“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 they must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”
Now why settle for just ‘imagining’ such beauty when you too can enjoy it for yourself? Recognized as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the combined height and width of Victoria Falls makes it the largest waterfall in the world. At twice the height of Niagara Falls, the spray and mists rise upwards to about 260 miles and can be seen from over 30 miles. Millions of cubic liters of water crash upon the ground every minute. These thunderous echoes give the UNESCO World Heritage Site its local name – Mosi-oa-Tunya, which literally translates as “The Smoke That Thunders.” The roars can be heard for many more miles.
Spectacular wildlife are also drawn to the Falls. Herds of elephants, hippos, crocodiles and impalas populate the area -- along with beautiful florals and fauna. Vibrant rainbows are often spotted as well – at both daytime and nighttime. Victoria Falls is one of the few places in the world where this elusive nighttime moonbow can be seen.
Skirting the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, and along the Zambezi River, there was a time when locals would not dare venture towards the wonder, having a sacral fear of it for centuries. In David Livingstone’s time, despite traveling through the continent with a large team, only two tribal members dared accompany the explorer. Even Europeans rarely braved the adventure – but this all started to change in 1905 with the construction of a new railway, making travel here easier.