Hear the roar of the thundering Victoria Falls, feel the adrenaline while white water rafting down the mighty Zambezi River, or take a leisurely game drive in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. This is Zambia, a country rich in natural beauty and wildlife, yet scant in tourists.
Aside from its variety of game, such as lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and a number of exciting endemic species, Zambia is noted for its rich birdlife and exotic fish. It’s something of a pilgrimage for fishermen, and for birders, they can’t help but be drawn by the marvellous diversity of bird species. Zambia is the perfect African destination to have an authentic safari experience.
David Livingstone was the first European to see the falls and named them in honour of Queen Victoria in 1857. The falls make a constant roar and are accompanied by a cloud of brilliant spray where the 1.7 kilometre wide Upper Zambezi drops between 90 and 107 metres into the Lower Zambezi. An average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummets over the edge every minute, transforming the Zambezi from a wide placid river to a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges. The river’s annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 metres, sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 kilometres away – hence the local name for the falls and the surrounding national park – Mosi-OaTunya, “the Smoke that Thunders”! The park provides a home for numerous antelope species, zebra, giraffe, elephant, warthog and a variety of birds. Since there are no predators, the wildlife is very relaxed, allowing for excellent photo opportunities.