The best way to see Victoria Falls

Officially, Victoria Falls is made up of five different falls, four of which are in Zimbabwe and one in Zambia. The Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls (the highest point of the falls) and Horseshoe Falls are in Zimbabwe, while the Eastern Cataract lies in Zambia. The falls plunge off a basalt plateau and have been slicing through it slowly over the last two million years. Over this period, the river has slowly retreated and the remains of earlier, ancient falls can be seen in the gorges downstream from the current cataract.

Not that you really need to know any of these measurements or facts to admire the falls – although there are handy infographics at lookout points to put you in the picture – just seeing it, hearing it and feeling it is enough. You’ll find adjectives such as ‘awe-inspiring’ ‘mighty’ and just plain ‘wow’ popping into your mind as you take in its vastness and get drenched in its mist.

You won’t be alone in feeling moved by the falls, either. Scottish 19th century explorer Dr David Livingstone, who gave them the name Victoria Falls, was so captivated by the sight that he said “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” Scottish novelist Muriel Spark, meanwhile, was moved to leave her troubled marriage while gazing at the Victoria Falls, and wrote a beautiful poem about this natural wonder. She said: “the experience of the Victoria Falls gave me courage to endure the difficult years to come. The falls became to me a symbol of spiritual strength...”

You can also get good views from the Victoria Falls Bridge, which crosses the Zambezi just below the falls. The bridge links Zimbabwe and Zambia and border posts lie at either end. River level views from below the falls are a good way to experience their power up close. Keep your eyes peeled for the birdlife here; the gorges and cliffs below the falls are prime territory for falcons and black eagles. On the Zambia side, you can walk along the banks of the Zambezi, upstream of where it tumbles over.

If you favour an adrenalised experience, you’ll be pleased to hear that at certain times of the year it’s possible to take a dip in the Devil’s Pool, a natural pool right at the edge of the cataract. You can also choose to bungee jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge, take a helicopter ride over the falls, ride a zip wire, white water raft along the Zambezi…

Bruce Taylor, from our supplier Sunway Safaris, discusses different viewpoints:
“There’s now a Univisa between Zambia and Zimbabwe, which is the same price for visitors to either side and means you can visit the Victoria Falls from both countries, multiple times, only paying the park entry fee for the side you’re not staying on. In May and June when the Falls are high and there’s lots of water in the river, the Zimbabwe side is very impressive, but at times there’s such a deluge of water that you can’t see across the actual falls through the spray and mist, although you can get a great view if you go and stand at Livingstone’s statue. At that time of year, if you want to go through the rainforest and look at the falls directly in front of you, the Zambian side is preferable.”