Mosi-oa-Tunya

[onlyMark]

If you happen to speak Kololo you know that Mosi-oa-Tunya means "The smoke that thunders". If you don't then you may better know the place as Victoria Falls.
The falls form the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe as per the location on the following map –



Not too far away you can also slip into Botswana or Namibia and the town itself on the Zambian side, called Livingstone, was at one time the capital of what was then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, until 1935 when due to the development of the copper industry further north, the capital of the country shifted to Lusaka. But that is a different story.
The town on the Zimbabwe side is unoriginally also called Victoria Falls.

Few of you will not have heard of David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, who is reputed to have been the first European to view the falls and due to his diaries and logs, we know it was on the 16th November 1855. He named the falls after Queen Victoria.
Before we go on I'd just mention that if you ever have the opportunity to visit here you'd be best finding accommodation on the Zimbabwe side as it is far better value and there are better facilities and standards than on the Zambian side. It is easy enough at this point to cross the border between the two towns and can view the falls from both ends/sides.
I've stayed on both sides and it is more enjoyable with a bigger and better choice of restaurants and places to stay in Victoria Falls town rather than Livingstone.

The falls themselves cannot claim the title of being the highest or widest but as these things go someone had to find what it is the best at, and if you combine the width and the height you end up with the largest sheet of falling water of any falls.
To put it in perspective, Niagara Falls is only half as high and Horseshoe Falls is well under half as wide.
The figures are 1,708 metres wide and 108 metres high. In common language, it is 'big'. No matter how many photos you see (and you'll see some) it's not until you are there that you appreciate how large it is. I only had time to visit the Zambian side this time, so in fact my photos only show a bit less than half of it.
When it is in full flow the spray can reach 500m high and visible from 50km away – hence 'the smoke that thunders'. You can feel the vibrations through your feet as you get closer to it.

To appreciate the full power of the place you have to visit near the end of April when it is in full flood – but visibility can be a little restrictive due to the spray. The opposite time to visit is at the end of the dry season, so late November/early December(ish) before any early rains get chance to fill it up. At that time the flow rate is only about a tenth of the most flow time. You can then get the idea of what makes up the falls without the disadvantage of the reduced visibility. My photos are from about now when it's starting to 'fill up a bit' as I couldn't get down any earlier. Plus my daughters are over for the holidays and it was good to take them.

[onlyMark]

This is the guy who started it all off. Mr Livingstone. If it wasn't for him then nobody would be bungee jumping off the bridge today –




We'll start by having a walk along the left side for a while. There are some falls where the water drops off a cliff and then spreads out along the river below it. Not so here. The water, after dropping the 100m or so, is then corralled into a small opening and cuts a zig zag path through the rock.






The bridge was constructed in England by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company, before being shipped to the Mozambique port of Beira and then transported on the newly constructed railway to the Victoria Falls. It took just 14 months to construct and was completed in 1905. The story is that as they were about to connect the two ends up, the middle overlapped by one and a quarter inches. As it was the end of the day they all went home. The next morning it lined up perfectly and they hastily riveted it together.
It connects the two countries and if you look closely you can see in the middle the bungee jumping station plus in the river, the white water rafters just starting off. Clearly seen is the gorge all the water has to flow through –




As regards bungee jumping, when I took groups there I was given the opportunity, because of bringing them business, to get a free jump. The only proviso was I had to do it naked.
Nope. Didn't do it, before you ask.
Having my tackle plummeting through the air, possibly into a river populated by crocodiles...... not appealing.

Further up the left hand side (and keep an eye on the right side for later) is a bridge connecting a headland. During times of high spray it is not unknown for tourists to take shampoo and soap and have a shower there.
Nope, didn't do that either –

[onlyMark]

Just looking back over my right shoulder to the Zambian end –



Continuing on –









This is where the two sides meet and flow off to the left –










They all took turns striking a pose to have their photos taken with the falls in the background –

[bixaorellana]

Anything I could say seems so weak in the face of all that magnificence! If it's like that now, it must be almost frightening at full flood stage. Is it loud there because of all the rushing water? Your photos are wonderful and I look forward to when you have a chance to capture the other side. Did the girls do any of the scary stuff?

[onlyMark]

I meant to finish this soon but I was cooking for New Years Eve. It's bubbling away now so hang on a sec.

When in full flood and say, on the foot bridge, you have to shout to your companion. Imagine standing on the edge of a platform and a train rushing by - for all the time you are standing there. I have heard of people going a little faint because of the noise and vibration. I'm surprised in a way the foot bridge it still standing.
The girls didn't do anything this time but would like to do the white water rafting - if they could get someone to paddle for them while they just sit there looking at the scenery. They can't get the concept though that the raft guide in each boat deliberately aims to tip you out.

[onlyMark]

Beware of the wildlife. They are not averse to snatching your camera away and hassling you for food –








There is also a memorial to the fallen of WWI –






Ahh, that's a bit better view. Two thirds of the length of the falls, the railway bridge far left and the foot bridge closer left –

[onlyMark]

The people are small in that last photo, aren't they? Gives you a bit of sense of scale.

So, we've walked along the left side, across the bridge and as far as you can along the headland until the gorge that flows from right to left under the railway bridge, stops any more progress. You can see in the middle of the photo the river bending out of shot. Just across the headland on the left, across the gorge, is Zimbabwe.

Wouldn't it now be fun to walk around to the right?
And get right to the edge where you are not supposed to go?

[onlyMark]

As is my want, I like to go somewhere a bit off the tourist track. So, without permission, I had a walk over on the right hand side to the right hand edge of the falls. Seen as mentioned from the other side.
I confess it is not so unusual a thing to do at low water. I'm far from the first and others were there when I was. So upstream at this point there is little water and at times a bit of a wade and a scramble –




Looking to the edge. Methinks I'll head that way -





Nice couple having an impromptu dunk -

[onlyMark]

A closer view of the edge seen from the other side initially –














Other people walking single file to cross the streams -




It's amazing how far I can lean out without falling over -




The run off gorge -




When I go again, which no doubt I will, I'll move further along but for now, that is as far as I went.

I have a little more to add to this, something more relaxing, which I'll sort out another time soon.

[onlyMark]

In order to recover from our adventures we nipped to a relaxed lodge on the banks of the river for a late lunch –










Saw some game –

[onlyMark]

Talking of game, near the falls is a small game park. There are no predators but it makes for a gentle and easy drive round for a couple of hours for those times up until going back to the hotel for a shower and getting ready for dinner. We saw the usual stuff. The daughters liked it to see these in the wild rather than in zoo or pictures. If you can make them out. Tod has the exclusive on good game pictures. Here you can see the standard of us mere mortals. Elephant and giraffe were also seen, but too far away. There were also buildings from the era when people did actually live here –










It was running along the banks of the river upstream from the falls and made for a pleasant spot. There were signs saying not to get close to the water because of the hippos and crocs. As usual I seem to have ignored them (I really will get into trouble one day) but I had good guards and spotters –




















Pumba!!!



More another time.

[Deleted]

One thing I appreciate about this is the quantity of different pictures of the falls. While we have all read about Victoria Falls, when there is an item in a book or newspaper there are often just one or two photos at the most and you have to make do with that. So you never get a real idea of the scale of the place. Of course, as you said, you have to actually be there to get a real idea of the size, but your illustrations are a step in the right direction.

It's nice that there is a little game park in the area to provide a bit of variety. I always think of old people who want to be able to see things, but from the comfort of an automobile.

[onlyMark]

I'll get more even when I go again. Don't know when that will be but I don't think it will be too long.
As for the 'game park' it made me laugh to see a few of the normal safari type open cars mooching around full of tourists. I know these will have been paying hundreds of dollars from the posh hotels for just a pseudo safari experience and something they can say to their friends at home how dangerous it was. The park is that benign you could have walked round.

[bjd]

Thanks for all these photos, Mark. My daughter bungee-jumped off that bridge a few years ago but the only picture I had was of her (jumping feet first!) and nothing to show the scale of the falls.

[onlyMark]

Away again, canoeing with hippos. Back soon.

[mickthecactus]

Jan 3, 2017 10:29:06 GMT onlyMark said:

Away again, canoeing with hippos. Back soon.

Won't they make the canoe sink?

[onlyMark]

Certainly if you get too close or they want to get to deeper water and you are in the way with your canoe.
Never put your hands in the water either because of the crocodiles.