Africa

Zimbabwe Travel Destination : Victoria Falls

The town of Victoria Falls (called Vic Falls locally) is a pleasant enough place, created especially for visitors. There are some hiking routes in the area, and bicycles can also be rented. Vic Falls has a number of trinket shops, selling everything from cheap T-shirts to antique African musical instruments. Carvings of wooden masks and animals are a long tradition around the area (as is the intense bargaining required to purchase them for a reasonable price). The Victoria Falls Hotel, a short walk from the falls, still operates in full colonial splendor and should be seen even by those not staying there – they simply don’t build them like this anymore. Also in the area is Crocodile Ranch (where you can hold baby crocs) and Craft Village, where there are performances by the local Shangaan or Mkishi people (usually including dinner). Even though it’s on the touristy side, it’s a good glimpse into Zimbabwean culture. If you have time, visit Livingstone, just across the border in Zambia – it’s more than just a tourist town and has more character than Victoria Falls. Another appealing side trip is to Chobe National Park, in neighboring Botswana. We think Chobe is one of the finest game parks in the world. The park is only a 90-minute drive from the falls (under normal conditions). Victoria Falls is 350 mi/565 km west of Harare.

Victoria Falls actually consists of several falls, separated by islands in the river: The most impressive are Rainbow Falls, Devil’s Cataract and Main Falls. The best time to see the falls is during July or August, midway through dry season. The volume of water over the falls is at its peak just after the rains end (March to May), but this is a poor time to go – the force of the falling water at the base sends a mist shooting up to a height of more than 500 ft/150 m, which obscures some views of the falls. (Even during the dry season, you can get plenty wet from the mist – it’s strong enough to support a lush forest of ebony and mahogany on the opposite side of the gorge, even when the rest of the countryside is parched.) At its driest – around the end of October – the water flow has diminshed considerably, and while it’s nice, it’s just simply not as impressive as in July or August.

There’s another major viewing point from the bridge that connects Zimbabwe to Zambia. The guards at the border will let you pass if you let them know you just want to visit the bridge. The bridge can be crossed on foot, by bicycle or in a taxi. We highly recommend this view, as the angle up the gorge of the Zambezi to the center of the falls is spectacular. If you are feeling daredevilish, you can bungee-jump – a 360 ft/110 m plunge – off the bridge. The falls can also be seen a twin-engine plane that flies for about 15 minutes up and down and over the falls – if you’ve gone this far, we recommend this flight (it’s not a budget breaker, and it’s worth every penny). A longer and much more expensive air tour also flies over the falls, around the countryside and over more of the river. Day and evening sundowner cruises on the Zambezi, ranging from two to four hours, are also worthwhile – it’s possible to spot hippos, monkeys, crocodiles and elephants from the boats (be aware that some of these excursions are essentially booze cruises). From about May to October, you can go rafting on the Zambezi – a real adventure! There are a number of adventure-travel companies in town. Canoeing and kayaking are also possible.