ZIMBABWE: VICTORIA FALLS TRAIL

While seeing Victoria Falls from the air is a great way to understand its size and geology, seeing it from the ground is definitely the best way to experience its staggering power.

But before starting the walking tour of the falls, it is helpful to stop at the stalls that rent raincoats and flip flops. Visitors to Victoria Falls should plan to get very wet. I was wearing water-friendly shoes, but Bob was wearing gym shoes, and they were the only shoes he had brought on the trip. He was able to rent a pair of flip flops for about $3. Both of us rented the heavy raincoats that our guide suggested, even though it was a warm, sunny day. We think they were about $5 each, and they turned out to be more than worth it.

I started the walk by being taught some native African dance moves:

And then we had a private concert and were convinced that we did, indeed, love Africa:

Information posted at the entrance to the Victoria Falls Park informs visitors: "In terms of height, at 107m, the Victoria Falls does not feature in the top 800 waterfalls around the world, but it is 10th largest by width and 13th largest by volume. If you combine these factors there are three large waterfalls in the world: Niagara Falls, Iguazu Falls and Victoria Falls. Niagara Falls is significantly smaller than the other two and although on paper Iguazu is larger, it is a multi-tiered waterfall that is broken into 270 separate falls. It is a subjective opinion, but if you are looking for the highest, widest sheet of continually falling water, then the Main Fall of the Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world."

A map of the Zambezi River shows where the Falls are located -- just about in the center of the length of the river.

Okay, we are ready. Let's do this.

As noted earlier, the water was very high when we were there, the mist was heavy, and the cataracts land in a deep gorge, so the entire length of the falls really couldn't be seen. There are about ten viewing spots along the walking route, and we stopped at each one for varying views and varying amounts of mist.

We started with one of the more dramatic views: the spot where the entire width of the Falls is channeled through a narrow break in the cliffs and into the gorge below:

The power of the falls, the noise of the crashing water, the drenching! I think I laughed through most of our hour-long walk--from astonished amazement and joy.

Walking back from the precipice got us to a drier area where we could pose for photos. Note the umbrella in Bob's hands. A lot of people told us that an umbrella is a waste, that we would be drenched with or without it. We were both glad we had brought umbrellas along because they made it possible for us to pull out our phones to take pictures. Yes, we still got drenched, but for the most part we kept our phones dry. (We were glad we did not bring our bigger cameras. There would have been no way to keep them dry.)

The top of the falls, looking toward the drop, is not quite as wet, but it is still very, very loud:

There is a place near the edge called "The Devil's Pool" where people can actually sit in the water right at the edge of the falls.

No thank you.

Standing on land near the cliff's edge was enough thrill for me:

We passed a statue of David Livingstone, the first non-native to see the Falls in 1855. He named the falls after Queen Victoria of Britain. The local name for the Falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means "The Smoke that Thunders."

Back to the Falls. It's hard to turn one's attention away from them!

Our guide was a very fast walker, almost always far in front of us:

Every now and then the mist would part enough for me to take some pictures or video footage:

There is so much water!

Our guide insisted on taking numerous photos of us. At least it proves we really were there!

Each of the ten viewing points was marked. I wish I had noticed that earlier and taken a picture of each one. It would have made identifying where we were on the trail in our photos a lot easier.

Note how wet the pathway is:

There is our guide--waiting for us down the pathway as usual. This section of the walk--wetter and warmer than other areas--goes through a natural rainforest that is lush and dense.

Bob and our guide walking ahead in the heavy, never-ending rain:

That's my umbrella on the left, providing a roof for my picture-taking. Bob is on the right looking down at the falls:

The penultimate turnout was the wettest, and Bob elected to skip it, but I wanted to experience it ALL. Our guide had to go with me, not wanting me to be unaccompanied. Once I got to the viewpoint, I understood why. It was very, very windy. We hadn't had wind anywhere else, so it must have been caused by the tumultuous water. It was also very, very wet, more like being in the bathtub than in the shower. There was almost 0% visibility. It was a close to being in the waterfall as I got. It was one of the most exhilarating moments of my life to be in the presence of so much power. I would have loved to stand there without my rain jacket or umbrella, to feel the full force of the water and wind. I guess the guide was there to stop me from doing that.

Alas, we only stayed a minute before moving on to the final viewpoint: the bridge that crosses the gorge below and past the falls and which connects Zimbabwe and Zambia, the same bridge we had crossed our first night in Zimbabwe to have our dinner in Zambia. There was an arcing rainbow under the bridge, our reward for "weathering" the stormy viewpoints behind us.

Pedestrians cross the bridge:

Our guide told us there is bungee jumping from that bridge.  NO THANK YOU.

On our way out, we enjoyed the art . . .

Bob and our guide returned the rented jackets and flip flops:

. . . and we enjoyed a little shopping at the local market: