| The majestic Victoria Falls is one of the largest | | | | 30km away! |
| natural cascades on the planet and, during the | | | | Myths and Moonbows |
| rainy season, the mist from the water impact | | | | During the day, The Falls are graced with a |
| zone below rises to over 400 metres in the air. | | | | persistent and colourful rainbow and during the full |
| Today a world heritage site, The Falls were first | | | | moon, a 'Moonbow' appears in the spray, adding |
| 'discovered' by explorer David Livingstone, who | | | | mystique to an already mystical and mythical |
| promptly named them after Queen Victoria, | | | | place. |
| following the colonial trend of naming anything and | | | | Two steadfast islands, the Boaruka and |
| everything after the reigning British Monarch of | | | | Livingstone Islands, stand guard at the crest of |
| the day. | | | | The Falls, effectively separating the enormous |
| The Smoke that Thunders | | | | sheet of water that tumble down into the depths |
| What is worth mentioning, is that Zimbabwe, a | | | | below. Each stream or cascade has been |
| nation ruled by Robert Mugabe who has made his | | | | christened, the most famous being the Devil's |
| anti-western sentiment perfectly clear over the | | | | Cataract, also known as Leaping Waters by the |
| years, has continued to embrace this ultra-colonial | | | | locals. Others are the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls |
| title, whereas neighbouring Zambia that has a | | | | and the Eastern Cataract. |
| relatively good relationship with the former colonial | | | | Wildlife an Added Allure |
| power, has reverted back to its indigenous name | | | | Any Victoria Falls tour will include a visit to one of |
| - Mosi-oa-Tunya - which translated means 'The | | | | a handful of national parks where wildlife abounds |
| Smoke that Thunders'. | | | | - the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the Victoria |
| Although the falls are neither the highest nor the | | | | Falls National Park or the Zambezi National Park. |
| widest on earth, they are completely unique in | | | | All reputable Southern Africa tour operators will |
| that the river simply plummets in a single vertical | | | | have the Victoria Falls as one of the tour |
| drop into the chasm below. There is no plateau or | | | | highlights and visitors can opt to overnight either |
| escarpment, merely a deep chasm carved out by | | | | in Zimbabwe, where rates are currently relatively |
| the powerful waters of the Zambezi along a | | | | cheap, or Livingstone in Zambia. Both have a |
| fracture zone or a tear in the earth's surface. The | | | | range of accommodation to suit most budgets. |
| chasm is 1,708m wide and the depth ranges from | | | | Dedicated coach tour vacations depart from |
| 80 - 108m in the centre. When in full flood, the | | | | neighbouring South Africa on a regular basis and |
| spray from The Falls can be seen from as far as | | | | the Victoria Falls is always high on the agenda. |