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Why is Victoria Falls famous?

The Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls is the world's greatest sheet of falling water and significant worldwide for its exceptional geological and geomorphological features and active land formation processes with outstanding beauty attributed to the falls i.e. the spray, mist and rainbows.



Victoria Falls, located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is world-famous primarily for its status as the "largest curtain of falling water" on the planet. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall, its combined width of 1,708 meters (5,604 ft) and height of 108 meters (354 ft) create the largest single sheet of flowing water in existence. It is known locally as "Mosi-oa-Tunya" (The Smoke That Thunders), a name that perfectly describes the massive columns of spray that can be seen from over 30 miles away and the deafening roar of the Zambezi River plunging into the Batoka Gorge. The falls are a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Beyond the sheer visual spectacle, the area is famous as a global "adventure capital," offering unique experiences like swimming in the "Devil's Pool" at the very edge of the abyss during the dry season, white-water rafting on the world-class rapids of the Zambezi, and bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge. Its unique geology—a series of zig-zagging gorges created by the river eroding cracks in the basalt plateau—makes it a fascination for geologists and nature lovers alike.

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Here are some fascinating facts which may surprise you, or simply encourage you to see the area for yourself.
  • IT IS THE LARGEST WATERFALL IN THE WORLD. ...
  • VICTORIA FALLS IS PART OF THE ZAMBEZI RIVER. ...
  • IT IS FOUND IN TWO NATIONAL PARKS. ...
  • ITS ENGLISH NAME WAS CHOSEN BY DAVID LIVINGSTONE. ...
  • YOU CAN SEE THE FALLS FROM TWO COUNTRIES.


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Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Devil's Pool is adjacent to the famous Livingstone Island situated on the edge of the Victoria Falls. Guests can choose to enjoy an exhilarating swim to the edge of the falls during their Livingstone Island visit.

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According to the 2022 Population Census, the town had a population of 35,199.

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With scale, drama, power and beauty it is easy to see why The Victoria Falls has been accredited as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world. Such an awe-inspiring experience, a once in a lifetime opportunity to observe one of our world's most precious areas of natural magnificence.

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Victoria Falls, the world's largest waterfall, is very tall. At 350 feet, it's as high as a 35-story building, 45 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty from pedestal to torch, and more than twice as high as Niagara Falls. More than 50 blue whales could fit between one end of the Falls and the other.

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David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary and explorer, is the first European recorded to have viewed the falls on 16 November 1855, from what is now known as Livingstone Island, one of two land masses in the middle of the river, immediately upstream from the falls near the Zambian shore.

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Modern tourism The beauty of the falls lies in their natural state, but the area is at some risk of runaway tourism-based development—more resorts, hotels, and even a possible dam below the falls that could flood several park gorges.

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General Facts About Victoria
  • The Oldest Civilisation on Earth. ...
  • The Smallest Mainland State. ...
  • Named After a Queen. ...
  • Vs the United Kingdom. ...
  • A Former Capital? ...
  • One Huge City. ...
  • Second Generation. ...
  • The World's Longest Tram Network.


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The falls are nicknamed Mosi-oa-Tunya; which means 'The smoke that thunders', by the locals, due to the billowing clouds of mist that rise up and drench everything and everyone in its reach when the river is in flood.

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The Zambezi River forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is why Zambia and Zimbabwe share Victoria Falls, with roughly two-thirds of the Falls lying on the Zimbabwe side.

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You can take a stroll down Victoria Falls National Park's footpaths, meandering through drizzling rainforest and out onto gorge-edge viewpoints where you'll be greeted head-on by the glorious Main Falls – thundering down into the rocky chasm below, causing tremors in the ground beneath your feet.

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Victoria Falls is generally a safe place to visit and is separate from Zimbabwe in a political sense, due to the country relying on it for its tourism. Social and political unrest is therefore kept at bay, roads are maintained, cash is usually accessible (check with us first), and the town is kept clean.

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Angel Falls, Venezuela Beginning with the one that is the tallest uninterrupted waterfall, at the height of 3,200 feet, Angel Falls is the largest waterfall in the world.

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