After a calm night and a hearty breakfast from the overflowing buffet we called a taxi to visit the falls. The distance was not very far, but it was not recommended to walk, cases of mugging along the main road had been reported... Joe drove up with his blue taxi and 15 minutes later we were standing at the entrance of the world famous Victoria Falls, one of the 7th Natural Wonders of the World and listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
We each paid US$20, made our way in and looked at a map indicating a network of paths. We chose “Panoramic view” and start walking. Groups of wet but smiling visitors passed us on their way out. Families of all nationalities stood at the various viewpoints having their pictures taken. From each platform you had a different perspective of the falls. I could feel the power of the water and saw the entire Zambezi River pouring down the deep gorge I was standing in front of. As I moved closer to the falls I was soon engulfed in swirling clouds of mist. It was time to unpack my rain jacket and cover my camera. I moved along the ridge, opposite the falls, first getting lightly sprayed and then totally soaked.
I couldn’t help but giggle, noticing a young Japanese, without rain protection, hugging his camera packed into a plastic bag. He did not look pleased to be soaking from head to foot. A small footbridge hanging from Knifes Edge beckoned me to cross it. I watched the view for a while, whenever the cloud of mist would disappear, giving me a peak of the falls. Visitors on the footbridge were making lots of noise and laughing. I carefully moved onto the bridge and understood why: under my feet water flowed like a raging river. It was very powerful and you had to be careful not to slip. I ran to the middle of the bridge shrieking, like all the others, and stopped to look down. The deep drop was filled with thick forest.
The Victoria Falls was also called Mosi-o-Tunya in Lozi, which translates to The Smoke that Thunders. They are not the highest nor the widest falls in the world but claimed to be the largest. 1708 meters wide and 108 meters high and about twice the height of North America’s Niagara Falls. The spray can rise between 400 and 800 meters and be seen up to 50 km.
It was the first time I had the opportunity to see falls of this size, height and force. The view was spectacular it was wonderful to get close enough to see so many perspectives of this striking site. I was impressed at how natural the entire site had been kept. A bit further along a group of Chacma or Cape Baboons lay around lazily as members of their family searched them for fleas. I sometimes made a big loop around them, not knowing if they would become aggressive if I got too close.
In the distance loomed the bridge and border crossing over the Zambezi River from Zambia to Zimbabwe. The bridge was built in 1905 during the Cecil Rhode’s British rule. Rhodes insisted that the first bridge over the Zambezi should be located where the spray of the falls could fall on the passing trains. Today courageous bungee jumpers use the bridge to take the plunge. You can visit the Victoria Falls from both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The next path led down "Boiling Pot". It was a remarkable walk through thick jungle 150 meters down to the rushing river. The noise of the water intensified, the closer we got. As I reached the water I noticed numerous swirling whirlpools. Apparently sometimes an occasional hippo or an object gets caught in it and the whirlpool and is coughed up only many kilometres downriver.
On the way back 2 young Zimbabwean traders tried selling us local bank notes as souvenirs. They seemed pretty desperate and did not give up right away. We had to promise to visit their souvenir stall on the way out so that they would leave. Zimbabwe’s years of unrest and political instability made the once numerous visitors to Zimbabwe in the recent years move to the Zambian side. Nearing the exit I noticed a large line of trucks, loaded with goods, waiting to make their way to cross the border.
As we left the park and waited for Joe, we watched the baboons look through the garbage and almost jump inside it! Some of males were quite impressive in size. I kept my distance and used my binoculars to get a closer look at them. When the taxi arrived I was still soaking wet but happy with a big smile on my face.
