A Zambian Waterfall All To Ourselves

Victoria Falls isn’t the only worthy waterfall in Zambia.  At the opposite end of the country, flowing into the bottom tip of Lake Tanganyika, is Kalambo Falls.

Its claim to fame is as the second-tallest uninterrupted waterfall in Africa.  But the best reason to go there is to have this slice of natural beauty all to yourself.  Zambia is a surprisingly large country, and with its less-than-stellar network of roads, it’s only the intrepid tourist that will venture to its northernmost tip to catch a glimpse of these prehistoric falls.  It’s worth the trip.

You hear the water long before you see it.  As you walk down the steps, the first view you catch is of the giant red vertical face of a cliff.  Single trees cling to the cliff wall, their white roots extending downward a hundred meters to wrap around any available rocky outcrops.  The river carves a deep crevice into the valley, and the two race down and beyond, to the tip of Lake Tanganyika.  Swallows glide effortlessly in the wind tunnels overhead, descending on a valley of dragonflies.

Once you finally spot the waterfall, you initially feel unimpressed.  So close to the drop, you catch only a fragmented view of the fall.  You lay your body flat out onto a rock to try to spy down into the valley, but it’s no use – you cannot see the end of the falling water.

It’s only by following the walkway to its furthest point that you finally see the waterfall in its entire glorious length.  As you round the final rocky barrier, the crashing sound of the water erupts in full force.  Mist ripples up from the base of the falls, turning everything it touches verdant.  It’s only now that your jaw drops and you appreciate that two hundred and thirty-five meters of falling water is rather impressive.

I have had the fortune to visit Victoria Falls twice, from both the Zimbabweanand Zambiansides.  It’s impossible to visit Kalambo Falls without comparing it to its bigger and more infamous waterfall cousin.

A visit to Victoria Falls can take an entire day, for there are several interesting walks which afford a variety of different views of the falls – a view from behind, a close-up view on the island (where you get very wet with spray!), a view from the jungle below, and an arid view from afar.  Victoria Falls is massive and grand because of its breadth, its spray, and the sheer volume of water buzzing continuously in your ears.

A visit to Kalambo Falls, on the other hand, can be accomplished in a few short hours, and it will not afford the same type of jaw-dropping majesty as Victoria Falls.  But because you don’t have to share the view of the falls with others, and don’t have to push through crowds to vie for space for an unadulterated view, you are able to appreciate the beauty of Kalambo in pure peace and solitude, the way a waterfall is meant to be experienced.  If it weren’t for the brand new set of concrete stairs guiding you to the four different lookout points, you might feel as though you were conquering unchartered territory.

The rare tourists that visit Kalambo Falls visit on day trips from Kasama town (on the Zambian side), or Kasanga (in Tanzania).  Most arrive in the middle of the day, when the light is blinding and photos are impossible.  We camped at the falls for two nights, affording us the varied views of the falls from dusk to dawn.  Being able to enjoy the meek first light on the scene all by ourselves reminded me of our sunrise breakfast over Hell’s Kitchen in Kenya.  It was a rare private moment with an astounding piece of nature.

But it was sunset that was best.  The sun set over by the lake behind the hills, and its rays shone on the waterfall until the hills engulfed the water in shadow.  Then we turned our gaze toward the hills to watch the big red ball that is the African sunset fall slowly behind the horizon.  I had never watched the sun set at Victoria Falls, but here I had a private screening, in the arms of my love.

At the two polar ends of Zambia, these falls are worlds apart.  One is vast, infamous, and on the main tourist track.  The other is narrow and long, barely-known and rarely-visited.  Though you shouldn’t miss Victoria Falls – it is legendary for good reason – the wise traveler won’t leave Zambia without a visit to Kalambo Falls.