Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe and Zambia

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20 July 19 - We arived in Livingstone after a short flight from Johannesburg, to stay two nights at the Avani Hotel located close to the Falls. We were able to quickly get our visa for both Zimbabwe and Zambia on arrival and were out of the airport and at our hotel by midday. We decided to take a tour on the river in the afternoon, another couple joined us in a small boat to explore the narrow channels and islands above the falls. We sped over the rapids before stopping at a small island on the zambezi to have a picnic. One of the crew checked there were no elephants, crocodiles or hippos on the island before we were able to go ashore. The two man crew set up a little table for drinks and delicious snacks, we were able to watch the hippos not more than a few metres from us while we enoyed our gin and tonics. Our small boat then carried on up to the river to pull alongside the African Queen a luxurious three deck boat which had stopped for us, we felt a little like royalty as we climbed aboard the boat and were escorted up to the captains deck for drinks while watching the sunset. What a fabulous way to start our time at Victoria Falls.

21 July 19 After we both explored the falls on the Zambian side Ron went for a walk to the bridge and ended up going to Zimbabwe and back. In the afternoon we took a helicopter flight, the pilot flew low through the gorge leading to the falls before circling the falls a couple of times. We were very lucky to be sitting in the front with the pilot, it was a very exciting ride. We finished our day with drinks on the deck of the Livingstone hotel watching the sunset with a view of the mist from the falls.

22 July 19 - An early start to take a small boat to Livingstone Island, the island is situated on the top of the falls and is where David Livingstone first glimpsed the Mosi-oa-Tunya (Smoke that Thunders). A short swim from the island is Devil’s Pool where you can lean out over the falls, as you needed to be strong swimmer and not scared of heights this was one adventure Alex declined but Ron was excited to do. Around midday we crossed the border to Zimbabwe to stay at the iconic Victoria Falls Hotel. We walked to the Falls park and both agreed the view of the falls was much more spectacular on this side, we were surprised to see the Devils Pool where Ron had swam just that morning, it was amongst the strongest part of the Falls.

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