Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe, Africa
Location Map We stopped over in Victoria Falls for 3 days after our trip to Namibia.
1: Location Map
 Victoria Falls Map Victoria Falls is on the Zambezi River, the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. We stayed on the Zimbabwe side of the falls.
2: Victoria Falls Map
 Livingstone Statue Scottish explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls in 1855.
3: Livingstone Statue
 First View The falls were known by natives as the 'Smoke that Thunders' because the spray can rise hundreds of feet into the air, resembling smoke (from a distance).
4: First View
Devil's Cataract Not quite a waterfall yet, the 'rapids' here are fast, furious and steep. A calm Zambezi River is in the distance with Neil in the foregound.
5: Devil's Cataract
 Main Falls This is only part of the Main Falls - and the yellow colour was real. The overall width of Victoria Falls is 1708m with a drop of 90 - 107m.
6: Main Falls
 Uppour Across from the Main Falls, the rain is literally going up rather than down. This was a very strange - and wet! - experience.
7: Uppour
 Essential Gear A poncho is essential although it doesn't really help to keep you dry. Humidity was 100% and the temperature was high - very uncomfortable!
8: Essential Gear
What Falls? At this point the spray was so dense the falls were lost to view. The 'thunder' was so loud it was difficult to have a conversation.
9: What Falls?
 Rainbow Falls View of Rainbow Falls from about the half way point across the falls.
10: Rainbow Falls
 Looking Back The view behind us as we approached Danger Point. The bald wet rocks and dodgy 'fences' (if present) didn't do much alleviate my height anxiety.
11: Looking Back
 Danger Point Danger Point looks over the Boiling Pot where sub-falls waters join to go into Batoka Gorge. In the background is Eastern Cataract (Zambia).
12: Danger Point
Bravery There are much braver people on this earth than myself. I did envy them being able to view the churning waters below. Damn!
13: Bravery
 Bird's Eye View A great way to view - a tethered balloon if you look closely. It's operation depends on the amount of spray which can rise to 500m.
14: Bird's Eye View
 River Cruise We stayed in the Kingdom Hotel and took a sunset cruise from River Lodge. It threatened rain all afternoon so we were expecting disappointment.
15: River Cruise
 Hippo 1 We saw hippos - the last of the great African animals we wanted to see - Etosha, in Namibia, had been too dry for them.
16: Hippo 1
Hippo 2 Thank goodness I had a long lens (the only 10x digital in 2001). Even though far away you could tell they were big animals!
17: Hippo 2
 Relaxation After the dryness of Namibia this was wonderful - calm river, drinks and good company. Who cared if it rained!
18: Relaxation
 Sun TIme The most amazing range of skies then appeared providing the opportunity to capture some magic moments - surely what photography is about.
19: Sun TIme
 Water Mosaic 1 I think Physics provides an explanation for this - but who cares!
20: Water Mosaic 1
Water Mosaic 2 Ditto.
21: Water Mosaic 2
 Golden Horseshoe One of the most amazing cloud formations I have seen.
22: Golden Horseshoe
 Final Glimmers Dusk light is reflected beautifully on the peaceful Zambezi River.
23: Final Glimmers
 Flight Time The next morning I took a flight over the falls. I managed to snag the seat next to the pilot for the perfect view.
24: Flight Time
Smoke That Thunders As we ascended, spray from the falls was like distant smoke. The tethered balloon is to the right.
25: Smoke That Thunders
 Toward Zambia Rainbow Falls is in the centre and the Eastern Cataract to the right. The bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia is to the lower right.
26: Toward Zambia
 Hovering The scene at my feet - my fear of heights was only overcome by my desire to capture the moment on film, card and video (a little tricky!).
27: Hovering
 Dry Season And this was the dry season. Imagine the flow in the flood season between February and May!
28: Dry Season
Rainbow Below There was a rainbow as we were looking down at the Main Falls.
29: Rainbow Below
 Slit In The Earth Devil's Cataract to the left and the Main Falls to the right. The outstanding memory of the falls is walking 'opposite' them.
30: Slit In The Earth
 Main Falls Cataract Island is to the top left, Main Falls in the centre. Livingstone's Island is to the lower right.
31: Main Falls
 Panorama You can picnic on Livingstone's Island, swim in its Devil's Pool and hang over the edge to photograph the 103m drop. (Check Google for videos.)
32: Panorama
The mighty Zambezi I lifted my eyes to see this magnificent view of the Zambezi River where we had cruised the previous afternoon.
33: The mighty Zambezi
 Batoka Gorge The outflow travels through many miles of sharply zig-zagging gorge. Victoria Falls township is seen at the top.
34: Batoka Gorge
 Kingdom Hotel The newest hotel (at the time) and closest to the falls. The Kingdom was mammoth in size and extravagant in design.
35: Kingdom Hotel
 Victoria Falls Hotel The original hotel in Victoria Falls for the English gentry. It was very expensive, and of course it had the best outlook.
36: Victoria Falls Hotel
Tea For 4 We enjoyed the morning tea and the view.
37: Tea For 4
 Hotel View The view of the spray from the Victoria Falls Hotel. In Australia we would have ascribed the distant 'smoke' to a bushfire.
38: Hotel View
 The Bridge The bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. You can bungee jump from it. At one time it had been the highest such jump in the world.
39: The Bridge
 Final View You can see the bungee rope and at one stage we saw rafters beneath. In short - Victoria Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world!
40: Final View