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The rare and awesome natural phenomenon forms when the light of the moon is bright enough to refract light off through the mists that rise up from the base of Victoria Falls.
The sight of a delicate lunar rainbow is a natural wonder without equal and when the moon is full, the sky is relatively clear and the Victoria Falls are at their peak flow, huge rainbows appear through the mist at night.
The lunar rainbow is best seen at times of high water — the months of March, April, May, June and July.
During high water on the Zimbabwean side, tourists would be soaked with spray as sheets of endless water thunder into the Zambezi below.
To make the spectacular more interesting, Victoria Falls is the only place in the world where the lunar rainbow can be observed.
The lunar rainbow tour of the rainforest is an exclusive Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority activity where tourists enter the rainforest at night during special days when there is a full moon.
The tours are done under the guidance of guides from the danger point all the way to the Devil’s Cataract.
In this light, hotels and lodges, tour and adventure operators have put in place packages for tourists to visit the country for the spectacle, whose launch recently was attended by tourists and marketing managers.
Mr John Sithole, the wildlife officer in charge of the rainforest, said the lunar rainbow was exclusive to Victoria Falls.
The phenomenon occurs three times in any month, that is to say, a day before full moon, on full moon day and a day after the full moon.
It is, however, seen only from the month of May all the way through to the beginning of the rainy season, which is around November.
Operators said 3, 4 and 5 June were a bit busy with tourists coming in for the spectacle.
“We are now looking forward to 3 July, 1 and 31 August, 29 September, 29 October, 28 November and 28 December,” said Mr Ben Tesa, the managing director of Khanondo Safaris.
Mr Israel Rupiya of Silver Tours said more efforts should be channelled towards adequate marketing of the product on operators’ websites for the country to reap more rewards.
Meanwhile, Victoria Falls Bungee Company is going to have a once off “Full Moon Madness Bungee Jumping, Charity Bonanza” on 3 July from 6pm to 9pm.
Mr Clement Mukwasi, Shearwater Adventures group public relations manager, said all bungee jumping proceeds would be shared and donated to the Roses for Charity orphanage in Victoria Falls and Overland Missions in Zambia.
“We are also taking advantage of the full moon on that day to operate bungee jumping at night. This will be the first ever,” he said.
derick.khumalo