African Safari blog

Top African Destinations Part 2 – The Iconic Victoria Falls

Destinations

the Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Southern Africa tourist destination

Our first blog in this series of four, Top African Destinations Part 1, addressed some of the top African game park reserves. This blog introduces you to the iconic Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River. Victoria Falls is one of our very top African destinations.

The Splendour of Africa’s Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, themselves, which are regarded as the largest in the world (even though they are neither the highest nor the widest) are, as one would expect, an amazing sight!

At the height of the Zambezi’s flood season (February to May) the spray from the falls rises to about 400 meters and can be seen from as far as 48 kilometers away. Thus the name given to it by the locals Mosi-oa-Tunya which translates to the smoke that thunders.

Intriguingly, the Victoria Falls are constantly receding upstream. The constant flow of water is perpetual enough to cut through the layers of sandstone layered between the sections of hard basalt plateau. This plateau forms the base of the Zambezi, thus creating a succession of gorges. Apart from the current and first gorge (known somewhat unimaginatively as the First Gorge) the other five gorges represent past sites of the falls. The Devil’s Cataract is predicted to be the next site of the Victoria Falls.

The Activity Capital of Africa

There are so many things to do at the Victoria Falls, particularly for the more extreme sportspeople! Just some of the activities include bungee-jumping off the Victoria Falls bridge, canoeing on the Zambezi, helicopter trips (delightfully titled “flight of angels”), tiger fishing (a more challenging type of fishing) and elephant back safaris.

For the more reckless among you, there’s an opportunity to swim in the Devil’s Pool. This is located at the very edge of the falls when the water is low (November and December). It should be noted, however, that it might be best avoided in the absence of a death wish (yes, there’s been fatalities among those tackling the Devil’s Pool).

Reasonably Priced

Victoria Falls has always been high on the list Africa wide, as an attractive and very reasonably priced destination. In addition to offering a break from the bush, it offers diverse activities to suit all tastes, as well as top quality, reasonably priced accommodation. This includes one of our personal favourites, the Victoria Falls Hotel. This beautiful hotel is known as the “Grand Old Lady of the Falls”; something which has not changed in decades.

Why Choose Us?

the destinations africa team for luxury authentic african travel safari holidaysDestinations Africa specialises exclusively in bespoke, personalised safaris to Africa. Unlike a travel agency, our experienced team does not operate in any other part of the world and you’ll see that many of our staff members are of African origin. We travel to Africa, year after year, constantly vetting our tour operators, accommodation and all other activities, and exploring new authentic African experiences that we can recommend to you.

We love Africa wholeheartedly and we believe it shows in the quality of the feedback and testimonials we receive from our valued clients. We have a very intimate knowledge and understanding of how to provide maximum value and enjoyment to our guests, whether families, work colleagues, groups of friends, couples or singles. Every itinerary is planned specifically for you.

Africa is not a “cheap” destination (see our general rule of thumb when it comes to pricing) but it is highly competitive worldwide in terms of what you get for your money.

Please get in touch with our experienced team  to discuss your plans, ideas and to answer any questions that you may have.

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Top African Destinations Part 1 - The Great Game Parks

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Top African Destinations Part 3 - Cape Town