Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is a major waterfall on the Zambezi River, situated on the international border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Known locally by several indigenous names, most prominently Mosi-oa-Tunya in the Lozi language, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders”, it is recognised as one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls in the world. The falls are notable not only for their immense width and volume of water but also for their geological significance, ecological diversity, deep precolonial history, and global cultural importance.
Victoria Falls has long been known to African communities living along the Zambezi. Although it became internationally famous following its documentation by European explorers in the nineteenth century, indigenous knowledge of the site extends back many millennia. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a central pillar of tourism and conservation in southern Africa.

Name Origins and Cultural Significance

The most widely used indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, translates as “The Smoke That Thunders”, a reference to the towering spray and thunderous noise produced by the falling water. In the Tonga language of the region, the falls are known as Shungu Namutitima, meaning “Boiling Water”. These names reflect local interpretations rooted in sensory experience and spiritual meaning.
Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone became the first recorded European to view the falls on 16 November 1855, observing them from what is now called Livingstone Island. He named the waterfall Victoria Falls in honour of Queen Victoria. Despite this colonial naming, indigenous names have remained in common use, and both Victoria Falls and Mosi-oa-Tunya are officially recognised by UNESCO.
Livingstone also recorded an older local name, Seongo or Chongwe, meaning “The Place of the Rainbow”, referencing the frequent rainbows and moonbows created by the persistent mist.

Location and Physical Dimensions

Victoria Falls spans the entire width of the Zambezi River at a point where the river plunges into a narrow, transverse chasm carved into a basalt plateau. The falls measure approximately 1,708 metres in width and drop vertically into a gorge with depths ranging from about 80 metres at the western end to over 100 metres in the centre. This combination of width and height produces the largest continuous sheet of falling water in the world.
Upstream of the falls, the Zambezi flows calmly across a flat basalt surface dotted with tree-covered islands. As the river approaches the precipice, these islands divide the flow into distinct channels. The principal sections of the falls, from west to east, are known as:

• Devil’s Cataract
• Main Falls
• Rainbow Falls (the highest section)
• Eastern Cataract

Two major islands, Cataract Island and Livingstone Island, lie on the crest of the falls and further shape the distribution of water.

Hydrology and Seasonal Variation

The Zambezi River exhibits strong seasonal variation. The rainy season extends from late November to early April, with peak river flow typically occurring between February and May, especially in April. During peak flood conditions, the spray generated by the falls can rise over 400 metres and may be visible from distances of up to 50 kilometres.
In contrast, the dry season from September to January can reduce water flow dramatically. At its lowest point, river discharge may fall to around one-tenth of peak flood levels. During these months, large portions of the rocky face of the falls become exposed, and the base of the First Gorge is visible. This extreme variability makes Victoria Falls hydrologically distinctive among the world’s major waterfalls.
At full moon during high water, moonbows—lunar rainbows—are sometimes visible in the mist, a rare phenomenon that adds to the site’s natural appeal.

Gorges and River Course

After plunging over the edge, the Zambezi River flows through a series of deep, narrow gorges collectively known as the Batoka Gorge system. The river exits the First Gorge through a narrow cleft only a fraction of the width of the falls before entering successive zigzagging gorges. These include:

• First Gorge, directly below the falls
• Second Gorge, containing the Boiling Pot, a deep, turbulent pool
• Third Gorge, spanned by the Victoria Falls Bridge
• Fourth Gorge
• Fifth Gorge
• Songwe Gorge, the deepest and furthest downstream

Water levels within these gorges fluctuate significantly between wet and dry seasons, reflecting the dramatic seasonal dynamics of the Zambezi.

Geological Formation

The geological foundation of Victoria Falls dates back approximately 200 million years to the Jurassic period, when extensive basalt lava flows formed the plateau over which the Zambezi now runs. Initially, the Upper Zambezi drained southwards towards the Limpopo River. However, tectonic uplift around two million years ago blocked this route, leading to the formation of Lake Makgadikgadi, an ancient inland lake.
Eventually, overflow from this lake cut eastwards through the basalt, carving the Batoka Gorge. The waterfall has since migrated upstream through headward erosion, exploiting zones of structural weakness such as joints and fractures in the basalt. Evidence of this process can be seen in the sequence of abandoned gorges downstream, marking earlier positions of the falls.
Geological analysis suggests that erosion continues today, and the falls may eventually retreat further upstream, forming a new major gorge.

Archaeology and Precolonial History

Archaeological evidence indicates that humans have inhabited the Victoria Falls region for tens of thousands of years. Excavations have uncovered Acheulean handaxes, Oldowan tools, and later Sangoan and Lupemban artefacts, demonstrating continuous human presence from the Early to Middle Stone Age.
Evidence of iron smelting, pottery production, and settled communities dating to the late first millennium AD has also been found near the falls. Various ethnic groups, including the Tonga (Tokaleya), Ndebele, and Tswana, assigned their own names and cultural meanings to the site, reflecting its long-standing significance in regional belief systems and trade networks.

Biodiversity and Conservation

The region surrounding Victoria Falls supports a high level of biodiversity. Riverine forests, savannahs, and gorges provide habitats for numerous plant and animal species, including elephants, buffalo, antelope, and diverse birdlife. The constant spray from the falls creates a unique rainforest microclimate, supporting lush vegetation not found in surrounding dry areas.
Both Zambia and Zimbabwe have designated national parks at the site—Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia and Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe—aimed at preserving ecological integrity while supporting tourism.