Victoria Falls
The Zambezi drops a hundred metres into a basalt gorge along a mile and a half of frontage — the largest sheet of falling water on earth, and loud enough to be heard long before it is seen. The Zimbabwean side holds most of the viewpoints; the Zambian side offers Livingstone Island and Devil’s Pool when the river is low. Flow changes the experience completely: full flood between March and May throws up spray that soaks everything and hides the gorge, while the low months from September show the rock face and open the rafting. Almost every Southern African itinerary passes through here, and two nights is usually enough.