Victoria Falls from a viewpoint.
Victoria Falls is not a virtual experience. A multimedia experience cannot simulate it. The Falls are every bit as grand and as magnificent as I had envisioned going through several travel literature images in the past. Their noise was far more deafening than an aircraft taking off a flight, and the mist in the sky was visible like smouldering smoke from our plane as it approached the terminal. The Falls are nearly a mile wide, spanning the entire width of the Zambezi River.
Falls are where the Zambezi plummets through the narrow basalt gorges separating Zambia and Zimbabwe, causing a dynamic border between the two countries, consisting of rushing and boiling white water down below. It is the most magnificent waterfall on the planet and even more impressive than I had ever imagined! One must be attained on the edge of the rainforest staring into the furious gorge or madly rafting on the tumbling white waters or leisurely cruising on the Zambezi at sunset; one would be genuinely aware, overwhelmed by the authenticity of the experience. Such is the miracle of Victoria Falls.
Seeing the Falls in person means you'll be witnessing one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World (as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and what a sight it is! In the 1800s, the Kololo local tribe named it "Mosi-Oa-Tunya", expressing "The Smoke That Thunders" and being beside the cascading waters; you'll understand why named so? I agreed that the local name was incredibly appropriate! The sheer force of 625 million litres of water dropping over the basalt edge every minute creates a rainstorm that appears to fall below with thunderous and bellowing echoes across the land and beyond.
Standing at the rim of the Zambezi, the Falls resembled me like an Eternity; like an Infinity; the end of the world; a calm river with a sudden change in its personality, abruptly becoming wild, terrorizing and thundering while descending and crashing into the deep canyons below and yet so beautiful! As the Zambezi River thunders down, the spray produced by its fall is in the form of gigantic, foggy, smoky, but refreshing sprays drenching us. The absolute size and power of the Falls took my breath away. I don't think I could stand near the falls in the dark, invoking a fear within me as if getting apprehended by spirits and animations, good or bad or both!
Having visited and experienced the mighty Niagara Falls and Iguazu Falls in North and South America, respectively, it was a remaining choice for my husband and me to visit Victoria Falls in the southern African continent in time to come. We had a God-send opportunity to appreciate the same in July 2015 with approaching winters in Southern Africa bestowed with the fair weather to experience the Falls to the fullest.
The Mighty Zambezi River.
The Zambezi River is Africa's fourth-largest river, 2574 km long (after the Nile, Niger, and Congo rivers), the longest east-flowing river in Africa. Its source is a small bubbling spring 1500 m above sea level in the remote Mwinilunga district of far north-western Zambia, close to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. It first flows as a small stream westwards into Angola, swinging back into Zambia 240 km later. Here the river leaves the flood plains and drops in elevation through a series of rapids to enter Mozambique, where it crosses the country to empty into the Indian ocean. Africa has no shortage of incredible feats of nature, but it is the omnipotent Victoria Falls that we would love to come back to, at least once more! First laid eyes on by Scottish explorer Dr David Livingstone in 1855, the Falls are twice the size of Niagara Falls; height 108 metres tall and over 1700 metres wide; in fact, it's the largest fall in the world.
How Victoria Falls compares to two of the world's other incredible waterfalls:
Creation and location of Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls marks the border between southwestern Zambia and north-western Zimbabwe. Botswana and Namibia also join this region around the Zambezi but not the Falls themselves. Victoria Falls is known as one of the world's natural wonders, a stunning and unparalleled geographical feature with record tourism. How the falls evolved? How old are these falls? How did the world come to know about the falls?
How old are the Falls?
The age remains contentious and disputable amongst geologists and scientists who trust that the falls' evolution process began almost five million years ago. Some, on the contrary, believe that falls are much younger, nearly 100,000 years old!
How were the Falls created?
Scientists explain that movements and volcanic, tectonic plates that shaped ancestral Africa also shaped the falls. The Victoria Falls were generated by a big shift in river systems that began by geological upheavals in southern central Africa some 15 million years ago.
How did the world come to know about the Falls?
Recognized by the local inhabitants for centuries, it was first drawn to the wider world's attention by the famous Scottish missionary, physician and explorer Dr David Livingstone in 1855. Born in Scotland, he arrived in Africa in 1840.
Livingstone memo in the park
While David Livingstone was not the first European to come to Zambia, he was the first to travel to Victoria Falls. In 1851, having travelled north into Zambia's unmapped territory, Livingstone reached the banks of a large river that locals called the Liambai. He correctly identified this river as the upper reaches of the Zambezi, which was known to Europeans by its lower stretches so far. Livingstone was told of a great waterfall some distance downstream by a local chief, but he didn't visit the falls then. It was not until 1855, having already explored the upper stream of Zambezi, that Livingstone returned and finally explored the downstream, escorted by his friend, the local chief.
He gazed at the falls and wrote; No one can imagine the beauty of the views from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight ( Livingstone 1857).
He named falls in English-The Victoria Falls, in honour of his monarch, the reigning Queen Victoria, who never saw the Falls!
He wrote further: I did not comprehend it until creeping with awe to the verge; I peered down into a significant rent which had been made from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi and saw that a stream of a thousand yards wide leapt down a hundred feet; the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa ( Livingstone 1857).
The island where he stood to see the Falls for the first time was called Livingstone, which then, in times, transformed into Livingstone town in Zambia. The reports by David Livingstone generated curiosity in the area, and ultimately, missionaries and traders began to settle in the town of Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (Zambia).
The colonial disharmony in the name of Victoria Falls.
It is something of the colonial pride that Victoria Falls is a recognized name for such a profoundly African territory and legacy. Its original lyrical name, Mosi-Oa-Tunya, is more appropriate, as Zimbabwe and Zambia, whose borders meet at the Falls, are committed to the anti-colonial struggle. But Livingstone and Victoria Falls have become the branded names for the tourism industry worldwide.
The Victoria Falls Rainforest.
The best part about Victoria Falls' location is seeing it from both Zimbabwe and Zambia in one day! As the water befalls to great depths, the Falls create endless streams of showers and mists just like in rain forests, creating rainbows drifting and moving about with shrieking spectacle. As we took a long-winded walk (on the Zimbabwe side) along the edge of the river with Falls constantly in our views, we were pleasantly surprised that there was no hard built embankment, Bund or fence along the edges of the cracked basalt or canyons.
Rainforest alongside the Victoria Falls.
Walking along, one would identify the various viewing spots along the river like Devil's Pool, Devil's Cataract, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, Eastern Cataract, Danger Point, Knifes Edge, and Livingstone Island. These were the viewpoints to look out for the falls while experiencing the African landscape. The mist and showers were limiting the Falls' views and causing soaking of the cameras, which we had to cover with a protective film at times. It was an incredible experience seeing the falls at full force, but it certainly put limitations on our photography. There was plenty of game along the river walk, seeing baboons, bushbucks, and warthogs. Plenty of birdlife, too, including noticing a variety of herons, darters and hornbills.
Getting soaked in a fine spray
As it has become known, the Victoria Falls Rainforest is an area of dense woodland vegetation supported and nourished by the waterfall's constant spray. Although it is not a true rainforest in ecological terms, it has formed quite a unique ecosystem due to the rainfall 24/7. The entire river walk is dominated by trees which were all labelled and named. We came across the famous African flora naming Zambezi teaks, buffalo thorns, cassia, flame trees, baobab trees, African Ebony, tatters palms, Zig-Zag Terminalia, Waterbury, sycamore figs, ficus, sausage trees and Batuka plums etc. We walked from our hotel to the Falls twice to enter the premises to enjoy the Falls' beauty, reaching up to the Victoria Falls Bridge, another highlight of this area.
The river's beauty has attracted tourists from all over the world and provides great opportunities for game viewing and various water sports. Hippopotamus, crocodiles, elephants and lions are examples of wildlife we found along with various parts of the Zambezi River during the Zambezi River sunset cruise.
The Victoria Falls Bridge, the dream project of Cecil John Rhodes, Prime Minister of South Africa.
Before the Victoria Falls bridge was built and completed in 1905, the Zambezi River had to be crossed either by a barge on a steel cable or a dugout canoe at Old Drift, near Livingstone township. David Livingstone hoped that the Zambezi river would be a transport corridor that would open up Africa's central regions; his hopes of navigating the river were drowned by the rugged gorges and wild rapids of the middle sections of the river. On the other hand, Cecil John Rhodes, another Britisher in South Africa, had a vision of a railway line to construct from the Cape to Cairo. Part of this project required a bridge to be built over the Zambezi gorge. Cecil John Rhodes was the son of a clergyman in the UK. At the age of 17, Rhodes was sent to South Africa to be with his brother. The brothers invested in the newly opened Kimberley diamond fields establishing the world-famous DeBeers diamond mining company, collecting unprecedented wealth. After Cecil Rhodes became the Prime Minister of South Africa (1890-1895), he realised the region's possibilities of economic development and commercial exploitation with his dreams of a railway line, as specified above. Rhodes devoted himself to developing the territories collectively called Zambiaze and changing its name to Rhodesia after himself (1895). Nearly 100 years later, a new constitutional rule replaced Rhodesia with Zimbabwe in 1980. After he died in 1902, having no family, Rhodes provided a large portion of his rich estate to establish the UK's Rhodes Scholarships. The bridge took to completion in 1905, three years after his death, but sadly the complete project of taking the railway line to Cairo was never completed.
Victoria Falls Bridge is an iconic part of the Victoria Falls landscape. The bridge was designed by Sir Ralph Freeman (who also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge) and was built by Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company of UK and brought to Zambia in parts via Mozambique. About 125m above the river, it was the highest bridge in the world. The bridge is also the no man's land between the two countries and is one of the world's highest bungee jumps at approx 111m. We were fortunate to take a leisure trip on the luxury steam engine train, a tourist attraction when the gourmet dinner was served on board during the journey. Once all passengers were on board, the old locomotive fired up and puffed its way on the designated route crossing vast grasslands and beyond.
Interiors of Livingstone Express
Relaxing in the lounge, taking in Africa's sounds and sights, the train reached the Bridge where we disembarked and wandered along on this historical landmark while enjoying the vistas around. We could feel the waterfalls touching us, being a sunset adventure with a whole lot of difference. It was packed with fun joining the locals while walking on the bridge and viewing the Falls in all the feasible directions. Although the railway line never did reach Cairo, the completed stretch gave more people access to Victoria Falls - a journey that used to take four months now only took four days by train.
The Grand Old Lady of The Falls, The Victoria Falls Hotel.
Vic Falls Hotel
Along with the Falls and the Bridge, The Victoria Falls Hotel is much a part of the same African legacy and is a must-visit property while visiting the Falls landscape. From its humble beginnings in 1904 to luxury five-star elegance, from the arrival of the railway to the age of aviation, and from colonial administration to Independence, the Victoria Falls Hotel is embraced in history. Over the continued operation period, the hotel has turned into a global icon from its unassuming commencements being an imposing survivor of the colonial era following Livingstone's Falls' discovery.
At the Hotel with Falls and bridge views
Enjoying tea at Stanley Terrace, at the hotel
As we walked in its green gardens and freshly cut lawns, lush with vegetations, including Frangipani, Palms, bougainvillaea, fountains and verandas, the views of the Falls and the bridge from here would remain etched in my memories. While white-gloved and smartly uniform employees served teas and light meals on Stanley Terrace, it was a luxurious experience to enjoy the estate's set up and sharing the fellow tourist's activities. The Victoria Falls Hotel continues to be the landmark facility to view the popular tourist attraction, the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. Hospitality experts claim that the most crucial factor behind the hotel's success has been its proximity to Victoria Falls, one of the world's most remarkable sights: a spectacle unrivalled in the world.
African Landscape with its Flora and Fauna.
While in Africa, one is bound to engage in the lush green flora and abundant animal and bird life appearing at your doorsteps. The Victoria Falls park itself is on a major elephant seasonal migration route with neighbouring Botswana's epicentre. The Chobe( Botswana) wildlife zone has the highest density of elephants in the world. Our guide took us out on a safari in Hwange national park( Zimbabwe), Chobe national park and Chobe river safari in Botswana for a lifetime experience. Although there are wild Lion and leopards in these parks but are hardly ever seen.
Posted Landmarks
While on the Chobe river safari, the guide got me interested in an obviously abundant birdlife. Though I was not able to picture the described birds, I enjoyed watching this habitat along the Chobe river and noted down all these names like African fish eagle, Black eagle, African Paradise flycatcher, Falcons, Red-collared Puppeteer, Blue Waxbill, White Browned Robin-Chat, African Finfoot, African Skimmer, Various Herons, hornbills, Kingfishers, Ibis, marabou stroke etc. Alongside, the national parks were beaming with animal game activity all the way thru encountering hippos, crocodiles, in the river or along the banks, and then herds of elephants, kudus, waterbucks, Giraffes, Zebras, impalas, and many more on land.
Charity Projects In the township of Victoria Falls.
The above pictured a local village chief named Mpisi Ndlovu, aged 73 is a social reformer and educationalist while negotiating with the local government to open primary schools, pharmacies and bring on water resources. He has been instrumental in improving the locally based economic and agricultural facilities in the villages and around. Thru his charitable projects, I have been in touch with him and am very thankful to him and his wife to update me on his projects.
Comments and criticisms are most kindly welcomed, as are the contributions to my blog. I collected and entered the above information on history in my travel journal while I was touring the place; the park's factual information was displayed on bulletins at various spots.
As before, I have posted a picture of my travel Journal details here.
I really enjoyed reading this blog - I didn’t realise the falls were actually walking ( or a stone’s throw) distance from Victoria Falls hotel! I think you have now had the chance to visit the three great falls of the world?!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ruchika beta. I am glad that you liked this blog. We have seen three major Falls. My next blog is on Iguazu falls. Love.
ReplyDeleteHolidaying in colonial grandeur. one can almost hear the roar of the falls.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dr Prem. Much appreciated. Regards.
DeleteGrand description as are the falls! Has heard much about these falls but almost felt it through your blog. Your treasure of travel journals must be very handy reminiscing actual travel details. Waiting for the Iguazu falls.
ReplyDeleteThank you Praveen. I really appreciate your comments. You guessed right. Iguazu Falls are next topic!
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