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Facts on Victoria Falls

There are many interesting facts on Victoria Falls, this remarkable place is filled with much history and fascination.

Not only is it the biggest curtain of water in the world but it is also one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a world heritage site.

Please click on the links below to get more detailed facts on Vic Falls. 

Height, width, volume... Victoria Falls is approximately 1700m wide, and varies in height from 80-108 meters. It’s one and a half times wider than Niagara Falls and is twice the height making it the biggest curtain of water in the world. Around mid-April is when peak flood waters occur. Roughly 625 million litres of water flow over the edge per minute. This huge volume of water produces a spray that rises up to 1650 feet into the air. read more...

Formation, Geology and Gorges... The original Victoria Falls was 8km downstream from the current day falls. Weaknesses in the basalt rock perpendicular to the river's flow, plus 2 million years' of erosion have resulted in the river cutting through seven subsequent gorges, which zigzag upstream from the previous one. read more...

David Livingstone... Born in Scotland, David Livingstone arrived in Africa in 1840. He was a missionary and a physician. In 1855 he set off down the Zambezi to find for himself the “Smoke That Thunders” which the local tribesmen called Mosi-oa-tunya. Livingstone named the falls in honour of his monarch Queen Victoria. read more...

History of Victoria Falls... Although David Livingstone was the first white man to see Victoria Falls on the 17th November 1855. Various local tribes had been living here for years. The town of Victoria Falls originally became established as a trading post called Old Drift on the Zambian side of the river where they used to cross the Zambezi it was moved to the current day location of Livingstone in around 1900. read more...

Zambezi River... It is the mighty Zambezi River which flows over the Victoria Falls. The Zambezi River is over 1650 miles long and is Africa's fourth largest river (after the Nile, Zaire and Niger respectively) and is the only one that flows east into the Indian Ocean. read more...

Victoria Falls Bridge and Steam Railway... Cecil John Rhodes had a vision of a railway line from the Cape to Cairo part of this required a bridge to be built over the Zambezi gorge. This was completed in 1905 sadly after his death. This railway line now made it possible for large number of tourists to visit the town. read more...

Seven Natural Wonders... Victoria Falls is one of the seven wonders of the world, do you know the others? read more....

Cecil John Rhodes was the son of a Hertfordshire clergyman. Born in 1853, Cecil Rhodes was an asthmatic child and his family believed..... read more.....

A Lunar Rainbow ..... "A Wonderful Sight Not To Be Missed"....The lunar rainbow occurs for three days in each month from January to September. The lunar happens when the water levels in the Zambezi River is high enough to cause heavy spray to blend adequately with the moon rays. In the cold months it can be viewed from 19.30hours to midnight. But during the dry season in about October when the water level is very low the rainbow is not bright enough to view – because of lack of spray... read more..

Strange Facts on Victoria Falls... Try these for off beat facts you won't find anywhere else... read more...

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Facts on Victoria Falls