On Thursday we crossed the Zambezi River from Botswana into Zambia by the Kazangula Ferry. We last used this ferry in 1975 when we crossed in a small Fiat car with Grandma Peggy. As you can see in the background in the photo there is a bridge being built across the Zambezi which will replace the ferry. Hence being keen to cross by this well known ferry once again before it disappears. Construction of the bridge started several years ago and has been very slow. The current completion date is 2020. We shall see.
We have been camping for the last three nights in the grounds of the Lodge “Camp Nkwazi” on the banks of the Zambezi about 20 km. upstream of Victoria Falls.
Yesterday we visited the falls. The view from the Zambian side at this time of the year is always dissappointing. Two thirds of the falls lie within Zimbabwe and the remaining third in Zambia. As the water levels fall during the dry season the Zambian side dries up first. The better views during low flow are from Zimbabwe.
The bridge over the gorge at Victoria Falls connecting Zambia with Zimbabwe was constructed in 1905 and was part of Cecil Rhodes dream of connecting Cape Town to Cairo by rail. Thr bridge was fabricated in sections in England and shipped out to Africa and assembled on site. Cecil Rhodes wanted the bridge constructed near enough to the falls so the the passengers could “feel the spray of the falls on their face.”There is a bungee jump from the middle of the bridge which Johane did four years ago.
View from the bridge. Note the yellow raft just before the rapids.