For a river safari so close to the falls it is best to take a boat with a spare strong engine just in case ... or many strong rowers!
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park ("The smoke which thunders") lies on the Zambian side. There are no cats but antilopes, giraffes, zebras and many birds. We also saw a few hippos and crocs in the water. On the Zimbabwean side of the falls the protected area continues as the Victoria Falls National Park.
These hippos were very relaxed.
well hidden in the dappled shade
Reed cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus)
White-fronted bee eaters (Merops bullockoides)
Black egret (Egretta ardesiaca)
Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
Whitecrowned Plover in flight (Vanellus albiceps)
Cattle egret at their morning toilette
Redbilled Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)
Close-by a little upstream is an "elephant encounter" enterprise which is very well managed and elephant friendly. A family of African elephants lives here that visitors can interact with, feed and watch. Most were saved from culling or droughts as young animals. They are free to roam; in the evenings they often go down to the river Zambezi to take a bath. Elephants have long memories. One lady elephant left for a few months and came back with a young one that was integrated into the herd.
I know this motion from my horses ...
... he is begging, he is hungry!
Good-bye, Zambia!
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