Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of falling water on Earth—but before I ever saw it, I heard it.

We had checked into our hotel near Victoria Falls, and I kept noticing a low, steady roar in the distance. I finally complained to my husband, Doug, that I couldn’t believe we could hear so much road noise from our hotel.

Then I asked a hotel employee about it.

He looked at me and explained that what I was hearing wasn’t traffic at all. It was Victoria Falls.

Then he pointed toward what appeared to be a low-hanging cloud resting over the trees in the distance. That wasn’t a cloud, he told me. It was water vapor rising from the falls.

Suddenly, I understood why the traditional name for Victoria Falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“The Smoke That Thunders.” I had not even reached the falls, yet they had already announced their presence.

Located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls is one of those rare places where the statistics are almost as staggering as the experience itself. The waterfall stretches approximately 5,604 feet across—more than a mile—and drops as much as 354 feet into the gorge below.

During peak flood season, as much as 500 million liters of water can plunge over the edge every minute.

Think about that for a moment.

Victoria Falls is not the tallest waterfall in the world, nor is it the widest. But when its width and height are considered together, UNESCO recognizes it as the largest curtain of falling water on Earth.

The force of all that water sends spray nearly 1,640 feet into the air. It can be seen from miles away, just as I saw it that first day without realizing what I was looking at.

As you approach the falls, the roar grows louder. The air becomes cooler. The pathways become damp, and depending on the season, you may find yourself completely drenched by the spray. We were soaked to the skin even though we were zipped up tight in heavy-duty rain gear.

Sunlight passing through the mist creates rainbows that seem to appear, disappear and form again with every shifting breeze.

That mist also creates something extraordinary: a pocket of rainforest growing beside the falls. Palms, ferns and towering trees flourish in the constant moisture, creating a lush green world within an otherwise much drier landscape.

Above the falls, the Zambezi can appear surprisingly peaceful. Hippos surface in the water, crocodiles rest along the banks, and elephants and giraffes roam nearby. (In fact, one evening we couldn't enter our hotel grounds due to a large elephant dining on the landscaping near the front gate). More than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the surrounding region.

Then, almost without warning, that calm river disappears over the edge and is transformed into a powerful torrent below.

You do not have to bungee jump, white-water raft or stand at the edge of Devil’s Pool to experience the wonder of Victoria Falls. You can explore the walking paths, enjoy a sunset cruise on the Zambezi or take a helicopter flight above the falls to fully appreciate their immense scale (all three of which are included in my upcoming South Africa private group).

Won't you join me in May 2027 for a private, personally escorted tour of South Africa that begins with an astonishing adventure at Victoria Falls?

https://www.thejoyoftravel.net/2027-south-africa-may

Your Globetrotting Friend,
Joy

Victoria Falls: The Largest Curtain of Falling Water on Earth