The Smoke that Thunders

It has been said that the Smoke that Thunders can be seen for 30 km on land and for 40 km from the air. One can only imagine the reaction and astonishment of those who stumbled upon this amazing mass of water which sprays up into the air as it falls down below.

What a beautiful site greeted us!

Dr David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer, was the first European who came across it in 1855 and named it Victoria Falls, in honor of the then British monarch, Queen Victoria.

The amazing Victoria Falls

I may step on some toes here, but the name which the indigenous people have called it for centuries, Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke that Thunders – is much more apt and descriptive. It was my first trip to the Falls and although the country is presently experiencing serious drought, it is a wondrous site that meets the eye and the ‘smoke’ could be seen from far away.

Words can't describe it.

To complement this visit, we took a 15-minute helicopter ride over the Falls and later yet, a safari boat on the Zambezi river. Although going close to the Falls was out of bounds, our two guides, Prof and Kennedy, did an awesome job to show us around. We saw birds that we do not see in South Africa, was privy to a large crocodile and an elephant, which they assured us was on Zambian soil and was treated to a delicious ‘Out of Africa’ lunch on a small island. These two young men have a passion for nature and willingly shared their knowledge of the area with us.

A crocodile we passed in the little boat

Zambia certainly does not have a shortage of water. Although probably best known for the Victoria Falls, situated on the Zambezi River on the border with Zimbabwe, the country has six basins and river systems, namely the Zambezi Main, Kafue, Luangwa, Chambeshi and Luapula rivers respectively, as well as the Lake Tanganyika basin. Wetlands cover for instance more than 20% of Zambia’s total area and government is committed to conserving the wetlands as it acknowledges that it preserves natural water storage. Victoria Falls is by no means their only falls, but it is recognized as one of the Seven  Natural Wonders of the World.

Wikipedia states that although it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is the largest, based on its width of 1,708 m and its height of 108 m and is therefore classified as the world’s largest sheet of water. Zambia is the source of the Zambezi which is the 4^th largest river in Africa. It flows through Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, before running into the Indian Ocean.

Livingstone, a typical tourist town, is situated in the southern province and a real gem to visit.