Helicopter Ride over Victoria Falls

Shearwater helicopter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNVuMqZAQaw&feature=youtu.be
 

One of the world's most astonishing sights

The Victoria Falls are without doubt one of the world's most remarkable sights. They occur where the enormous Zambezi (over a mile wide at this stage) plummets 350 feet into a steep gorge sending up swirls of spray to a background of thunderous noise.
With an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water passing over the falls every minute, it is the largest curtain of water in the world.
The Falls are actually split into a number of separate waterfalls owing to the small islands dotted along the top of the Falls that interrupt the curtain of water.
From west to east, they are called the Devil's Cataract, the Main Falls, the Horseshoe Falls, the Rainbow Falls and the Eastern Cataract.

 

We can see the cataracts - the zig zag path the river has chewed out of the solid rock in the area.  The falls have now moved to the 7th cataract.

The Zimbabwean Side
Viewing the Falls is more regulated south of the Zambezi. A fee is payable at the entrance to Victoria Falls National Park, after which you can wander the network of trails on your own. Start at the westernmost point where there is a stoic-looking statue of Dr Livingstone, inscribed with the words ‘Explorer, Missionary and Liberator’. Nearby, a steep, and often slippery, stone stairway descends through dripping vegetation into the chasm of Victoria Falls. Senses take a pummelling when you reach Cataract View at the base of the stairs, with its awesome views along the length of the Falls. Climbing back towards Livingstone’s statue, there is a choice of trails. Turn right to follow a path alongside the Zambezi where you may glimpse a variety of animals, including hippos and crocodiles.
Do not be tempted to go for a swim! After around 2km (1.25 miles) the trail reaches The Big Tree, a giant baobab which once served as a camp site for early settlers waiting to cross the river to Old Drift. The left-hand path from Livingstone’s statue leads directly in front of Victoria Falls, threading through a unique rainforest sustained by the constant spray. It is a fragile ecosystem, home to rare plants, such as ebony, ivory palm, African olive, strangler fig and many types of fern. Shy bushbuck are sometimes seen here, while vigilant bird-watchers may spot Taita falcons, black storks, black eagles and augur buzzards – all of which nest in the gorges downstream. At frequent intervals, loops in the trail lead to viewpoints opposite the Falls.
Don’t rush! Not only are the barriers scant or non-existent, but the spray and sunlight conditions are constantly changing, providing a beautiful sequence of rainbows and light effects. The trail ends at Danger Point, a popular place to watch the spray turn gold at sunset. Returning to the park entrance gate, a small detour leads to a clearing from which views of Victoria Falls Bridge and the screaming antics of bungee jumpers can be quite entertaining.