Zambia | Victoria watervallen | luchtfoto
It is very easy to see why Victoria Falls at Livingstone in Zambia, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is regarded as the eighth wonder of the world. Since the start of the crisis in Zimbabwe, the town of Livingstone in Zambia has developed rapidly as a base of operations from where the waterfalls and the Zambezi River can be explored from the opposite side.
Statistically speaking, Victoria Falls are the widest waterfalls in Africa: the water gushes 107 metres downward over a breadth of 1709 metres. Victoria Falls are at their fullest between April and June and in the rainy season, more than 500 million litres of water thunder down into the gorge below per minute. UNESCO declared the falls a World Heritage Site in 1989.
Although David Livingstone named the giant waterfall after Queen Victoria in 1855, the local people use the name Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means 'the smoke that thunders'. The smoke referred to here is in a spray that can be seen from several kilometres away. Because of this spray, we recommend - for the safety of your camera - that you don't take photographs in the close proximity of the falls. It's also a good idea when clothing yourself for such a visit to remember that you may get very wet. You will be given the opportunity to rent a rain cape.
According to those in the know, Victoria Falls are at their most spectacular during sunset or sunrise. In the morning, the sun plays on the spray, creating a beautiful rainbow. You might even bear witness to rainbows that span 360°!
From March, at the end of the rainy season, the waterfalls are at their fullest. At the end of the dry season, six months later, there is a lot less water, which actually means that there are much more opportunities to take photographs.
You can also enjoy the stunning Zambian nature further upstream the Zambezi River. We recommend stopping here for one or two nights so that you can really enjoy the nature and have the chance to go on a day trip to Victoria Falls.
It took four years after missionaries and the explorer David Livingstone first heard about Victoria Falls for them to become the first Europeans to set eyes on Victoria Falls. Livingstone looked down onto the vast spray of the falls from the island that is now named after him. It was as white as snow. His eyes followed the spray down the length of what seemed like an endless torrent and he seated himself among the evergreens that grow around the top of the falls. Here, he wrote about a few small streams and water that, as a result of the spray that was continually pushed back upwards, never seemed to reach the bottom. The view in front of Livingstone filled him with awe.
Victoria Falls are more than merely a picture postcard: They are also the setting for a number of extreme sports such as bungee jumping from Zambezi Bridge, ultra-light flying and white water rafting.
