However, new research has discovered that the actual source of the river lies in a shallow depression in Angola’s southern highlands, at the source of a river called the Lungwebungu (pictured above). This gives the Zambezi a new total length of 3,421 km (2,126 mi), or 342 km (213 mi) longer than previously thought.
The research was carried out in 2022 and 2023 by The Wilderness Project, in collaboration with the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project and the Wild Bird Trust. Two expeditions travelling the entire length of the Zambezi River from its traditional source in Zambia and its most distal source in the Angolan Highlands Water Tower, all the way to the Indian Ocean, collected data on human impact, biodiversity, water quality, and river discharge. Their findings revealed that the Lungwebungu and several other Angolan rivers contribute about 70% of the water reaching Victoria Falls, making them critical to the long-term health of the Zambezi and the people and wildlife who depend on it.
The study highlights the importance of protecting the Upper Zambezi Basin, where another recent study recorded significant forest loss over the past three decades.
In July 2025, at a Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in Victoria Falls, The Wilderness Project presented its case for a large part of the Angolan water tower to be declared a Wetland of International Importance, to boost its recognition and protection. Approval for the site, known as Lisima lya Mwono, or “the source of life,” is expected later this year or early next. – Zambezi Society Bulletin – December 2025
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