Victoria Falls Less than 1,000 Steps From Here
Victoria Falls has to be one of the most famous of its type in the world and it is certainly Africa’s best example!
High on my list too, for a holiday visit once this Covid19 pandemic has passed.
Victoria Falls. Picture by: Why Eye Photography
However, what is it like to live and work next to the ‘smoke which thunders’?
Speaking to the General Manager of the Ilala Lodge Hotel at Victoria Falls, Heather Kay I asked what was it like living and working next to one of the great sights of the world?
Victoria Falls entertain me all year round. During high water season the mist from the Falls in the morning can be felt falling gently on us at the hotel.
The sunrises are spectacular. In the evenings, you can hear the roar of the Falls whilst our guests are enjoying their dinner at our restaurant.
Best of all, is meeting all the different people, who have travelled from all over the world to come and experience this majestic natural wonder of the World.
My First Visit To The Victoria Falls
My next question was what was your impression seeing the falls for the first time?
Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls.
I remember it clearly being 8 years old on a family trip to Victoria Falls. I remember holding my dad’s hand and looking out over the enormous gorges – flooding with pummelling water from the Zambezi River – and thinking how immense and beautiful they were.
Never do I get tired of going to see them and I have no favourite time of year to visit, as each visit is special, with the changing water levels of the various seasons. I always feel they remind me of how lucky I am to live here for a portion of my lifetime. And that I admire something that has been here for centuries before me and will be here for so much longer than l. They are truly humbling.
Heather Kay General Manager
Following up I asked Heather. What tips would you give the first-time visitor?
Victoria Falls. Picture by: Why Eye Photography
- Stay at Ilala Lodge Hotel! It’s an easy walking distance from the hotel to the Falls – at just 936 steps!
- Wake up and watch sunrise from behind the spray of the Falls.
- Waterproofing is essential during high water – the spray from the Falls rises high into the sky, which means you will get very wet while walking to the various viewing platforms along the rainforest walk. The Lodge provide umbrellas and plastic cases for cameras and phones should you require.
- Spend as much time as possible in the rain forest and soak in all the magnificent views along the 15 different viewpoints. You can stop off at the rainforest café for refreshments. Then walk all the way down to the end of the trail and enjoy the view of the bridge.
- If you have time take a bridge tour – steeped in the rich history and offers unique views of the Falls!
- Finish off the day along the Zambezi River. The perfect place to experience an African sunset while sipping on a G&T onboard a calming sunset cruise .
Ilala Lodge Hotel Victoria Falls
Her first answer I would have predicted but totally understand her thoughts about a place which she obviously loves!
Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls.
What do most like about the hotel?
It’s all about family! We are privately owned by a family who are investing in ensuring the product we offer is kept up to date and constantly improving its offering. The staff are very much part of this family. With all doing their utmost to make every guest who comes through our doors feel like, family too.
Palm Restaurant, Ilala Lodge Hotel.
Ilala Lodge itself boasts 73 rooms and is an 8-minute walk or just under 1,000 steps from the falls. Known for its respected Palm Restaurant and its rated gourmet cuisine. Here is the place where you can not only see but also dine to the sound of the thunderous waterfall. As it tumbles 108 metres to the valley floor below.
Dining outside at night the Palm Restaurant, Ilala Lodge Hotel.
Dining Outside During The Day Or Evening
Victoria Falls have the longest curtain of water at around 1,700 metres wide that plunges into a mile long chasm. However, the sheer amount of the water flow does help make it a record breaker in that particular category.
Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls.
The Zambezi River which powers the falls travels for over 2,700 kilometres to the Indian Ocean from Central Africa and Victoria Falls are to be found, almost at its halfway point.
Seen for the first time by a non-African, European David Livingstone who was there in November 1855 where he named it after Queen Victoria. Although ts local name is ‘Mosi oa-Tunya’ or the smoke which thunders in the Lozi language.
Ilala Lodge Hotel, Victoria Falls.
Even though the scale of the falls is huge, they are not the largest or highest in the world that record goes to South America and the ‘Angel Falls’ in Venezuela. The widest is also in South America. The Iguazu falls on the Brazil, Argentinian border with a width of 2.7 kilometres.
