The Charming Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

There are not many places in the world that can be compared with Victoria Falls when it comes to beauty, charm and a never-ending attraction that these gorgeous falls has for the tourists. The falls were discovered by the British in the 17^th century and right after its discovery it became a hot vacation destination and has not its title ever since. The fall is 1708 meters wide, one of the widest in the world and has the average vertical height of 180 meters. Imagine millions of gallons of water gushing down from this massive height and that too in this large area, providing absolutely an awesome view. The Falls are located on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia and can be visited from both sides but most tourists prefer the Zimbabwean side because of the ease of getting there and the comparably better tourism infrastructure.

The Zimbabwean side of the falls has its own airport and there are quite a few flights available for getting to Victoria Falls from Europe but a safer option will be to take a cheap flight to Harare the capital of Zimbabwe and then either take a connecting flight to Victoria Falls or make the journey by road. One can hear the sound of falling water from as far as 5 miles from the falls and this was the reason behind the name given to the falls by the locals, which literally means the smoke that thunders.

The first resort in the area was built in 1905 and the tourism infrastructure from there on improved dramatically. The last decade was the worst period for the tourism industry of Zimbabwe and many of the resorts closed down during this time. But with the recent upheaval in the Zimbabwean economy, the things are looking quite good for its tourism sector and you will find quite a lot of good resorts in the area that caters to all the needs of the tourists.

Watching the falls from a short distance is surely a mesmerizing experience, but you should try to get your self a coat from the local shops to avoid getting wet as the falls create quite a strong spray. If you are arriving on the falls on a clear sunny day then there is a good chance of seeing a colourful rainbow right in the centre of the fall. You can take a boat to get to the bottom of the fall but don’t take your regular camera with you as the spray will surely ruin it, instead take the waterproof and disposable cameras from the local shops or resorts.

The resorts of the area are famous for the adventure sports that they offer, including the fresh river rafting. If you are arriving in the area in the summer season then you can also decide to camp out along the fall instead of staying at the resort, for this you will have to get permission from the local authorities but will surely provide you with an awesome experience and of course will cut some of your accommodation costs.