Victoria Falls: take a walking tour of Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall, is as mystical and majestic a sight as you can dream of experiencing. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is visited by hundreds of thousands of local and international travellers each year; all wanting to see the thunderous spray as it drops 100-metres from the Zambezi River edge. The spray of the roaring waterfall rains down on you as you get closer to the Falls, and while you can always wear a raincoat, who doesn’t want to say that they were caught in the downpour of the Victoria Falls?

The waterfall forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, although the most of the Falls are on the Zimbabwean side, and while you should ideally visit the Victoria Falls on both sides, there are more angles to view the waterfall from Zimbabwe. Day passes are available so that regardless of which side you are staying, you can cross the border for the duration of the day, allowing you to see the Victoria Falls from every unique angle. You can either take a guided walking tour with a tour operator, which is perhaps better if you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the National Park, or else you can explore the pathways on your own for the pure adventure of it.

Walking Tours of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe Side

The magnificent waterfall is at an easy walking distance from the town centre, and there are many hotels along the way. To access the Victoria Falls, you will approach the entrance gate of the Victoria Falls National Park, and there you can get a site map of the area, which is definitely encouraged if you plan on exploring without a guide. A pathway will lead you through the humid rain forest until you reach the first viewpoint of the Falls, and from there you can follow the trails to discover all of the sixteen viewpoints.

  1. Devil’s Cataract and Livingstone’s Statue – Victoria Falls is made of five

‘Falls’ and the Devil’s Cataract is the lowest of these, and is separated from the

rest by the Boaruka (Cataract) Island.

  1. The Chain Walk – A set of 73 steps that takes you closer to the Devil’s Cataract

where you can peer into the gorge. From here you have the best views of the

Victoria Falls rainbow.

3 – 7.   Devil’s Cataract and Main Falls – Viewpoint 7 has the best view of the Main

Falls.

  1. Main Falls

9 – 12. Main Falls; Livingstone Island; Horseshoe Falls

  1. Rainbow Falls – This is the highest point of the Falls.
  1. Danger Point – A rocky terrain along the cliff edge of the Falls that lets you see

the Eastern Cataract of the Zambian side.

  1. Boiling Pot – A whirlpool below the Danger Point surrounded by sinister rocks.

 

The Zambian side of the Falls has fewer but equally stunning viewpoints, although if you go in the dry season you will be disappointed with the bare rock wall in the Eastern Cataract. Ideally you should see Victoria Falls from every viewpoint, on both the Zimbabwean and the Zambian side, but if you follow the path to each of the viewpoints above, you can be sure that you have seen the best of the magnificent waterfall.

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