Victoria Falls was created as a result of the upper Zambezi River flowing across a plateau made of basalt rock. Since time immemorial the water has been slowly eroding the softer sandstone that fills huge cracks in the hard basalt rock eventually creating a series of gorges.

Geologists estimate that the river has been falling into these gorges for at least the last 100,000 years. As the rock wears away, the cataract follows these gigantic cracks and moves further upriver across the plateau.

The Victoria Falls follows a Zigzagging pattern across six gorges, the falls are almost a mile wide when they enter the first gorge and as they travel through the second gorge they pass along a pool known as the Boiling pot. The gorges range from 120 to 240meters deep.

The river travels through the gorges before settling into the steep walls of the Batoka gorge which is filled with wild rapids. After travelling for 200kilometers the river finally empties into Lake Kariba. Currently the Victoria Falls are more visible from the Zimbabwean size but it is believed that in time the Victoria Falls will totally shift to the Zambian side.

In the rainy season from December to April, the falls are (by volume of water) the largest in the world only rivalled by Iguazu Falls in South America. Victoria is higher than Iguazu by a hundred feet, but at 1,708meters, it isn't nearly as wide the South America cataract which is 2,700meters

VICTORIA FALLS INFORMATION GUIDE

ABOUT VICTORIA FALLS

Victoria Falls formation

Archaeological sites around the Falls indicate that this area has been occupied by humans since the Middle Stone Age 50,000 years ago.

To the local tribes man which are the Tonga, Nambia, Matabele, the Batswana and the Makololo, the falls was a phenomena with its loud thunderous sound produced as the water plunged. The locals were also in awe over the mist that arose seemingly from nowhere hence its local name Mosi-oa-tunya which can be translated to mean the “smoke that thunders”.

In 1855 David Livingstone became the first European to see the mighty Victoria Falls yet despite their beckoning beauty the Falls were still not easily accessible to the world due to their remote location.

In 1905 the Victoria Falls Bridge was opened as a result of efforts to build a railway from Cape Town to Cairo. The bridge was built on the second gorge across the Zambezi such that the trains would catch the spray of the Falls as they passed. The bridge is a beautiful steel arch which measures 128meters and has become a site for the famous Victoria Falls Bunjee jumping

Victoria Falls History

Victoria Falls Tourist Guide

Victoria Falls border town is located in Zimbabwe. We would like to advise all our international clients to follow the link below to confirm visa status:

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Victoria Falls Visa regulations