The Falls

It is quite embarrassing, but, after three months of living and working in Victoria Falls, I finally found the time to actually visit the attraction from which the town takes it's namesake.  Victoria Falls are not the highest waterfall in the world, but, at high water, the combined flow over the falls is the single largest sheet of falling water in the world.  At high water, the amount of water flowing over the Falls in one minute is greater than the total water consumption of the capital city, Harare, for two days.  The relatively small area directly surrounding the falls, particularly the land subject to the constant spray, is a natural rain forest, the only one in Zimbabwe.  Above and beyond all the facts, Victoria Falls is simply breathtakingly beautiful.  The unobtrusive, unfenced pathways through the Falls and the minimal (and unsettling) low thorn branch fences - or no fences in some areas - allow a viewing experience that is dominated by nature, not by human interference.  It is difficult to describe in words how stunning and grand the Falls actually are, and I'm afraid that even my pictures will not do them proper justice.  The best way to see the Falls is to visit and spend a few hours sitting and watching a force of nature that existed long before you did and will exist long after we are all gone.  As a side note, these pictures of the falls are at fairly low water.  I will try to take some pictures at high water for comparison later this spring.

Devil's Cataract, island view

Main Falls, Devil's Cataract island view

Main Falls, partially head-on, you can see the spray building on the bottom right

The path through the Falls

The sign cautioning everyone on the transition from small stick fences to no fences at all

Rainbow Falls

Danger Point

Looking over to the Zambian side, note the people viewing from Zambia on the upper right hand, gives a good reference to the size of the gorge

Horseshoe Falls, through the spray

Part of the 'fence' that separates you from a 750ft fall into the gorge