First I wanted to capture the essence, you know visualize it in my mind’s eye.
As I got more excited I remembered this…
The Falls are a spectacular 1,701 metre span with 1,200 metres of it in
Zambia. The top where the greatest curtain of water starts to plunge is 111
meters (300 feet) high. During the height of the floods (March to May) the
Victoria Falls has the largest sheet of falling water in the world with over 545
million litres a minute (9 million litres /sec) cascading over the rocky cliffs.
The sound is exhilarating, the sight is astounding and the experience is
breathtakingly spectacular in the extreme. The mist is seen 30 kilometres away.
No wonder the great Dr David Livingstone wrote,” …but scenes so lovely must have
been gazed upon by angels in their flight"
Where to go! First the tickets of course! The National Heritage Conservation
Commission wants their “cut.” They need it. That’s what keeps the victoria falls
zambia heritage site
so natural. They collect through the ticket you buy. It’s a minimal fee really.
As a conservationist I wish they could charge more considering the value of the
work they do!
We ventured to where the guides directed us. We followed a path along the
edge of the forest. As we walked along it I looked at my dear wife and saw
discomfort in her posture and worry written all of her face. I didn’t blame her
because most visitors to the falls feel like that.
You see, a visitor must be prepared to brave the tremendous spray and the
unparalleled series of views of the victoria falls zambia. The spray soaks you to the bone. So
take heed of the guide’s advice. Hire a raincoat. Molly did and saved herself
from the drenching spray.
There is one special vantage point and here I couldn’t miss this for
anything. Going across the Knife Edge Bridge, where you get the finest view of
the Eastern Cataract. I thought I had seen it all. Facing the victoria falls
zambia is a sheer
drop of basalt, (a basalt is a rock you know…geology!). There is a mist-soaked
rain forest above it. This is the only place known on earth where it rains 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
No I am wrong. There is one other and in Zambia too. Its called Lumangwe
Falls on Kalungwishi River near Mporokoso in Northern Zambia. It is a grandeur
thirty metres height and one hundred metres wide with a pleasant sandy beach
below the falls. It also has the smoke, the thunder, and the rain that nourish a
small rain forest. It looks like a miniature Victoria Falls. I am famous for
digressing…sorry!
For those who like the adrenaline-pumping stuff the Boiling Point at victoria
falls zambia is a great
sight and you have to walk down to the slope to bottom of the Batoka Gorge. You
see the river running along the Batoka Gorge downstream of the river. No sight
can prepare you for this. Experience it at least once in your lifetime. I did
that but will do it again soon. That’s how great it is.
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After that you’ll have graduated to take in the stride the Bungi jump. This
is considered to be the second highest bungi jump in the world at 111
metres.
The Falls Bridge is where these exhilarating unaided flights by man occur.
That’s the Bungi Jump. I was scared to try but to my embarrassment others
took it easily.
While nicely and safely secured they jumped off the Victoria Railway Bridge.
And they would be away, in flight like a bird swooping down to catch fish in
the water.
The African fish eagle’s flight to catch fish pales compared to this.
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Victoria Falls Railway Bridge |
Leisure with Serenity
The excitement and tiredness took its toll. We turned to the idea of leisure
with serenity. Visiting museums! Did you know that a small town, which
Livingstone is, actually has three, YES, three museums? I have heard the
description “a town of museums” and Livingstone is it.
Town of Museums
The Livingstone Railway Museum is home to the 19th
century rail locomotives and coaches in prime condition. They’re refurbished to
their original décor in every minute detail. The ideal was to capture the luxury
of those bygone times. I was impressed with this sight.
Located at the former Zambezi Sawmills Railway
Locomotive shed, the Railway Museum exhibits rare steam locomotive engines and
rolling stock. These exhibits date back to the earliest days of Zambian history
and include the complete Zambezi Sawmills Railway line, once reputed to have
been the longest private railway line in the world. Railway Museum is now home
to scores of derelicts of the early railway transport in Zambia. They’re the
real centenarians emanating from the turn of the previous century.
Another is the Victoria Falls Zambia Field Museum at the
heritage site near the Victoria Falls zambia. It hosts records of the geological
explanation for formation of the falls. It also keeps records of early human
habitation at the site. Archaeologists would have a field day here. You see, the
museum is right on site of an archaeological dig. It is proof that human’s
interest in the falls is from time immemorial. But geology beat them to it,
that’s what formed the the victoria falls zambia, you know, long before human habitation.
The Livingstone Museum is the country’s prime museum with records of both
natural and human history. It hosts all kinds archaeological finds and relicts
from earlier human habitats. If you want to understand Zambian history you
should venture here. We were so intrigued with the wealth of historical
information. Its unfortunate my interest in history is geological…where we pride
ourselves with long periods. When they’re in conservation don’t be surprised to
over hear geologists casually mentioning “millions or even billions of years” as
if they’re talking about minutes!
There are also many articles, clothes and notebooks, etc that Dr David
Livingstone that missionary medical doctor and explorer left in Zambia. He
single handedly opened up central Africa and Zambia in particular. The history
is amazing…how explorers could travel such long distances crossing the breadth
of the “dark continent” Africa.
Molly and I were now knackered after our victoria falls zambia visit and by then only looking forward to a dinner
at sunset. They organized a musician who strummed enthusiastically at a guitar
humming an incredible melody while sitting on the African Queen. That’s what the
riverboat is called.
You see exquisite sunsets and gaze at stars! Romantic, isn’t it? Try it! All
this in Amazing victoria falls zambia… the African Safari.
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