Travel Comments - Backpacker Guide through Southern Africa - Southern African Safari Highlights Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls - Mosi-oa-Tunya
(The Smoke that Thunders)

Fact file:
one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World
largest waterfall of the world - width of 1,708 metres
largest sheet of falling water in the World
average flow rate - 1088 m³/s
total height - 108 metres

Right on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia the Victoria Falls are one of the major tourist highlights of Southern Africa. Loads of things have changed at the Victoria Falls in last couple of years (due to the political situation in Zim), but the Falls never lost their attraction to travellers from all over the world.

But it is not just the natural beauty of the Falls which makes the people coming, it is also the endless adventure/adrenalin options. The Zambezi at the Falls is the best place on earth (as many people reckon) for white-water-rafting, you can do bungee-juming off the famous Zambezi Bridge, canoeing, kayaking, safaris, hang-around or just do whatever you want to do.

What to do?

The Victoria Falls are quite know worldwide for the adventure sports you can do there. People reckon that rafting on the mighty Zambezi is probably the best in the world. You can also do bungy jumping, abseiling, the Batoka Gorge Swing, whitewater kayaking, jet boating of microlight flights over the Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls Activities?

4 day Livingstone Victoria Falls Adventure

Brace yourself for action and adventure in Africa’s adrenaline capital! This 4-day tour starts with a relaxing sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, then jumps into high gear as you conquer the sheer walls of the Zambezi River gorge, either abseiling (rappelling) backwards, or rap jumping (facing forwards) down a 53m drop. Face the full force of the mighty river head-on with a thrilling day of white-water rafting, and look for rainbows in the mist, feel the spray, and hear the thunderous roar of the cascading water on a guided tour of the immense Victoria Falls.

Bungi Jumping

The bungee jump platform is off the Victoria Falls Railway Bridge, in no-mans land between the borders of Zimbabwe and Zambia with the Victoria Falls as a backdrop. Here, participants will need their passport to jump!
This is arguably the best bungee jumping spot in the world. A great place to test the boundaries of fear and experience the true sense of safe recklessness as one plummets 111 m towards the Zambezi River.

Victoria Falls Guided Tour
Depending on where guests are staying in Livingstone, the drive from town to the entrance of Victoria Falls Park is approximately 10 km. The itinerary includes an extensive tour of the falls and some time for shopping in the crafts market just outside the entrance gate. Drinking water is provided on the tour.

Rafting Full Day Low Water

The Zambezi River is classified as a high volume, pool-drop river, i.e., there is little exposed rock either in the rapids or the pools below the rapids. The distance between rapids varies from 100 m to 2 km. The gorge itself is approximately 400 feet deep at the put-in point and 750 feet at the take out point and drops about 400 feet over the 24 km covered in the trip.
During low water, guests can do a full or half day trip. At the end of a full day or a half day trip, there is a lift out of the gorge.
The tour is inclusive of meals and drinks for the day.
Also see: Rafting Half Day Low Water » | Rafting Full Day High Water »

Tandem Skydiving
Before exiting the aircraft, the participant is attached to the tandem instructor by harness specifically designed for skydiving. At 5000 feet, after the most exhilarating freefall, the instructor opens the main parachute and a smooth ride to the ground follows, lasting about 5 minutes.

How to get there?

The easiest way of getting to the Falls from South Africa is actually flying up there - either to Livingstone (Zambia) or Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe).

Organised Tours?

· 2 day Victoria Falls to Johannesburg »

· 3 day Fly into Victoria Falls Special »

· 5 day Victoria Falls to Kruger National Park »

· 6 day Victoria Falls to Kruger National Park »

· Flying adventures and more at Victoria Falls »

· more "Fly into" tours »

· more tours, eg. combined with visits to the Okavango Delta, Chobe or Kruger »

You can also drive up there with a rental car - via Namibia or straight through Zimbabwe. Keep in mind, that whenever you are crossing borders in Southern Africa with a rented car you'll need the allowance from your car hire company and you'll have to pay a certain "cross-border fee".

South Africa based mainliners, such as Intercape, are connecting the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls with Namibia. Busses are leaving Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, every Monday & Friday (return Wednesday & Sunday).

Where to sleep?

Livingstone, on the Zambian side of the Falls, as well as the town of Victoria Falls are offering a wide variety of backpackers, B&Bs, Hotels and campsites.