Where We Be
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| "You WILL get wet!" as the sign says at the entrance to the park |
| Victoria Falls, Zambia |
These immense falls are even closer on the
Zambian side and quite powerful to experience.
It's not just the view but the sound of the falls
roaring in your ears and the thousands of water
droplets smacking you in the face that make it
so visceral. The absolute highlight is Knife's
Edge Bridge which cuts straight across the
falls and gets you very, very wet. We got
doused as we crossed, then continued out to
the furthest viewpoint, Danger Point, so named
because it's slippery. Returning over the same
bridge (this time with a rainbow cutting across
it) was like walking in an ankle-deep stream
high above an abyss. Crazy! Not the journey to
make if you don't like heights, but we loved it.
Earlier in the day, we also took a jungle trail
down, down, down to what's known as Boiling
Pot because the waters at the base of the falls
roil like they're boiling, creating a permanent
whirlpool. It's the put-in point for whitewater
rafting once water levels drop. The climb back
up to the top was steep, and it took us close to
a troop of baboons a little too used to humans,
but we did enjoy watching them play on vines.
Zambian side and quite powerful to experience.
It's not just the view but the sound of the falls
roaring in your ears and the thousands of water
droplets smacking you in the face that make it
so visceral. The absolute highlight is Knife's
Edge Bridge which cuts straight across the
falls and gets you very, very wet. We got
doused as we crossed, then continued out to
the furthest viewpoint, Danger Point, so named
because it's slippery. Returning over the same
bridge (this time with a rainbow cutting across
it) was like walking in an ankle-deep stream
high above an abyss. Crazy! Not the journey to
make if you don't like heights, but we loved it.
Earlier in the day, we also took a jungle trail
down, down, down to what's known as Boiling
Pot because the waters at the base of the falls
roil like they're boiling, creating a permanent
whirlpool. It's the put-in point for whitewater
rafting once water levels drop. The climb back
up to the top was steep, and it took us close to
a troop of baboons a little too used to humans,
but we did enjoy watching them play on vines.
| If you plan to do Boiling Pot Trail, do it first while you're fresh and temperatures are cooler -- it's a steep climb down and back up |
| You'll get some terrific views of Victoria Falls Bridge along the way |
| The trail takes you through lush jungle before you arrive at Boiling Pot at the base of the falls |
| Take a moment to appreciate this bubbling stream before heading back up the trail |
| The definite highlight of a visit here is Knife's Edge Bridge |
| Billows of mist can surprise you at any moment |
| Beyond the bridge, you'll get some terrific views -- and you'll agree the smoke really does thunder |
| Robin walks right into a rainbow on Knife's Edge Bridge. The bright green on the bridge is moss -- you'll notice it gets a bit wet here. |
| Great views of Victoria Falls Bridge can also be had from the top (without venturing down to Boiling Pot) |
| Devil’s Pool is located here. At certain times of year, when water levels are lower, you can swim right up to the edge of the falls. |
| We finish up our visit with a walk upstream to the falls' edge |
| It's pricy, but the Royal Livingstone Express can take you to the falls in an old luxury railway car from the colonial era, pulled by a steam locomotive, while you enjoy dinner |
| We really like the lodge and hope to visit it again someday as part of a future safari in Zambia |
| Our flight back to Johannesburg includes what amounts to a flightseeing tour over Victoria Falls |
| Victoria Falls is easy to combine with a safari in Botswana, Zimbabwe, or Zambia |
| The two main sights to see on the Zambian side are Knife's Edge Bridge and Boiling Pot |
| Zambia has its own statue of Livingstone -- plus the nearby town is called Livingstone |
| Mist rises into the air, marking the site of the falls even from a fair distance away |
| Ngoma Zanga Lodge is our home for our one and only night in Livingstone |