We arrived at 05.00 at Lusaka Bus Station feeling rather groggy. Thankfully the 05.30 UBZ bus to Livingstone was punctual, comfortable, had AC & a toilet.
There was also a 10 minute comfort break around half way through the journey. The only slight downside were the screens playing African pop and religious videos.
Breakfast for us consisted of the food we had bought for the previous day’s aborted train journey, as we tried to drown out the dreadful Afro-pop with our own music.
We arrived at 1pm and got a clapped out taxi to Gloria’s B&B, a very comfortable place. Gloria herself even apologised for the state of Zambian Rail and didn’t charge us for our first night no show. I had of course kept her informed but it was very gracious of her.
Later that afternoon we headed to the train station to find out the fate of our nemesis from the day before.
It had arrived at precisely 1pm too. 11 hours late with the Lusaka to Livingstone leg taking four hours longer than intended at 23-hours. 21km/h average, so we were more than vindicated.
We spoke to some railway employees who told us the issue was mainly that they had cut freight trains also to one per week.
This had seen freight wagons added to the passenger train with the time then taken to unload & load at every station making the journey time much longer.
More apologies were proffered.
We found our compartment from the day before and shuddered at the thought of the nigh on whole day we would’ve spent holed up in it.
I have read in the Railway Gazette that Zambia has signed a deal for Chinese investment in the rail infrastructure. It can’t come soon enough.
After a night with Gloria, we moved to the splendid Victoria Falls Waterfront Hotel, situated right by the Zambezi River. It was a brilliant place with great smiley staff and lovely al fresco breakfasts overlooking one of the world’s great rivers.
One morning we even saw elephants and hippos in the water as we munched on granola. Wonderful!
At one stage the gate to the hotel had to be locked to deter a wandering herd of elephants from entering the grounds!
We were staying 4 nights and would be taking in both sides of Victoria Falls, as well as a day trip to Botswana.
Victoria Falls – Zambia
We started gently with a short taxi ride to the Zambian side of the Falls. About a third of the Falls are in Zambia and the water is less dramatic than the Zimbabwean side, but it is well worth visiting of course.
It is also where the Devil’s Pool is located, the swimming spot where you can get right up to the edge of the cascade. Not for me!
Known as Mosi-oa-Tunya locally (literally the mist that thunders), they are at their most spectacular from November to May, with the peak March/April when you are guaranteed a soaking from pretty much all vantage points.
Entry to the Falls costs just $10 on this side.
The missionary David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls and named them after his Queen for us Westerners to have any easy translation. He is revered in these parts and of course the nearest city now takes his name.
Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe
Next day would be a new country and the other ⅔ of the Falls. Our taxi took us to the Zambian border post, one side of the Zambezi Bridge.
After formalities it was time to walk across the famous bridge finished in 1905.
The inspiration of Cecil Rhodes, who was reported to have said: “build the Bridge across the Zambezi where the trains, as they pass, will catch the spray of the Falls”. This was part of Rhodes’ unfulfilled Cape to Cairo railway scheme.
Watch the bush steam train crossing the Bridge by clicking ZAMBEZI
Design of the bridge is credited to George Hobson. It was constructed in England by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company, and shipped to the Mozambique port of Beira, and then railed up to Victoria Falls.
In a feat of Victorian engineering, the Bridge took just 14 months to build. It was opened by Charles Darwin’s son, Professor George Darwin.
We crossed the 198 metre bridge in 37 degree heat so took it slowly, passing nomansland half-way and then stepping into Zimbabwe.
More formalities and we were in. $50 got us into the Falls Park with its rain forest that is irrigated by the spray from the Falls.
Well, if this was dry season, the Falls were still pretty spectacular as the gallery below shows. There is a well signposted path that takes you to all the best viewpoints.
You can see a video of the cascade by clicking FALLS.
We ambled round for 2-3 hours with some refreshment breaks en-route before traversing the bridge once more to meet our taxi back to the hotel in Zambia.
Our driver was wonderfully called Bison, a very cheery local who made us laugh every time he made up our taxi fare, with us always agreeing about half of his original quote for the 6 rides he gave us over the few days.
On the crossing back we were incredibly going to witness the weekly freight train from Zambia. Ironically it was pulled by the same loco that had pulled the train we abandoned. See a video by clicking FREIGHT.
The walk back across dragged somewhat as the heat ramped up a couple of notches. We were also hassled constantly by hawkers. Hamish bought a small wooden hippo to appease one, whilst I handed over a few bucks just to be rid of another.
Can’t blame them for trying but we were glad to get through Zambian border control once more.
On the taxi journey back we were delayed by another herd of elephants, this time dawdling across the road. When in Africa!
Coming next – Chobe National Park, Botswana
