Victoria Falls across a Basalt Gorge

Victoria Falls across a Basalt Gorge is an original illustration set in Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. It lies in the tropics, where the climate is monsoon-influenced humid subtropical — dry winters.

A wide river pours over a nearly straight cliff into a narrow dark gorge, filling it with towering white spray. A lush green strip hugs the opposite rim, while more open woodland extends away from the water and the river surface spreads calmly above the brink.

Why does a broad river suddenly disappear into a narrow rock chasm?

The Zambezi erodes lines of weakness in a basalt plateau, concentrating its drop into a deep transverse gorge. Water striking the confined chasm throws spray back above the rim, keeping a narrow belt of vegetation wetter than the surrounding seasonal woodland. The broad upstream river, straight curtain, and spray-fed greenery reveal the distinctive setting of Victoria Falls.

Terpano is a free daily geography puzzle. You study one original illustration, place a pin on a borderless terrain map, and see how close you were. There is no account and no sign-up; progress stays in your own browser. It plays in 11 languages.