The word Zambezi evokes the mystery and excitement of Africa, with the river remaining poorly known and unmatched in purity among African rivers. This narrative follows the Zambezi from its source in the upland hills, characterized by vast watershed plains, through the narrow belt of Szygium trees lining the upper river, to the expansive floodplain that stretches 300 km long and 50 km wide. Emerging from the floodplain, the river encounters rocky terrain, creating the Siona Falls, and then channels through unspoilt wilderness at Kazangula before plunging 100 meters to form Victoria Falls. Continuing downstream to the Kariba gorge, the river was dammed in the late 1950s, creating one of the world's largest man-made lakes. Beyond the dam, the Zambezi spreads into a wide, flat-bottomed valley, epitomizing tropical Africa's hot, harsh, and untamed nature, home to diverse wildlife. Experienced cameramen Mike Coppinger and Jumbo Williams have spent months filming the river and leading white-water adventure tours, amassing a rich collection of color transparencies showcasing the Zambezi's beauty and the lives of the people and animals along its banks, spanning approximately 3600 kilometers from the Angolan highlands to the swampy delta in Mozambique.
