Flight-seeing comes via multiple helicopter companies and microlight operators ($US150-170 for 10 minutes). See īy submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing'sĪction Jacksons love Vic Falls for the many adrenalin activities on and over the water. I enjoyed his story on a sunset cruise, but Heritage Guides can also be engaged to tell stories around the Falls. In a twist on the African tradition, he brings the British explorer to life in interesting settings. Zim-born Chris Worden is a collector of first edition books relating to David Livingstone and a gifted story-teller. For an altogether different lens, consider commissioning a Heritage Tour. Be sure to stroll among the neighbouring residences, with every bit of space given to lush vegetable gardens. As well as local growers, you'll meet artisans making everything from cow bells to mouse traps to cooking stoves from scrap metal. See .zw,, .zw, I'D LIKE A CULTURAL EXPERIENCEįor a side of Victoria Falls few visitors get to see, walk 500 metres to Chinotimba Market. The River Brewing Company serves its craft beer made from Zambezi river water in a smooth industrial space. Try Shearwater Cafe on the main street which does good pasta, or The Three Monkeys, comprised of a 1935 Rhodesian rail carriage fashioned into a bar/kitchen with two decks either side. The town's bar/restaurant scene is also pretty cool, enlivened by tourists of all demographics. This thatched African compound is located in a forest and has a lively carnival atmosphere, with a huge game buffet (a chance to try kudu, warthog and even mopani worms), dancers, roaming African fortune tellers and drummers. Head to The Boma ($US 65pp) for a night under the stars. In the deep lower gorge, there's bungee jumping off the bridge, a gorge swing, zip-lining and white water rafting which is said to be up there with the word's best. The good news is it's easy to visit both sides, especially if you have a multiple entry visa ($US45 at the airport): simply cross the border on foot via the beautiful 1905 Victoria Falls Bridge, enjoying yet another perspective. However, the Zam side affords two unique perspectives: you can clamber down steps to the Boiling Pot for a ground-up view of the vast lower gorge and you can join the very popular Devil's Pool tour (see below). Broadly speaking, there's more Falls to see on the Zim side – a walking trail through Victoria Falls National Park is directly opposite 80 per cent of the curtain and stops at 16 viewpoints. But the waters are definitely seasonal and they will return, allowing both sides to provide different shades of awesome. In 2019, the Zambian Falls dried up altogether, another example of a planet in crisis. The Zambezi and the 1.7-kilometre-wide waterfall form a border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, often causing visitors to fret which side offers better viewing. I WANT TO SEE THE FALLS FROM THE BEST SIDE Counter-intuitively, dry season rafting (down river) is at its most exhilarating also, game-viewing is easier since animals congregate around waterholes. Peak dry is October/November and can result in the eastern third of the Falls being depleted. March/April is least optimal since the Zambezi is full (entirely consuming the Falls in spray), all on-water activities are cancelled, and the bush is in full leaf. The only drawback is relatively lush foliage which makes game more difficult to see. The skies are blue and the Zambezi levels are usually safe enough to permit white water rafting. The sweetest spot on the calendar is August/September, when the Falls are relatively full, but there's not too much water causing spray to obscure the whole show. There are three reasons to visit Victoria Falls: to see the world's widest curtain of falling water, to get high on adrenalin activities and to view game. Responsible tourism is a curly issue, but rest assured your valuable tourist dollars are keeping local people in jobs. It's also a fun town, packing some brilliant African experiences into a relatively small region. Now the de facto tourist gateway to Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls receives one million visitors a year and functions perfectly well: the people are friendly, the community is safe (even after dark) and many tourist operators maintain high standards in difficult times. One of the few signs of prosperity can be found in the little town of Victoria Falls, home to the eponymous natural wonder and sitting close to a border where not one but four African nations meet. I WANT TO BE SURE I'M DOING THE RIGHT THINGįinancially, Zimbabwe is a mess, with stratospheric unemployment, currency woes and a government rife with corruption.
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