Richard AmmonVictoria Falls are very spectacular from any point of view, land or air. Although the Falls constitute neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, the claim is that it’s the largest is based on a width of 1.7 kilometres (1 mi) and height of 108 meters (360 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world.
The unusual form of Victoria Falls enables virtually the whole width of the falls to be viewed face-on, as well as from the top just one metre (3 ft) from the waters edge, as the whole Zambezi River drops into a deep, narrow chasm, connected to a long curving gorge.
Many of Africa’s animals and birds can be seen in the immediate vicinity of Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls are one of Africa’s major tourist attractions, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The falls are shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and each country has a national park to protect them and a town serving as a tourism centre: Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and Livingstone in Zambia, and Victoria Falls National Park and the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe
This photo gallery features a walk (photos 0-10) across the famous bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe
(built in 1905 by Cecil Rhodes‘ company in its failed quest to build a railroad from Capetown to Cairo).
Currently the rail connection between the two countries is closed. Instead long lines of cargo trucks wait for hours to clear customs.
Along the downstream edge of the Falls (photos 11-20) the uprising spray saturates a viewer.
A short distance away is the 5-star Royal Livingstone Resort (photos 25-48) where zebras graze on the manicured lawns and monkeys steal diners’ food from the tables–and where, at four PM, high tea is served in the elegant lounge. (photos 37-41)
