Posted by Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (Sotho: Musi oa Thunya [Mosi wa Tunya] “The Smoke Which Thunders”), is a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s dwelling to at least one-half of the Mosi-oa-Tunya —
‘The Smoke Which Thunders’ — recognized worldwide as Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.
In this article, I am going to talk about Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park entry fee, game drive, rhino, rhino walk, walking safari, accommodation, safari, etc.
Mosi oa Tunya National Park Drive & Safari Guide
The river kinds the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, so the falls are shared by the 2 international locations, and the park is ‘twin’ to the Victoria Falls National Park on the Zimbabwean facet.
Bordered between Livingstone city, farmland, and the Zambezi River, lies the wildlife space of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park – Zambia’s smallest National Park.
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park gives a simple alternative to see the most typical, flagship animals that may be discovered within the national parks across the nation.
The exception is the predators. Elephants and buffalo are straightforward to see, as are Burchell’s zebra and plenty of antelope species.
This small reserve was established in 1972 with the thought of getting consultant wildlife species from Zambia.
The park extends from the Batoka Gorge and continues for about 12km alongside the Zambezi River, above Victoria Falls.
Mosi Oa Tunya National Park is Zambia’s protected space of the shared Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe’s national park being Victoria Falls National Park. The Zambian park covers a space of 9 sq. miles (23.4 sq km).
Mosi oa Tunya National Park Useful Facts
Area: 66 km²
Founded in: 1972
Province: Southern Zambia
Coordinates: -17.881882,25.826111
The title domestically interprets as, “The Smoke Which Thunders.” Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park Falls are a UNESCO World Heritage site serving as a dwelling to Victoria Falls which is the biggest waterfall on the planet.
The national park is barely 25 sq. miles (66 sq km) large. Though Victoria Falls is the head of the park, guests can take a half-day safari by the park and expertise rhino, elephant, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, hippo, and crocodile are potential wildlife sightings in this small national park.
Livingstone itself borders on a number of historical wildlife migration routes and river crossing factors, a few of that are nonetheless frequented by elephants.
A number of those fall throughout the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the place wildlife could be discovered all year long, however elephants particularly, through the drier months.
‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ comes from the Kololo or Lozi language and the title is now used all through Zambia, and in components of Zimbabwe.
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park covers 66 km2 (25 sq mi) from the Songwe Gorge beneath the falls in a northwest arc alongside about 20 km of the Zambian river financial institution.
It kinds the south-western boundary of the town of Livingstone and has two foremost sections, every with separate entrances: a wildlife park at its north-western finish, and the land adjoining to the immense and awe-inspiring Victoria Falls, which within the wet season is the world’s largest curtain of falling water.
It extends downstream from the falls and to the southeast alongside the Batoka Gorges.
Mosi oa Tunya National Park Wildlife
The wildlife park contains tall riverine forests with palm bushes, miombo woodland, and grassland with loads of birds, and animals together with Angolan giraffe, Burchell’s zebra, warthog, sable, Cape buffalo, impala, and different antelope.
Animal numbers fell in droughts over the past 20 years. The park really has ten rhinos now with the most recent calf being solely a month and two weeks.
The park earlier than then contained two southern white rhinos that are not indigenous and had been imported from South Africa – they have been each poached through the evening of June 6, 2007.
One was shot lifeless and obtained its horn extracted, not removed from the gate and the opposite obtained severe bullet wounds however have triumphed towards all odds and nonetheless lives within the park under twenty 4 hours of surveillance.
As of June 2009, the variety of southern white rhinos within the park has been elevated to 5 animals with plans to introduce additional animals in the end.
The indigenous (black rhino) was believed extinct in Zambia however has lately been reintroduced in a pilot space) North Luangwa National Park.
African elephants are sometimes seen within the park once they cross the river during the dry season from the Zimbabwean facet.
Hippopotamus and crocodiles could be seen from the river financial institution. Vervet monkeys and baboons are frequent as they’re in the remainder of the national park outdoors the wildlife part.
As of January 2009 the business wildlife firm, Lion Encounter, has been working a “strolling with Lions” expertise throughout the park, with additional plans to begin a breeding program for lions throughout the quickly to-be-expanded Dambwa Forest part of the park. Inside the wildlife park is the Previous Drift cemetery the place the primary European settlers have been buried.
They made camp by the river, however, stored succumbing to a weird and deadly sickness.
They blamed the yellow/green-barked “fever bushes” for this incurable illness, whereas on a regular basis it was the malarial mosquito inflicting their demise.
Earlier than lengthy the group moved to the increased floor and the city of Livingstone emerged.
White rhinos have been launched from South Africa, and this can be a good place to see them, as rhinos are uncommon in Zambia’s parks.
The identical is true for giraffes – a variety of large parks don’t have this magnificent animal.
The majestic sable antelope can also be current. Wild dogs generally enterprise into the park by swimming throughout Zimbabwe.
There is a selection of how-to expertise that falls on the Zambia facet.
There are quick trails that journey above the falls, nonetheless, the first views come from the path within the rainforest which is throughout the gorge going through into the falls.
The falls plummet to the underside of the gorge flooring after which rise again up nicely over the falls, creating the smoke that thunders, and returns again down as rain. This moisture creates the rainforest setting discovered solely in that space.
Mosi oa Tunya National Park Highlights
The primary attraction in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is Victoria Falls and infrequently the rationale vacationers go to Zambia. On the Zambia facet, guests have a chance to expertise the
rainforest facet of the gorge in addition to seeing the face of Victoria Falls.
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park does supply guests with game safari drives. Sighting one of many few rhinos that decide the park house is a spotlight.
These rhinos are guarded 24 hours a day 7 days per week by armed guards.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is the spotlight of the national park and for all the fitting causes. It’s the largest waterfall on the planet primarily based on measuring a single sheet of water.
The falls measure 1 mile (1.7 km) throughout and have a top of 360 ft (108 m) creating the biggest single waterfall within the water.
The Falls part of the national park contains the rainforest on the cliff reversing the Japanese Cataract which is sustained by spray from the falls.
It accommodates vegetation uncommon for the world comparable to pod mahogany, ebony, ivory palm, wild date palm, and plenty of creepers and lianas.
Small antelopes and warthogs inhabit this space, and might also be seen in on the paths by the riverine forest resulting in the falls.
In November 2005 a brand new statue of explorer David Livingstone was erected within the park (the unique and extra well-known Livingstone statue is on the Zimbabwean facet).
A plaque was additionally unveiled on Livingstone Island to mark the spot from the place Livingstone was the primary European to see the falls.
The Knife-Edge Bridge was constructed on this space in the 1960s to allow entry on foot to the cliffs trying over the Rainbow Falls and the First Gorge’s exit to the Boiling Pot within the Second Gorge.
A steep footpath additionally goes all the way down to the Boiling Pot, with views of the Second Gorge and the Victoria Falls Bridge.
Within the space immediately earlier than the river plunges over Victoria Falls, there’s a small undeveloped stretch of the park which is presently the one riverfront location that may be accessed without paying a price. It’s an essential location for elephants to cross the river.
What makes this park distinctive in Zambia is that it’s the one wildlife space with white rhinos.
These are carefully protected against poachers by the scouts from the DNPW (Division of National Parks and Wildlife).
This little sanctuary is free from predators. This, together with it being a space with artificial boundaries, ensures an abundance of wildlife all year long.
Along with the migratory elephants, wildlife together with white rhinos, giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck, impala, wildebeest, zebra, bushbuck, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, hippos, and crocodiles are residents within the park year round.
They inhabit a mixture of riverine forest, mopane woodland in addition to grassland, which additionally supplies quite a lot of habitats for quite a few chook species.
Inside this park is the Previous Drift Crossing Level in addition to Cemetary, the place the primary European settlers have been buried.
Traditionally, the Previous Drift was the place ox-wagons have been floated throughout the Zambezi, earlier than there was a bridge.
This park is definitely accessible from Livingstone city. You’ll be able to discover components of the park by automobile (self-drive or on a game-viewing safari), by foot on a guided strolling safari, and likewise by boat on a Zambezi river cruise.
A go-to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is a superb exercise for the household or for individuals who would love a style of safari or are a few hours away from ‘city life’ but don’t have time to journey additional afield.
The tops of the deep gorges beneath the falls could be reached by street and strolling tracks by the park and are good locations to see klipspringers, clawless otters, and 35 species of raptors because the Taita falcon, black eagle, peregrine falcon and augur buzzard, which all breed there.
Mountaineering Trails
The vast majority of guests will hike the assorted trails which are obtainable to vacationers who need to interact with Victoria Falls in an extra intimate method.
The paths are pretty maintained, nonetheless, the mist from the falls could make them slippery so it’s crucial that you just take note of your footing.
Zambezi River Path: It is a quick path that enables hikers to look down into the canyon of the falls from the Zambezi facet.
The path then meanders a brief distance up the Zambezi River permitting guests to have a look at the river because it flows away and is excessive the falls.
Victoria Falls Face Path: This path is a loop path that meanders alongside the opposite facet of the canyon from the face of the falls.
That is the place slippery footing is extra possible. The path crosses over parts of the river beneath and has some elevation change.
The vast majority of this path supplies quite a lot of completely different lookouts over the face of the falls.
The mist from the thundering falls has created a lush rainforest-kind setting on the opposite facet of the canyon.
Victoria Falls Activities (Zambia Aspect)
The primary attraction is Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Victoria Falls.
As famous above, there are a number of trails and alternatives for exploring Victoria Falls, nonetheless, that’s not the one factor to do in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
There is a selection of thrilling actions that enable you to interact with the wildlife, the surroundings, and the majestic nature of Victoria Falls itself.
Activities
Micro Flights: Think about go-carts with wings. These guided flights give you an intimate and exhilarating open-air flight over the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls. It’s potential you may even see elephants.
Helicopter Excursions: These flights are journeys that spotlight the splendor of Victoria Falls that includes aerial views of this majestic marvel of nature.
Bungee Leaping: Take a leap off the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe and drop straight down towards the Zambezi River beneath Victoria Falls.
The bungee leaping happens on the worldwide bridge between the 2 international locations. It might be accessed from both sides.
Gorge Swing: It is a large swing that carries you forwards and backward out over the canyon overlooking the Zambezi River.
Sundown Dinner Cruise: That is accessible from a number of lodges. The 2-level open-air boats journey the Zambezi River alongside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
The preliminary intrigue begins with wildlife recognizing alongside the riverbanks, however, the spotlight comes as evening approaches.
The sundown over the Zambezi River is likely one of the most gorgeous sunsets encounters on the planet.
Elephant Safari: That is extra of an intriguing journey experiencing transportation on the prime of an elephant.
There’s a probability you may even see different wildlife however plan your using an elephant as the first journey.
Chobe Day Journey: Chobe National Park in Botswana is barely about 1 hour away from the border.
This day’s journey from Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park begins with a half-day safari in a ship on the river touring alongside the riverbank of the Chobe River.
The second half of the day includes a jeep safari within the wooded and brushy space alongside the riverbank of the Chobe River. Plan to see an abundance of elephants.
Other Recommended Reading
- Thomson Safaris Kilimanjaro – A Guide from Tourists
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Greatest Time for Wildlife Viewing
It’s straightforward to see the animals at any time of the year because the park is small and contained. The very best time to see Victoria Falls is from May to September.