Victoria Falls: Visiting the World’s Largest Waterfall

You hear it before you see it. A low thunder builds in the distance, rolling through the trees. Then the mist rises, a shimmering cloud that catches the sunlight. Step closer, and the roar of Victoria Falls fills the air.

Stretching 1,708 meters wide across the Zambezi River and plunging 108 meters into the gorge below, this natural wonder forms the largest continuous sheet of falling water on Earth. Locals call it Mosi oa Tunya, meaning The Smoke That Thunders, a name that captures both the sound and the spectacle.

The falls sit on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, protected by two national parks: Victoria Falls National Park and Mosi oa Tunya National Park. These parks preserve the evergreen forest that thrives in the constant spray. Families can walk along scenic viewpoints on both sides or feel the mist from the famous Knife Edge Bridge.

The first European to record the falls was David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary and explorer, who arrived in 1855. Amazed by the sight, he named the waterfall after Queen Victoria. Long before that, local communities recognized the falls as a sacred place shaped by the river and the land.

Today, families visit to watch rainbows arc through the mist, listen to the thunder of the water, and explore the trails that curve along the gorge. On full moon nights, you can even see a lunar rainbow, a rare natural glow created by moonlight and spray.

Add Victoria Falls to your DuckAbroad family travel app to learn its history, discover fun facts, and help your kids get excited about one of the world’s great natural wonders.