A Day in Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls

August 17, 2010
The town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe used to be the main hub for tourism around the wonderful falls but after unprecedented inflation (the currency got up to a $100 billion note before fairly recently switching over to the US dollar as their official currency after inflation well above 1000%) and quite a few political problems including taking land from landowners and forcing them out of cities to a sort of coalition government that many people believe was the result of a fixed election, many people have opted to stay in Zambia instead of heading down into Zimbabwe. Since I was so close, I wanted to take a chance to get a tiny glimpse into Zimbabwe, as well as getting another perspective of the amazing falls. Crossing over the long bridge spanning the Zambezi, I walked passed a few locals who engage in a bit of small talk before trying to sell you copper bracelets or the farcical former Zimbabwean currency in notes of $100 billion, $100 million, etc. I then got to the border post, having to get a visa for the country (and also meaning that I'd had to buy a multiple entry visa to Zambia before, so that I could get back in the country), and then continuing on the quiet road a few more minutes to the entrance to their side of the national park.

It was much quieter on this side of the falls due to the lack of tourists, just finding a few small groups here and there as opposed to a large stream coming in at the Zambian side, and I met a friendly worker who showed me all the details of the map and recommended viewpoints. Just as before, I was blown away by the massive falls. This perspective gives you a broader view of the falls, allowing you to get near the Western edge of the falls and look all the way down the vast chasm. Even the first small piece of the falls, separated by a huge rock island from the rest of the falls, would be an impressive sight in itself, but the falling water continues down, pounding the river and rocks below and creating the incredible white mist that rises up into the surrounding area.

Parts of the escarpment are covered in greenish-yellow grass, seeming to run right to the edge of the near side before the cliff falls off and reveals the facing waterfall. Within the grass, a few of us gathered, watching some of the endemic warthogs dig around for roots to eat, oblivious to the natural wonder just behind them. I met a friendly couple from England (the man is originally from Zimbabwe) who were on honeymoon in the area, but other than that, I had a lot of time to just stare at the falls, getting covered in spray when the winds shifted but not minding, as the views were spectacular. From the Zambian side, you are often right on top of the falls, so it was nice to have another perspective more across from the falls, giving you a full sense of scale and grandeur. About an hour later, I got to the end of the path, leading up to a group of rocks called Danger Point where the large rocks simply drop off to the river below with absolutely no fencing or guardrails, just a tiny little sign warning you to stay back. The narrow point of land is just across from the point across the gorge in Zambia, separating the long ravine from the ensuing gorge, forming a sort of T-shape with the falls creating the top of the T and the flowing water and Boiling Pot finishing the bottom of the T before turning again into the winding gorges downstream where we did the rafting.

Content with my many views of the falls, I wandered about the town of Victoria Falls, wondering if it would feel any different than Livingstone across the border. Fortunately, the town is much closer to the falls, so I just walked from the park to the former tourist area, finding mostly quiet streets with a few empty shops and restaurants, not quite a ghost town, but certainly not anywhere near as popular as the Zambian side these days (or probably the Zimbabwean side in the past). A few people tried to sell me more Zimbabwean money or souvenirs, but I found most of the people quite friendly, suffering a poor economy due to government decisions far removed from this border town. I searched for cheap food, eventually settling on a basic pizza place and realizing that I had to get back in a hurry, so I grabbed a pizza box to go and literally ran back to the border post and across the border, jogging further up to Zambian customs and finally to a few of the waiting taxis, as I had scheduled a microlight flight for that afternoon, and I only had a few minutes to get back in town and on the small plane.

(The town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe used to be the tourist hub for visitors to the beautiful waterfall, but sadly political problems and instability have driven most guests across the border to Livingstone, Zambia. While in the area, I wanted to experience the views of the falls from both countries, so I crossed the bridge, bought my visa and headed over to Zimbabwe for half a day.)

(The mist from the powerful falls also covered parts of the unfenced walkway along the deep gorge, just as it does in Zambia. Amazing how water knows no political boundaries.)

(A few warthogs chomping away, oblivious to the beautiful waterfall just behind them. The vast falls are amazing from both sides, with the Zimbabwean side giving more of an overall, sweeping view and the Zambian one giving a bit closer up view almost on top of the falls.)

(Here at Danger Point, you can walk right up to the very edge, looking down over the steep drop, water and omnipresent rainbows below. Given that the spray also makes the rocks slippery, I was content to stay a few steps back from the very edge.)

(The pounding spray soaked me, but I didn't mind, as the scenery more than made up for it.)