Victoria Falls - The waterfalls on the Zambia side (Zambia)

The Victoria Falls are located near the cities of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia and form the natural border between the two countries. We have looked at the waterfalls, which have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989, from both sides of the country.

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The Zimbabwe & Zambia side of the Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls can be seen from the Zimbabwe side as well as from the Zambia side. For clarity, we have drawn on a map the location of the different national parks on the Zimbabwe side (red) and Zambia side (green).

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The Zimbabwe & Zambia side of the Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls on the Zambia side

From our Hotel Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe we walked about 45 minutes to the waterfalls on the Zambia side. Just before the Victoria Falls Bridge is the border station between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Upon entry, we got a day tripper visa for USD 20.

The road from Victoria Falls to the waterfalls

The Victoria Falls Bridge

The border with Zambia

The waterfalls were discovered by missionary David Livingstone in 1855 and he named them after Queen Victoria of England. In 1989, the Victoria Falls was declared a UNESCO World Heritage. Entrance to the Zambia side to the water barrels is USD 20. The waterfall is called Mosi-oa-Tunya by the native Kololo population, which means “The smoke of thunder”. This is not surprising given the rising spray mist, some of which can still be seen 30 km away. Around the falls, a tropical rainforest has developed.

The drop edge is interrupted by two islands, Cataract Island and Livingstone Island. The water flow is subject to strong fluctuations, in case of flooding in May it can be 5,000 m3/s, in November is usually low water, then often fall less than 500 m3/s into the depth. The drop edge is not horizontal, it lies a little deeper on the western side (Zimbabwe), so that at low water on the eastern side only a few sparse gutters fall into the depths and one can go from Zambia from almost dry foot to Livingstone Island in the middle of the falls.

The depth of the Victoria cases is not the same everywhere. At Devil’s Cataract in the west it is 70 m, the Main Fall between Cataract Island and Livingstone Island varies between 72 meters and 93 meters. This is followed by the Horseshoe Falls with 95 m, at Rainbow Falls the drop height is 107 m, finally the Armchair Falls with 101 m and the Eastern Cataract with 85 m.