many of the rainbows. The spray also leads to the abundant rainforest around the gorge.
As the falls span Zimbabwe and Zambia, there are benefits to seeing them from both sides of the border. Zimbabwe has the wider views of the falls, with most of the viewing points, but on the Zambian side – a short walk across a bridge – the viewing path takes you closer to the falls. When the river runs low (from October to December), you can also swim in the Devil’s Pool, a natural rockpool right on the edge of the falls in Zambia. If you’d like to visit the Zambian side, you’ll need to get a KAZA visa when you enter Zimbabwe, which costs $50 for 30 days of travel and allows you to enter both Zimbabwe and Zambia.