Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
Zambian national park sharing Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe.
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is a national park in Zambia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to one-half of Victoria Falls—known locally as 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' ('The Smoke that Thunders')—on the Zambezi River. The park is twin to Victoria Falls National Park on the Zimbabwean side and covers 66 km² from the Songwe Gorge below the falls along about 20 km of the Zambian river bank.
- location
- Zambia, on the Zambezi River
- area
- 66 km² (25 sq mi)
- established
- Not specified in source
- UNESCO status
- World Heritage Site
- notable feature
- One-half of Victoria Falls
- wildlife highlights
- Angolan giraffe, Burchell's zebra, southern white rhinos, African elephants
Lore & Background
The park has two main sections: a wildlife park at its north-western end and the land adjacent to Victoria Falls. The wildlife park includes riverine forest, miombo woodland, and grassland, hosting animals such as Angolan giraffe, Burchell's zebra, warthog, sable, African buffalo, and impala. It currently has ten southern white rhinos, imported from South Africa after the indigenous black rhino was extirpated; two original rhinos were poached in 2007, and the population increased to five by 2009 and ten by 2022. African elephants cross from Zimbabwe in the dry season, and hippos and crocodiles are visible from the riverbank.
The falls section includes a rainforest sustained by spray, with rare plants like pod mahogany, ebony, and ivory palm. A statue of explorer David Livingstone was erected in the park in 1955, and a plaque on Livingstone Island marks where he first saw the falls. The Knife-Edge Bridge, built in the 1960s, provides foot access to cliffs overlooking Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pot. A small undeveloped riverfront area allows free access and is crucial for elephant crossings.
Reader's Guide
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is significant as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves one half of Victoria Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls, and its surrounding ecosystems. The park's wildlife section serves as a refuge for species like the southern white rhino, which was reintroduced after local extirpation, and supports seasonal elephant migrations. The falls section offers critical habitat for rare plants and raptors, including the Taita falcon and Verreaux's eagle. The park also holds historical importance through the Old Drift Cemetery, where early European settlers died from malaria misattributed to 'fever trees,' and the Livingstone statue and plaque commemorating the explorer's first European sighting of the falls. Its inclusion in the proposed Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area underscores its role in regional conservation efforts.
Did You Know?
- The park's name 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' comes from the Kololo or Lozi language and means 'The Smoke that Thunders.'
- Two southern white rhinos were introduced to the park; both were poached on June 6, 2007.
- The Old Drift Cemetery holds the graves of early European settlers who died from malaria, which they blamed on 'fever trees.'
- A small undeveloped riverfront area in the park is the only free-access riverfront location and is crucial for elephants crossing the river.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park?
It is a Zambian national park that protects the country's half of Victoria Falls along the Zambezi River. The 66-square-kilometer reserve carries UNESCO World Heritage Site status and stretches from the Songwe Gorge beneath the falls along roughly 20 km of the Zambian riverbank.
What does the name 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' mean?
The local name translates to 'The Smoke that Thunders,' a vivid description of the mist and thunderous roar the waterfall produces. It is the name Zambians use for what most of the world knows as Victoria Falls.
How does Mosi-oa-Tunya relate to Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe?
The two parks are twin sites, each guarding one side of the same great waterfall on the Zambezi. Together they form the complete UNESCO-listed Victoria Falls landscape shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
What wildlife can visitors spot in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park?
The park's riverbank habitat supports populations of Angolan giraffe, Burchell's zebra, southern white rhinos, and African elephants. These large mammals roam the 66 km² of protected land that runs alongside the Zambezi.
Why is Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park considered significant?
It preserves one of the planet's most dramatic waterfalls while also maintaining a living corridor of Zambezi River ecosystem for megafauna. Its UNESCO World Heritage designation reflects the outstanding natural value of the falls as a transboundary wonder shared by two nations.
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