Victoria Falls From Livingstone Island

Victoria Falls from exclusive Devil’s Pool Devil’s Pool: Guests enjoying the view of By: Sanja Cloete-Jones Photo: Tongabezi Lodge

ictoria Falls is one of the world’s natural wonders and among the most spectacular sights in all Africa. Most visitors will see the falls from the paths of one of two national parks surrounding the largest curtain of falling water in the world. A small number of travellers will take the experience to an entirely new level.

It is not a secret exactly. But not everyone knows that the best vantage point from which to witness the true gravity of Victoria Falls is tiny Livingstone Island. Located right in the middle of the giant waterfall, the island reaches to the edge of the falls.

There is a special place in history for Livingstone Island because it is from here that Dr. David Livingstone first glimpsed the falls on the 17th of November 1855. Queen Victoria of England named the island for her intrepid explorer.

Before the 19th century, Portuguese explorers indicated the existence of the falls on their maps. The Arabs talked and wrote about the falls, calling them ‘the end of the world’ and Europeans were highly sceptical of their existence—considering the existence of such a large sheet of falling water impossible in an area that lacked mountains and valleys. Of course, local people had known the falls themselves and the little island in the middle of it all for centuries before the Scottish doctor came to “discover” it. Archaeological sites around the falls prove that humans have lived there for at least 3 million years. The Khoisan were displaced by the southern Tonga, the Matabele, the Batswana and the Makololo. Early inhabitants called the falls Mosi-o-Tunya, a name that David Livingstone was very impressed indeed. He wrote: “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 must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” While very little is known about the exact activities that took place on the island during past centuries, it is believed to have been a holy site where sacrifices took place.

Swimming in the Devil’s Pool and the Angel’s Armchair during the months when the Victoria Falls dries up and the Zambezi flows at its lowest also started quite a long time ago. Maybe it was Livingstone’s words that inspired the names of the two pools! While these incredible infinity pools are inherently safe, careful precautions must be taken to prevent any unfortunate accidents. Due to this and the fact that all of Livingstone Island is a declared World Heritage site, access to the island has been restricted for the last three decades.

Tongabezi Lodge, a local business, was awarded the exclusive lease to host trips to the island by the government. No more than 16 guests are allowed on the island at any one time and no permanent structures may be erected here. Visits to Livingstone Island are strictly dependent on the water levels of the Zambezi. Tongabezi offers five trips a day to Livingstone Island. A twin-engine boat carries guests through the fast-moving channels of the Zambezi, a thrilling journey. Once on the island, they are given a guided tour to learn about its history from ancient times when it served as a sacrificial site, to the present day and its World Heritage status.