Across The Border: From Zambia To Zimbabwe
All we ask Caroline at the lodge for is a taxi to the border. What we get is a driver named Steven who does that bit, but also chaperones us through the slightly confusing Zambian exit system and then drives us over the Victoria Falls Bridge as far as Zimbabwe immigration where he points out a smiling guy in a blue T-shirt. The smiling guy is Kenny, and before we know it we’ve skipped the line, got the obligatory stamps in our passports and been driven to the very door of our next stay. Expert courier service for the price of a taxi. It’s how it is here: service repeatedly above and beyond.
Into Zimbabwe, where the currency has collapsed and there is a severe shortage of paper money – a fact which sounds dramatic but conversely makes life easier for the traveller. The US dollar has taken over as the standard currency, is the only cash you see changing hands and is the money dispensed at ATMs. There’s never any mention of Zimbabwe currency on menus or in shops, not even in the supermarket. What’s more, the crisis has accelerated the move towards a cashless society which means that Visa is now accepted virtually everywhere. Trains, however, are a different problem – it was our intention to travel Zimbabwe by rail as much as possible, only to discover that, somewhat bizarrely, passenger services have not yet resumed since COVID. No trains, no currency. Interesting.
We may have moved into a new country but we haven’t travelled very far, we’re now on the Zimbabwe side of the Zambezi in the town actually named Victoria Falls. Perspectives and views of the falls are very different from this side – the Zambezi flows from Zambia, down the cascade and then becomes the border, so consequently a lot more of the falls are visible from the Zimbabwe side.
Here’s a few facts about the Victoria Falls. In terms of the height from which the water drops (107 metres) these falls remarkably don’t even make the top 800 falls in the world. However, the width at 1737m is 10th in the world, and the volume of water is 13th. By combination of these three factors (and I don’t quite know how they do the maths) Victoria is placed in the world’s top three with Iguazu and Niagara. One thing is certain: in the rainy season, the largest unbroken curtain of water in the world is right here.
How interesting it is to follow the trails here on this side, it’s more than just the magnificent views which are different, in fact as we make our way along the route we seem to pass through different micro climates. The dense spray from the crashing falls drifts on the breeze, rises high above the gorge and then drops to soak the trees on the Zimbabwe side – after which, water drips down from the branches, forming a mini rainforest along the top of the escarpment. Step just a few yards away and the ground is deep dust, the shrubs parched and crisped, the trees leafless and bony. The drifting spray obviously stops along a very definite line. A natural biosphere, if you will.
Whilst in the mini rainforest section we walk under a false but full rainfall, the heavy drops soaking our clothes as quickly as it cools our flesh, then seconds later the trees are barren and leafless instead of lush and green, the dust under our feet an inch deep rather than washed away. The sun is once again baking.
As we stand gazing across the gorge, we picture in our minds just what an awesome sight this must be at high water – so much so that we actually have a conversation about returning, just to see the falls at their most mighty – a rarity in itself as we don’t discuss returning anywhere too often. Well, only now and again. Along the ridge, wildlife sightings are frequent, these guys are obviously used to human presence. Bushbuck, ringed mongoose and baboons pass within inches and happily feed, completely unperturbed by our closeness, and then, just to prove how unpredictable sightings can be, when we detour to use the public washrooms we are greeted by five warthogs feeding right outside the door.
Entering the town of Victoria Falls is like awakening from a long sleep: suddenly we are cast into a world of tarmac roads, good restaurants, bars and plentiful taxis. After so many weeks of restrictive environments it feels like liberation. We can actually go out for the evening.
“Doesn’t it feel great to be normal?!”, I say to Michaela inside Zulu Restaurant on our first night. Now that’s not a sentence I’ve heard myself say too often.
Alongside such change come adventure companies, event agents, music groups touring restaurants and looking for tips….and tourists. Plus, inevitably, a big hike in prices – still not the prices of home but a hefty increase nonetheless. If that sounds a bit like we don’t like it then I’ve hit the wrong note, because we love it here, it’s a terrific little adventure town and it really does feel great to be soaking up its familiarity. Who’d have thought that in a journey through Africa we’d get excited about finding a tapas bar.
A couple of kilometres out of town is The Big Tree, probably the most remarkable boabab we’ve seen so far on our travels. This huge hulking tree has been carbon dated at up to an incredible 1,200 years old. If that’s not astonishing enough, zoom in on the words on the sign next to the tree and be astonished some more…and maybe amused by the hyena story. As boababs go, this is indeed a big tree.
The Big Tree
The bungee jump off the bridge looks a little too scary, the famed Zambezi Swing likewise, perhaps because you have to make that crucial leap yourself. (Actually, I am just a little tempted by both, but it’s a definite NO from she who must be obeyed). Ah, but then there’s the zipline across the gorge, hurtling through the air with the Zambezi way below and the Lookout restaurant above, the opposite cliff racing towards us. Yep, that’s a goer.
It’s quite different from other ziplines which we’ve done – for a start, there’s no far end. On this one, we race downwards, then travel up the final incline, then back down, back and forth until we’re reeled in by one of the operator guys. Oh, and it’s the first one we’ve done in tandem. It’s a proper thrill though, looking down on the Zambezi as we shoot through the sky, crocodiles waiting in the water below just on the off chance the harness doesn’t do its job.
There’s a touch of culture to indulge in here too, in the shape of an open air theatre hosting an hour long show named Simunye. This is a theatre which finds a focus for local youth, funding those with talent and maybe higher aspirations who would otherwise be worlds away from any such similar opportunity. It’s great to be able to contribute to such a laudable enterprise and at the same time lose ourselves in the show. The show itself is sixty minutes of rhythmic drumming and contemporary versions of tribal dancing with a storyline combining human emotion and mystic beliefs – think African tradition meets Lion King meets Miss Saigon. It’s very lively and the hour passes in no time.
Victoria Falls town has turned out to be a little corner of foodie heaven. Zulu Restaurant with its traditional Zimbabwe dishes, Marula the tapas bar, Goat with its amazing river fish and gentle live music….and Lookout Restaurant high on the escarpment with magnificent views of the gorge and the bridge, outstanding food and, wait for it, draught beer. This great little town, touristy as it may be, has been a fabulous breath of fresh air and the perfect pause button as we move inexorably southwards.
It’s been great, we have so enjoyed our stay here. Livingstone was terrific, Victoria Falls even better. We move on from this super little town with batteries recharged, adrenaline fix satisfied and an enthusiasm which will embrace whatever it is that Zimbabwe holds next. Sad to leave, excited to move on. It ever was thus.
What awaits is in fact the city of Bulawayo…..and more beyond….
FINAL THOUGHT: Kenny, the guy at the beginning with the blue T-shirt, became our regular driver: wherever we were, whatever we were doing, we could WhatsApp Kenny and he would either turn up smiling his unshakable smile or would send another driver in his place. Within minutes. Victoria Falls is a town for daytime and everything is pretty much asleep by 9pm, around which time each night we would snuggle into our big comfortable bed at the lodge and talk through how wonderful today has been. And every day has been special, one of those little spells where it all comes home and we pinch ourselves at the fact we are absolutely living our dream. Some places can do this to you…..
37 Comments
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
Sometimes we need a bit of normalish. Your photos are gorgeous, especially of the falls area. I’m not all that interested in their height, volume or width. Just being able to see them and appreciate their beauty – and yes, get covered in spray – is already wonderful!
Phil & Michaela
Absolutely. We’re quite tempted to return someday when the waters are high. It must be an even more awesome sight at that time of year.
Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle
How exciting! I can’t wait to visit the Victoria Falls someday and I’m happy you’re having a great trip. Now, I don’t think I’d be trying the crocodile though especially since I’ve grown so used to croc consumption being banned in Jamaica, but I’d try everything else 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Definitely a bucket list location, loved it there. The food was an unexpected bonus!
Gilda Baxter
Victoria Falls is on my travel wish list. Reading this post has made me even more tempted to visit. I am looking forward to seeing where you are going next 😀
Phil & Michaela
Definitely keep it on your list, Gilda…a real experience and a must to experience!
Travels Through My Lens
The falls look amazingly powerful; impressive!
Phil & Michaela
It must be an incredible sight when the falls are at their height during the rainy season because it’s awesome enough now!
Toonsarah
We loved Victoria Falls, both the actual falls and the town too – I’m not surprised you’ve fallen under its spell 🙂 It’s interesting to compare your photos of the falls from this side with my own, taken when they were much fuller (you saw them at the time but they’re here if you want another look for comparison: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/mosi-oa-tunya-the-smoke-that-thunders/)
Phil & Michaela
I’ve just followed the link to revisit your photos – yes, opposite extremes! We knew beforehand that we were coming in the dry season, but it’s so impressive even now that, like I said in the narrative, we’re even talking about making a second visit and seeing it at its most impressive.
Christie
You guys look so happy, indeed some places can do that to you🙂
Phil & Michaela
Awww thank you – and it did!
Helen Devries
That lively town seems like a welcome break….
Phil & Michaela
Nice little interlude…
Heyjude
Gosh that food looks good. Though I have never eaten crocodile – fishy chicken? I might have known you’d find some kind of extreme adventure. I hope you have excellent travel insurance! The unknown bird is a red-billed firefinch and isn’t it pretty. I loved Vic Falls, but then after camping for three weeks finally having a comfy bed and not having to do chores was such a treat. It is a vibrant town and yes, full of (expensive) adventure companies. When I was there in 2000 the currency of choice was the US$ or South African Rand. Or your watch, or Levi jeans. The thing I hated though was all the security fences and guards – something we didn’t see in Bulawayo, though the shops in that town were practically empty. I’m interested to see what you think of it.
Phil & Michaela
Crcodile is a no to both…it’s quite a mild meaty flavour with a texture more like pork than poultry. Ah thanks for the firefinch, our “bird app” has decided it doesn’t work in Zimbabwe! Zimbabwe has just this year – in April – introduced a new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold, but have failed to get sufficient notes into circulation so it’s US dollar or nothing now. The security fences were there but not many guards…certainly nothing like the Fort Knox defences you see around houses in Central America. In any event, we really enjoyed our few days there. Bulawayo is certainly a very different environment.
WanderingCanadians
It’s neat to see Victoria Falls from the other side of the Zambezi River. The Big Tree is definitely a big tree! It’s incredible to hear just how old it is. The zipline looks like a lot of fun, but terrifying to know that there are crocs in the water below. Seems like you are just as adventurous when it comes to the food!
Phil & Michaela
Ah well you gotta try these things!
Lookoom
Looking at the menu, it seems that the crocodile harness has failed. Victoria Fall seems to be one of those small places in the world where the constant stream of international tourists creates a kind of microclimate.
Phil & Michaela
A micro economy, that’s for sure!
Monkey's Tale
We always cherish a bit of normal part way through any trip. The ziine looks like fun, but no swing?? The 1200 year old boabab is something else to wrap your mind about! Sorry for the lateness. Although we’re in Europe we’ve been caught in a few small towns with little to no internet which caught us ofd-guard. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
The Swing was a definite no for Michaela! Didn’t know you were in Europe….I’ll wait to see precisely where…!
Annie Berger
Did you hope or expect Victoria Falls to have such a positive impact on you both or did it come as a complete surprise? The shots of the falls were magnificent as were those of you both on the zipline. I could almost feel your unbridled joy at the incredible experience of looking down on the mighty Zambezi.
Phil & Michaela
We had high hopes for it before we got there but it definitely exceeded even those high hopes. I guess that’s partly because logistics have been difficult at times on this trip and normalities like evenings out have been a challenge, so, like we said in the narrative, it felt doubly good to have a “normal” few days.
wetanddustyroads
The Victoria Falls are beautiful from the Zimbabwe side, that’s for sure. And I’m always happy to see wild animals … the birds are so colourful. And then there’s a zipline adventure, show and of course your delicious food. But crocodile tail – hmm, I don’t know about that …
Phil & Michaela
It’s a bit like pork, actually ! While we’re here, just to let you know it’s now looking like we’ll be reaching Cape Town about a week earlier than I said, so somewhere around October 31st…
wetanddustyroads
Well, I like pork. Thank you for keeping us updated on your arrival … our plan is still to fly to Cape Town when you’re guys are there.
Phil & Michaela
Brilliant!
grandmisadventures
absolutely incredible adventure- the other side of the falls, ziplining over the gorge, the big tree, and the cultural dance- all of it just look like such a thrill. How fun that you could go tandem on the zip line. Glad Victoria Falls gave you the more normal travel experience than you had before. 🙂
Phil & Michaela
It was a great few days there, Meg, really enjoyed it
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
Victoria Falls is high on our list especially after this post. What does crocodile taste like? Love the zip line video!
Phil & Michaela
Hi guys. Crocodile is good…kind of like a lighter version of pork.
Alison
You two are so brave, what a thrill that zip line looks. The photos of the falls are amazing I can just hear the noise through the photos. Seems like an incredible place.
Phil & Michaela
It was, Ali – we really enjoyed it there.
Toonsarah
I don’t know if you follow Tish but if not I thought you’d be interested to be pointed towards her latest post: https://tishfarrell.com/2024/09/13/letters-from-lusaka-4-of-the-smoke-that-thunders-and-walking-over-the-zambezi/
Phil & Michaela
WP oddity #2. I do follow, as Restless Jo pointed me in Tish’s direction. However, prompted by your comment, I’ve just visited her site and there are posts which I haven’t received despite being subscribed. Work that one out too! 😂
Toonsarah
Oh, it happens all the time – there are some bloggers I keep ‘losing’ like that, while others never seem to disappear 😀