The Victoria Falls are on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Photos: ANDREAS DROUVE/dpa
The world’s most impressive waterfalls, Victoria Falls in Africa and South America’s Iguazu, offer the same dramatic visuals and sounds.
Here are a few facts about each waterfall that you can take into consideration when deciding which is worth a trip, once it is safe to do so.
Where are they?
Brazil and Argentina share the falls in South America, called Iguazu in Argentina and Iguacu in Brazil, named in the language of the Guarani Indians, meaning “big water”.
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca of Spain was the first European to see the falls in 1542 and baptised them Santa Maria, though the name did not catch on.
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Early Explorers: Ferdinand Magellan & Antonio Pigafetta
Portuguese-born, Spanish-crown-commissioned captain Ferdinand Magellan may be the most renowned of all early explorers. His circumnavigation of the globe was the first in recorded history and is arguably the greatest sea voyage in the Age of Discovery . Between 1519 and 1522 AD the intrepid crew of the carrack, aptly named “The Victoria,” rounded the southern tip of South America. They named this land
Patagones, the Spanish
pata meaning foot hence this name means “the land of the bigfeet.” According to the official chronicles, painstakingly recorded by Antonio Pigafetta, as they approached the shore of this strange land, they witnessed a giant, naked man dancing and anointing himself with powder. A crew member was sent ashore to make contact and did so by imitating the giant’s gestures.