Rainbow Mystic

Rainbow Mystic

Rainbow Six Mission 16 - Operation : Mystic Tiger

Victoria Falls In Focus

The majestic Victoria Falls is one of the largest natural cascades on the planet and, during the rainy season, the mist from the water impact zone below rises to over 400 metres in the air.

Today a world heritage site, The Falls were first 'discovered' by explorer David Livingstone, who promptly named them after Queen Victoria, following the colonial trend of naming anything and everything after the reigning British Monarch of the day.

The Smoke that Thunders
What is worth mentioning, is that Zimbabwe, a nation ruled by Robert Mugabe who has made his anti-western sentiment perfectly clear over the years, has continued to embrace this ultra-colonial title, whereas neighbouring Zambia that has a relatively good relationship with the former colonial power, has reverted back to its indigenous name – Mosi-oa-Tunya – which translated means 'The Smoke that Thunders'.

Although The Falls are neither the highest nor the widest on earth, they are completely unique in that the river simply plummets in a single vertical drop into the chasm below. There is no plateau or escarpment, merely a deep chasm carved out by the powerful waters of the Zambezi along a fracture zone or a tear in the earth's surface. The chasm is 1,708m wide and the depth ranges from 80 - 108m in the centre. When in full flood, the spray from The Falls can be seen from as far as 30km away!

Myths and Moonbows
During the day, The Falls are graced with a persistent and colourful rainbow and during the full moon, a 'Moonbow' appears in the spray, adding mystique to an already mystical and mythical place.

Two steadfast islands, the Boaruka and Livingstone Islands, stand guard at the crest of The Falls, effectively separating the enormous sheet of water that tumble down into the depths below. Each stream or cascade has been christened, the most famous being the Devil's Cataract, also known as Leaping Waters by the locals. Others are the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls and the Eastern Cataract.

Wildlife an added allure
Any Victoria Falls tour will include a visit to one of a handful of national parks where wildlife abounds – the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the Victoria Falls National Park or the Zambezi National Park.

All reputable Southern Africa tour operators will have the Victoria Falls as one of the tour highlights and visitors can opt to overnight either in Zimbabwe, where rates are currently relatively cheap, or Livingstone in Zambia. Both have a range of accommodation to suit most budgets.

Dedicated coach tour vacations depart from neighbouring South Africa on a regular basis and the Victoria Falls is always high on the agenda.

About the Author

Springbok Atlas is one of the biggest and longest established tour operators in South Africa, offering a wide range of East and Southern African coach tours, minibus tours and charters. www.springbokatlas.com