On 16 November 1855, David Livingstone first laid eyes on the waterfall that would define his life story, which he named the Victoria Falls to honour his queen.
On the Zambian side of the falls, the Royal Livingstone Hotel named after the famous Scottish explorer, contains a vast collection of portraits, drawings, and maps detailing his explorations. As you relax amid the hotel’s elegant surroundings, you’ll be forgiven for feeling as though you’ve travelled back in time: David Livingstone’s story is inextricably linked with the soul of the hotel.
If you think you know everything there is to know about David Livingstone, some of these facts may surprise you:
1. Africa was Plan B
David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer, abolitionist and physician who is famous for being the first European to discover Victoria Falls, initially hoped to go to China as a missionary. When the first Opium War broke out in September 1839, his plans changed, and Livingstone focused his ambitions on Africa instead.
