Visit Zambia, Zimbabwe. See Victoria Falls.

Mosi-oa-Tunya, ZAMBIA and ZIMBABWE

One of the world's most majestic water spectacles is the Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning The Cloud That Thunders. It is otherwise called the Mosikalamosikala meaning The Smoke That Thunders. This legendary waterfall, generally known as the Victoria Falls, is among the biggest, and most awe-inspiring on the planet. Mosi-oa-Tunya was named after the British Queen Victoria when it was discovered by Scotsman David Livingstone in 1855, four years after he heard of the great waterfall.

The Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of falling water in the world; it is 1688 m wide and 108 m high; and with up to 500 million litres per minute descending at 61 m (Devil’s Cataract), 83 m (Main Falls), 99 m (Rainbow Falls), 98 m (Eastern Cataract). It is one of the most amazing sights in the world: twice as tall as Niagara Falls and several times longer. Although not the highest, the widest or the greatest volume of water, they have the largest sheet of water for any fall in the world and are a sight not to be missed.

Victoria Falls is located on the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It can be seen from Livingstone District of Southern Province of the Republic of Zambia and Hwange District of Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe. Two-thirds of the actual falls lie within the Zambian territory. The national border between Zambia and Zimbabwe lies midstream, and national parks of both nations exist on either side of the Zambezi. The gorges and cliffs below the falls in these parks are prime territory for raptors, including taita falcons and black eagles.


The Zambezi River is more than 2 kilometers wide when it cascades over the lip of a large basalt plateau and plunges as much as 354 feet (108 meters). The flow has been slicing slowly through this plateau for some two million years. During this time the river has slowly retreated and the remnants of earlier, ancient falls can be seen in the gorges downstream from the current cataract.

The falls generate mists that can be seen from a distance of 50 km and 30 km from Bulawayo and Lusaka roads respectively. A direct frontage viewing of the falls is possible from both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The mists also sustain a rain forest-like ecosystem adjacent to the falls and on the opposite cliff that faces them like a dried-up mirror image, thick with mahogany, fig, palm, and other species of vegetation.

The falls are massive and invite contemplation from many different viewpoints. You can walk around the area and enjoy the vistas. Unique views are also to be had from the Knife Edge Bridge and Victoria Falls Bridge. River-level views from below the falls are a good way to experience their power up-close. At certain times of the year the daring may even swim in pools on the very crest of the cataract.

The river is typically in full flood during February and March, when as much as 540 million cubic meters of water fall over the edge every single minute. During the rainy season, however, the spray plume can obscure the view of the falls themselves. By November, when the water is at low ebb, visitors may see the curtain split into many smaller channels of falling water.

The big question is which side to visit Victoria Falls: Zambia or Zimbabwe? A decision will be made after considering views of the falls and cost.

The water from Victoria Falls dives into a narrow gorge running parallel to the face of the falls, with the spray going high into the air, causing permanent rain, rainbows and the famous "smoke" which is visible from a distance, so, much of the time when you are viewing the falls, you are actually facing them. The gorge where the water exits is the limit on how far you can walk from either side. There is no crossing there. This limits your visibility from the Zambian side, as you can walk about only a quarter of the distance of the face of the falls. Although the view and the waterflow is still impressive, you simply cannot get a perspective on the full width of the falls from the Zambian side.

The walk down to below the falls is closed on the Zimbabwean side. You can only walk down on the Zambian side. The footbridge on the Zambian side gives a unique experience, with a permanent torrential rain from the wet season through to August.

To cross the border from Zambia to see the falls on the Zimbabwe side, you will need to pay at least US$30 for a Zimbabwe single entry visa depending on your nationality. And, if you want to return to the Zambian side, you will need to pay an extra US$20 for a multiple entry Zambian visa. To cross the border from the Zimbabwean side to the Zambian side you will need to pay at least US$20 for a single day Zambian visa, and at least an extra US$15 for a multiple entry Zimbabwean visa.

You will need to decide whether you are getting a single or multiple entry visa when you first apply for it. If you are flying from South Africa just to see the falls, consider if it is worthwhile arriving on the Zimbabwean side and leaving from the Zambian, as you will minimize your visa costs this way but may pay more for airfares. Flying to the Zambian side usually costs less than flying into the Zimbabwe side.

Photo Credits: FamousWonders.Com, CNN Travel, World-Visits Blog, Google, Zambia Tourism

Sources: CNN Travel, National Geographic, Zambia Tourism, UNESCO, Wikitravel