VICTORIA FALLS TOWN | ZIMBABWE
reasons TO VISIT VICTORIA FALLS TOWN
WRITER: INNOCENT QAPHELA MUKUTE PHOTOGRAPHY: WILD HORIZONS, THE VICTORIA FALLS HOTEL, ILALA LODGE, AFRICA ALBIDA TOURISM, DUSTY ROADS, MATETSI VICTORIA FALLS
he mystical splendour of the mighty Zambezi’s tumbling cascade into the depths of a ‘gorge-ous’ ravine is a majestic beauty like no other on the face of the planet. The massive splash from the waterfall creates a spray that rises up to half a kilometre into the sky and can be seen as far as 40 kilometres away. And when the golden rays of the African sun caress the mist of ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, the most dazzling rainbows illuminate the sky. World-famous 19th-century travel blogger David Livingstone described it thus, ‘...scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight’. Behold—this is the world-famous Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, otherwise known as the Victoria Falls. This has become more than just an abode of wondrous beauty; it is has earned its place as Africa’s adventure capital with endless possibilities for travel enthusiasts like you and I. Forget what you have heard about not chasing waterfalls and allow your wanderlust to lead you to Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. As the world re-opens to travel, here are 20 reasons why Victoria Falls is a destination you will love in 2020 and beyond.
1. TOUR OF THE RAINFOREST In about two hours or so, get soaked in the mist of ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, the Mosi-Oa-Tunya, aka Victoria Falls. Forget what you have heard about this being ‘down to a trickle’ because this is still the biggest waterfall on Earth, and it is beyond breathtaking. If you don’t believe in love at first sight that’s all right because there are 17 viewing points to wow you over on the Zimbabwean side alone. If you cross over to Livingstone on the Zambian side, there are more. During the low season some viewing points like ‘The Horseshoe’ often dry up, while viewpoints like ‘The Main Falls’ remain indomitable throughout the year—this has been happening since time immemorial. The low season is somewhere between September and December with the lowest daily flow recorded normally in October at around 30,000 litres per second, normally just before the rainy season arrives. High season is somewhere between March and July, with the highest daily flow recorded normally in May/June at around 2.1 million litres per second. As if to show off, Mother Nature
has turned the flora beneath the spray into a flourishing rainforest that has become a paradise through which thousands of tourists from around the world stroll to see the Falls.
2. SUNDOWNERS ON THE ZAMBEZI I can’t imagine a better way to marvel at the dazzling African sunsets than aboard a Zambezi sunset cruise. I will never forget watching the mighty Zambezi kindled into sumptuous colour by the glorious rays of the setting sun as I sipped sundowners. An elephant browsing on an island facing the jetty as we boarded was the grand opening to our sunset cruise. Once our captain got the engine roaring, we cruised towards the island and enjoyed a close-up view of this giant mammal. An open bar is standard for a sunset cruise and drinks flow as you motor along. So what else did we see on this island? Two giraffes, so within a few minutes of cruising we’d already seen the biggest and the tallest land mammals. It was our lucky day for sure. With an estimated
TRAVEL & LEISURE | ISSUE 17 | NOVEMBER 2020–APRIL 2021
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