Monday, June 17, 2024

2024 African Safari Plus: Victoria Falls Tour (6/17/2024)

Monday, June 17, 2024
This morning was the guided tour of Mosi-oa-Tunya/The Smoke that Thunders or Victoria Falls (a name given by Dr David Livingstone when he first saw them in 1855, to honor Queen Victoria). The Falls are just over 1 mile/1.7 km wide and drop up to 108 m/354'. (In comparison, the combined cascades of Niagara Falls are 1005 m/1 km/3300'/0.6 mile wide and drop 56-57 m/184-188'.)
The entrance to Victoria Falls National Park
Kent & Tamiko on the sunny side
of the entrance sign
Carved animals on the handrail
A first view of the Falls at Viewpoint #2,
looking from the side of the narrow gorge
Viewpoint #1: Statue (1954, by William
Reid Dick) of Dr David Livingstone;
although a reminder of the British colonial
era and missionaries, Dr Livingstone was
also a physician and scientific explorer who
spoke the local language and advocated
the abolition of slave trade
Near the Livingstone statue is a view of the top of
Devil's Cataract and along the narrow gorge to the left (KSS)
Rainbow (KSS)
Viewpoint #3: Devil's Cataract, the farthest west of the falls
Kent & Tamiko at Viewpoint #4: Devil's Cataract
A misty view of a cataract that has
eroded the farthest of the current cascades,
more in an eastward direction
Viewpoint #6 with Devil's Cataract and only the
mist of the more quickly eroding falls on
the right within Cataract Island (KSS)
The Main Falls at Viewpoint #7
Main Falls and lots of mist at Viewpoint #8
Even mistier at Viewpoint #9
Tamiko in a rain poncho; the mist is like a full rain,
especially at viewpoints #10, 11 & 12 (KSS)
Less-eroded rocks break up the falls
Stone panels of the path between viewpoints
We were only able to see across to the east side of
Livingstone Island; just to the right are Horseshoe Falls
You can see people on the island; on each side of the island
at the top of the Falls is a natural pool for swimming
Viewpoint #13: Horseshoe Falls, then Rainbow Falls to the right of the gap
The ground has been dug up by warthogs
looking for roots to eat
A doube rainbow (KSS)
Viewpoint #15: Danger Point; across
 the gorge to the right is Zambia
Abseiling/rappeling site in the First Gorge
between Zimbabwe and Zambia (KSS)
Boiling Pot where the First Gorge turns
right into the Second Gorge
Victoria Falls Railway Bridge (1904-1905, designed by
George Andrew Hobson) crosses the Second Gorge,
and carries a road, railway and footway
Women carry goods on their heads to trade or sell in
Zimbabwe, and will return with other goods to sell (KSS)
One can also bungee jump off this bridge.
Men on bicycles bring a large amount of goods
into Zimbabwe across the bridge
Next: Victoria Falls Town.







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