As we near the end of our trip, We’re ending the journey with a bang! After a fantastic day going on a safari in Chobe National Park, we spent today exploring Victoria Falls. Known in native language as Mosi-oa Tunya (The Smoke that Thunders), Victoria Falls is twice as tall and wide as Niagara Falls. It is regarded as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. After our experiences today, I don’t think any of us would disagree with that title. While Victoria Falls is truly indescribable, I hope that this blog post will do it some justice.
Our excitement was building as we saw the mist coming from the falls from miles away. Many of us found that the highlight of the day was the first time we saw the falls. A vibrant rainbow confronted us as we gazed in awe of the immensity of the waterfall. We took some time for pictures but the day was just getting started.
The next couple hours were spent hiking around the area to take in a variety of viewpoints of the falls. One of the trails that we hiked on was called “Boiling Pot.” The trail led us downhill through a jungle of beautiful vegetation (and plenty of baboons!). At the end of the trail, we took time to relax as we stared down the gorge that the Zambezi River runs through. Another short trail that we walked on was called “The Best Photographic Views.” While we saw some incredible views, the massive amount of mist coming from the falls hindered our sight of most of the waterfall.
Better “Kodak” moments presented themselves during my favorite part of the day. We rented raincoats and crocs from a vendor to attempt to keep dry during our next adventure. While these things did their best, drenched clothing was seemingly inevitable as we walked along a path that allowed us to see the falls face-to-face. The mist poured down on us at some points of the journey while other parts of the path allowed us to see the falls clearly and take great pictures. As I write this, I am finding it more and more difficult to try to do it justice. The falls were undoubtedly one of the coolest things I have seen in my life. Their immensity and beauty were absolutely breathtaking.
We left the park and ventured over to the bridge that links Zambia and Zimbabwe. The bridge stands 128 meters over the Zambezi River with Victoria Falls upstream. I have to say, some of you parents have very daring children! Some people chose to take a zipline from one side of the gorge to the other. Other people decided to do the “swing” which involves stepping off the bridge’s platform and swinging through the gorge below. The other daredevils bungee jumped, plummeting head first towards the rushing waters below. Don’t worry, no medical bills await as everyone stayed safe.
The night ended with a lovely dinner outside at Café Zambezi. While everyone is sad that the trip is coming to an end, I am sure that I speak for everyone in saying that we have had a fantastic experience and are excited to tell everyone about the trip when we return.
Written Jack G.
Zambia 2014 