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Victoria Falls Warnings or Dangers
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Victoria Falls Warnings or Dangers

A crazy guy standing on the edge of the falls - Victoria Falls
A crazy guy standing on the edge of the falls
by georeiser
Victoria Falls travel tips posted by real travelers and Victoria Falls locals.
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Vervet monkeys steal anything they can eat!
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  • K.Knight
  • By K.Knight on November 9, 2004
  • Victoria Falls Page by K.Knight
  • Easy pickings. - Victoria Falls
    Easy pickings.
    by K.Knight
    Vervet monkeys are found all over Zimbabwe. They have a highly developed system of communication and they tend to spend a lot of time on the ground. They are skilled at stealing food and they love to empty trash cans of any food products.

    At several motels in Zimbabwe these little fellows quite prolifc and they sit patiently waiting for humans to lower their guard before they move in and steal anything that they coa eat. In camp grounds, if tents were not sealed properly, these vervet monkeys would make themselves at home and destroy anything that they could lay their hands on! Do not leave food in your tent if you are camping!!!!

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    Turning US dollars into worthless currency.
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  • K.Knight
  • Updated By K.Knight on November 9, 2004
  • Victoria Falls Page by K.Knight
  • Worthless currency - Victoria Falls
    Worthless currency
    by K.Knight
    I found it odd that you need to play games to get as high an exchange rate possible to get currency that is worthless once you leave the country. Having said that, it is a criminal offence to change money on the street because they want you to get ripped off by the banks!

    In October 2004 US$1.00 was worth ZIM$4,500 from a bank, ZIM$7,000 from a friendly money changer at your backpackers/hotel and up ZIM$9,000 on the street but you ran a high chance of being ripped off on the street!

    The country is so desperate for foreign currency that the government tries to control the bank rate and makes it a crime to not deal with the bank when exchanging money.

    The businesses are so desperate for foreign currency to run their businesses, (because Zim dollars are worthless outside of Zimbabwe) They employee "dodgy boys" to give you a better rate for your US cash so that they get the foreign currency before the banks/government. This way they can still purchase their goods outside of the country!!! Very frustrating indeed!!!

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    Safety is not a concern on the Zimbabwe side.
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  • K.Knight
  • By K.Knight on November 9, 2004
  • Victoria Falls Page by K.Knight
  • Don't go too close. - Victoria Falls
    Don't go too close.
    by K.Knight
    As you can see by this photo, fences are very fragile and often broken, if they exist at all!

    It costs US$20.00 per person to enter the Victoria falls tourist section and I really do not know what they do with all of this cash. The facilities are basic, the fences may as well not be there but the Livingstone memorial, views of the falls and the walkway around the top of the escarpment are not to be missed.

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    Victoria falls: no crime inside the park
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  • By micheangelo3210 on September 9, 2004
  • Victoria Falls Page by micheangelo3210
  • Do not believe the local guides and travel agents who scare the tourists in order to sell guided tours of the falls: once inside the park, you are 100% safe !!!
    Guides keep warning that tourists have been robbed: just don't believe them, they want your 30/35 USD for a useless guided tour.
    And going there, if you walk you just encounter many annoying vendors trying to sell you souvenirs: if you just keep walking, you won't have problems, they are not dangerous, just too pushy !
    Enjoy the falls, they are wonderful and these days there is very little tourist traffic.

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    You'll get wet!
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  • grets
  • By grets on August 5, 2004
  • Victoria Falls Page by grets
  • It's VERY wet - Victoria Falls
    It's VERY wet
    by grets
    The path in th Falls park leads to various viewpoints of the falls, some wetter than others. We have taken along rain ponchos, and Colin carries umbrellas. At times we need both. The spray rises over 50 metres into the sky and comes down as heavy 'rain'. We get absolutely drenched, as obviously the 'rain' doesn't fall vertically, but also horizontally and diagonally.

    My shoes are ruined forever after this walk, as is David's hat, and if we hadn't had waterproof protection for the cameras, we wouldn't have had any photographs.

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    better rate?!
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  • THLIN
  • By THLIN on September 2, 2003
  • Victoria Falls Page by THLIN
  • in the town of Victoria Falls some locals may tell you that you can get US$1= ZimDollar 2,000 and by the time you change your money thay may tale away all your money and the best way to avoid this tragedy hppen is to change with your tour guide or go to the local bank but with your tour guide you can get better rate and SAFELY

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    Look out for unwanted "passangers"
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  • Rusket
  • By Rusket on June 16, 2005
  • Victoria Falls Page by Rusket
  • Drums - Victoria Falls
    Drums
    by Rusket
    Take care when buying woodwork, it might be infested by borer beetles or other parasites. One salesman tried to convince us that the holes we found on a drum he tried to sell us, was drilled to improve the sound! The drums on the picture, although they are of poor quality, are free of parasites, but we had do "loose" another drum we had bought. Even though we were careful, the holes were cleverly disguised, we did not see them until we got to Nairobi :-(

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    CARRY A BIG STICK!!
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  • safardreams
  • Updated By safardreams on November 17, 2002
  • Victoria Falls Page by safardreams
  • PEACEFUL!! - Victoria Falls
    PEACEFUL!!
    by safardreams
    Again, just keep alert! If you have to walk someplace alone. Carry something that can
    be used for a weapon! You will have your camera in one hand. CARRY A BIG STICK,
    in the other!!
    As I was walking back from the "FALLS". I
    remember 2 or 3 men walking towards me
    on the other side of the dirt road. I already had my BIG-STICK! I pulled my sun glasses
    down a bit so I could look them in the eye!
    Let them know I won't take any YOU KNOW WHAT!!
    We just walked passed each other, and that was it!! Might not be a good idea to be walking
    around ZIMBABWE alone!! I'll admit:
    I WAS LUCKY!!

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    BE AWARE!!
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  • safardreams
  • By safardreams on November 17, 2002
  • Victoria Falls Page by safardreams
  • WATCH YOUR STEP! - Victoria Falls
    WATCH YOUR STEP!
    by safardreams
    Being alone I was more careful! I kept my eyes moving all the time. I didn't bring a pair
    of shorts with me.It was alreay getting hot.
    Even in the beginning of OCT.! There is a
    market place around the corner from: ILLALA
    LODGE. I walked over alone. I noticed a man
    to my right about 50 or so feet away from me.
    I remember him asking where I was from.
    At the same time there was another man to
    my left. Walking along with me but not that
    close. The first man, I told him it did not
    matter where I was from. The second man,
    I told him " I SEE YOU!" I believe to this day
    they were working together. Coming back from the market place. Thankfully, there were
    more people around. Even some military
    police!!

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    Tourist Police
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  • PierreZA
  • By PierreZA on April 15, 2009
  • Victoria Falls Page by PierreZA
  • Tourist Police - Victoria Falls
    Tourist Police
    by PierreZA
    Tourist Police are quite visible in Victoria Falls Town as well as the area around the entrance to the Falls. They are very helpful and it seems that they do have an impact on your comfort and safety. If you need to get rid of someone harassing you, rather get the help of one of these guys than to get involved too much with the person/situation you are unhappy with.

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    More Victoria Falls Tips
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    Tourist Traps
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    Warnings or Dangers
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    Local Customs
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    Packing Lists
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