In Zambia -- With tourism to this country growing as fast as it is declining in Zimbabwe, the Zambia National Tourism Board has geared up and is maintaining an up-to-date website (www.zambiatourism.com). For more background information on the destination, with very useful trip planning, visit the Getaway website (www.getawaytoafrica.com) for useful features on Zambia. As Getaway is predominantly aimed at the local South African market, you can put together a trip that will halve costs. Then again, dealing directly with www.wilderness-safaris.com and www.kerdowney.com, the two most established Zambian operators, each with a great lodge near Vic Falls as well as upmarket camps in the big Zambian national parks, means all the hassle is taken out of the planning, and you're assured a smooth trip.
The largest Victoria Falls operator, specializing in the full spectrum of adventure activities, mostly budget accommodations and transfers on both sides of the falls, is Safari Par Excellence (tel. 260/3/32-0606; www.safpar.com). The Zambia office is at Zambezi Waterfront Lodge, off Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road, halfway between Livingstone and the Vic Falls bridge; if you're traveling from South Africa, contact the local representative, Maplanga Africa (tel. 27/11/794-1446; www.maplanga.co.za), in advance. If you're considering a more substantial safari adventure into Zambia (highly recommended, by the way -- the country is still relatively undiscovered and the bush is truly wild), consider contacting the London-based Zambia Safari & Travel Company (www.zambezi.com) or U.S.-based Mashinda (Judy Udwin at mashinda@mindspring.com).
In Zimbabwe -- Poor tourist numbers in the village of Victoria Falls means that hotel staff and private operators will bend over backwards to assist you (this in no way includes staff at Victoria Falls Publicity Association, however, who are likely to be on lunch break at any time). For the best advice, try the travel and adventure center at Ilala Lodge, the efficient Backpacker's Bazaar, Shop 5, Victoria Falls Centre (tel. 263/13/45828; backpack@africaonline.co.zw, bazaar@mweb.co.zw, or Suzanne@backpackers.co.zw), or Shearwater Adventures, Sopers Arcade, Parkway Drive (tel. 263/13/44-471; www.shearwateradventures.com).
Money Matters in Zimbabwe -- At press time the rate of exchange was Z$250,000 to the dollar, but with inflation running at 3,714% in April 2007 (after the Governor of the Reserve Bank announced the printing of yet another Z$60 trillion before subsequently running out of ink and paper), the Z$ is now officially the least valued currency in the world. Exchange rates within Zimbabwe are set according to the whims and fancies of aging President Robert Mugabe, so bank rates in no way reflect the full devaluation of the Z$. For this reason, use your credit card in Zimbabwe only if you're being charged in US$, or you may be charged at the undervalued bank rate. That said, nearly every rate is quoted in US$. You may come across an operator who doesn't or can't accept credit cards (and certainly the market traders can't), so it is imperative that you also carry some foreign currency. Remember to carry enough small denominations, as any change will be given in Z$. Other than this you should not find yourself exchanging foreign currency into Z$; with the inflation rate the highest in the world, it will be worth less by the hour. Please also note that MasterCard is currently not accepted in Zimbabwe, so make sure you have a Visa, Diners Club, or Amex card, or stick to the Zambian side.
The Best Times to Come -- The falls are most impressive from January to April after the summer rains, when up to 700,000 million cubic liters (182,000 million gal.) per minute rush over the 100m-high (328-ft.) lip into the gorge below. The spray can become so thick during this time, however, that it obscures the view. From May, nights can be cold, but it starts to warm up by the end of August. By September and October, at the end of the dry season, the flow is down to about 3%, but the view is clearest.
Country Codes -- This section contains phone numbers for three countries. So that you'll know which country each is in, all phone numbers in this chapter start with the country code as well as the local code. Phone numbers starting with 263 are in Zimbabwe, those starting with 260 are in Zambia, and those beginning with 27 are in South Africa. The Zimbabwean telephone exchange is temperamental (make that hair-tearingly frustrating), and you will find that at certain times of the day it is impossible to get through to any number you dial. E-mail, strangely, almost always works, although addresses change frequently.
