--- Victoria Falls est le plus haut chute d’eau du monde.

All the waterfalls I had seen before were fairly narrow streams of water, but this one was an enormous gorge nearly two kilometers wide and as tall as a thirty-story building. It was named after a Scottish explorer who was the first white person to discover this natural wonder and honored it by naming it after Queen Victoria. The local tribes, however, called it simply and pragmatically “The Roaring Smoke” due to the noise and the cloud of spray produced by the waterfall. We visited it via helicopter and even ventured into the “Devil’s Pool” – a small area at the very edge of the waterfall. It’s hard to imagine such an activity in a civilized country, but in Africa, anything is possible...

Unfortunately, we were during the dry season and thus couldn’t see it at its fullest glory. I took pictures of postcards showing the waterfall during the rainy season.

This is what we actually saw:

Two countries border this waterfall: the eastern part belongs to Zambia, and the western part, the largest and most beautiful section, is in Zimbabwe. This photo was taken from the eastern side, but we will soon reach the location where the “Roaring Smoke” rises into the air.

These people are on the opposite side of the waterfall, in Zimbabwe. From there, the view is absolutely stunning.

There is a bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe that offers tourists the chance to jump off a bungee rope.

Another popular activity is flying over the waterfall in a deltaplane. Two people can ride together – a pilot and a passenger. The passenger is secured with a regular seatbelt, like in a child’s seat. On both sides, there are small metal handles that you have to grip tightly during the whole flight. This unusual aircraft flies quite high, but it gives the strange sensation of flying like on a tiny stool. There’s nothing around you, and even the lightest breeze causes the deltaplane to swing violently from side to side. I really enjoy flying, but I must say that this experience wasn’t particularly enjoyable. I wasn’t allowed to bring a camera or phone; there was only a camera attached to the deltaplane, which took occasional pictures.

After that, we switched to a more conventional aircraft: a helicopter. From the helicopter cabin, we were able to take comfortable photos, and I managed to capture several scenic views of the waterfall. All this vast area with water and islands is actually the Zambezi River, which flows into the waterfall.

The canyon blocks the river’s course, creating the Victoria Falls itself.

The helicopter pilots said that during the rainy season, the mist rises so high that it is impossible to fly over it.

The pilots made several circles so we could take photos of the waterfall from all angles.

After the waterfall, the river flows through a long and winding canyon where we went rafting.

From this angle, you can see the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia as well as the dam that Zimbabwe has built to generate electricity.

Here are a few more pictures of the waterfall:

Those who want to take a helicopter ride have two options: a 15-minute flight or a 30-minute flight. The shorter option is just a leisurely tour around the area, while the longer one includes a flight through the canyon.

It happened quite unexpectedly: we were flying very low above the ground when suddenly the helicopter plunged into the canyon.

We were only 2 or 3 meters above the water, so safety measures were completely forgotten.

The pilot was flying at extremely high speed, and it reminded me a lot of a scene from “Star Wars).

At every turn, the helicopter accelerated at full speed.

When we finally emerged from the canyon, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

I included this picture to show you how dramatically the helicopter tilts. The right side is the central frame of the helicopter.

The next day, we went to visit the “Devil’s Pool.” We were taken in a boat to Livingston Island, where the explorer Livingstone first saw the waterfall and named it after the queen.

A man who looked a bit like a Jamaican greeted us there.

The main attraction of the island is a “toilet with a view.” To understand what this means, you need to see it from the other side.

I suppose Livingstone must have enjoyed this view while thinking of the queen...

We were then taken to the edge of the cliff.

While we were approaching the “Devil’s Pool,” the previous group of visitors was being slowly guided away.

The “Devil’s Pool”:

It’s extremely difficult to reach the bottom because of the steep descent and the sharp rocks. You have to jump, which adds an extra element of excitement to the experience.

In the middle of the pool, the water is deeper – about two meters. On the edge, there is a natural rock ledge that acts as a safety barrier, preventing people from falling into the waterfall below.

The guide ensured that no one got too close to the edge. He also kept an eye on everyone to make sure no one ventured too far.

Inside the pool, it was quite peaceful, but just a meter away, the water rushed violently.

The guide said that those who really wanted to could slowly crawl towards the edge. Everyone wanted to try it, and now everyone has such a photo in their collection. Of course, the guide held our legs the entire time. He also mentioned that on average, one tourist dies in this activity each year...

After a while, we left the pool and let the next group go in.

Stay tuned!