Victoria Falls is a small tourism town on the bank of the Zambezi River at the eastern end of the Victoria Falls themselves in Zimbabwe .
The town is situated within the wider Victoria Falls National Park. A short distance upstream is the Park entrance, where elephant, buffalo, and various antelope species such as impala, kudu, and waterbuck are common.
From scenic upstream river cruises to racing white-water rapids in the Batoka Gorge, the Zambezi River above and below the Victoria Falls provides a range of activities.
The town and surrounding area have a wide variety of lodging options, ranging from camping, bed and breakfast, and self-catering to luxury resort hotels and safari lodges, all conveniently located in and around town. Contact us for booking safely your stay at the Falls.
Victoria Falls, spectacular waterfall located about midway along the course of the Zambezi River, at the border between Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south. Approximately twice as wide and twice as deep as Niagara Falls, the waterfall spans the entire breadth of the Zambezi River at one of its widest points (more than 5,500 feet [1,700 metres]). At the falls, the river plunges over a sheer precipice to a maximum drop of 355 feet (108 metres). The falls’ mean flow is almost 33,000 cubic feet (935 cubic metres) per second.
Things to Know
Victoria Falls, spectacular waterfall located about midway along the course of the Zambezi River, at the border between Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the south. Approximately twice as wide and twice as deep as Niagara Falls, the waterfall spans the entire breadth of the Zambezi River at one of its widest points (more than 5,500 feet [1,700 metres]). At the falls, the river plunges over a sheer precipice to a maximum drop of 355 feet (108 metres). The falls’ mean flow is almost 33,000 cubic feet (935 cubic metres) per second.
The Zambezi River does not gather speed as it nears the drop, the approach being signalled only by the mighty roar and characteristic veil of mist for which the Kalolo-Lozi people named the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”). The lip of the falls’ precipice is split into several parts by various small islands, depressions, and promontories along its edge. The eastern portions of the falls are mostly dry during times of low river flow.
The waters of Victoria Falls do not drop into an open basin but rather into a chasm that varies in width from 80 to 240 feet (25 to 75 metres). This chasm is formed by the precipice of the falls and by an opposite rock wall of equal height. The chasm’s only outlet is a narrow channel cut in the barrier wall at a point about three-fifths of the way from the western end of the falls, and through this gorge, which is less than 210 feet (65 metres) wide and 390 feet (120 metres) long, flows the entire volume of the Zambezi River. At the gorge’s end is the Boiling Pot, a deep pool into which the waters churn and foam at flood time. Just below the Boiling Pot, the gorge is spanned by the Victoria Falls (Zambezi) Bridge, which carries rail, automobile, and pedestrian traffic between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The river’s waters then emerge into an enormous zigzag trough that forms the beginning of Batoka Gorge, which has been cut by the river to a depth of 400–800 feet (120–240 metres) through a basalt plateau for a distance of 60 miles (100 km).
The British explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls (November 16, 1855). He named them for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. In addition to the falls themselves, which now attract tourists from all parts of the world, the surrounding Victoria Falls National Park (Zimbabwe) and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (Zambia) abound with large and small game and offer recreational facilities.
Wildlife Most visitors who make their way to Victoria Falls National Park are probably only interested in seeing the region’s iconic waterfalls, but there are also a number of incredible wildlife species you can observe in the area and it's possible to spot the Big Five. If you're hoping to hear a lion roar in the wild or come face to face with elephants in their natural habitat, you just have to know where to look.
Birding The Victoria Falls area is diverse, including as it does here Kazungula and the Zambezi National Park to the south of the Falls and many different habitats. Our bird list should be used with some discretion as some birds occur only in the Kazungula area.
Kazungula occupies the most westerly corner of the country with the Zambezi River and its swamps and floodplains, acacia and open woodland, with Zambia just across the river, Botswana to the west and an arrow point of the Zambezi Region (Caprivi Strip) north of that. On the floodplains are specials such as the Slaty Egret, Long-toed Lapwings, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Swamp Nightjar, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Greater Swamp-warbler, Luapula and Chirping Cisticolas, Plain-backed Pipit, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Swamp Boubou.
Shelley’s Sunbird is found and there is a strong probability of Basra Reed-warbler, as yet to be officially added to the Zimbabwean list. Fan-tailed Widowbird is marginal to the country at this spot with Burchell’s Starling more common. Bradfield’s Hornbill, Broad-tailed Paradise-whydah, Orange-winged Pytilia, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Red-necked Falcon, Olive-tree Warbler are generally found in the woodlands of the area, Denham’s Bustard in the National Park, along with occasional and rare Red-headed Quelea between the Falls and Kazungula. The Victoria Falls can give you Brown Firefinch, Schalow’s Turaco, Olive Woodpecker, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Collared Palm-thrush and many others. The gorges are very popular for adventure-type safaris and activities and this has threatened the Taita Falcon though Peregrine Falcons are more tolerant of disturbance.
There are also many other raptors to be seen in the area, including the migrants in summer. African Black Swifts are common in the gorges and the mottled hollidayi race here has led to reports of Mottled Swift! Naturally every birder knows to check out the local sewage works and the ponds at Victoria Falls are no exception. Ross’s Turaco has been reported from the river and here you can find Western Banded Snake-eagle, Lesser Sand Plover (rare), Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Rufous-bellied Heron, Rock, Collared and Black-winged Pratincoles, African Skimmer and many other waders and waterbirds. (source: www.birdlifezimbabwe.org)
