The world-famous waterfall located on the Zambezi River, between Zambia and Zimbabwe, was named Victoria Falls by the Scottish explorer and missionary David Livingstone in 1855. Livingstone was the first European to view the falls, and he chose to name them in honor of the reigning British monarch at the time, Queen Victoria. Despite his colonial naming, Livingstone famously remarked that "scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." However, the falls have a much older indigenous name used by the local Kololo and Lozi people: Mosi-oa-Tunya, which translates to "The Smoke That Thunders." This traditional name perfectly describes the massive plumes of mist that rise over 400 meters into the air and the deafening roar of the water as it plunges into the gorge. Today, both names are officially recognized, and the surrounding National Parks in both Zambia and Zimbabwe reflect this dual heritage. The falls are a UNESCO World Heritage site and remain one of the most powerful natural spectacles on the planet.