Victoria Falls, traditionally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya (meaning the ‘Smoke that Thunders’), is one of the most famous sights in Africa. It is a waterfall on the Zambezi River, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. As the mighty Zambezi River crashes over a basalt rock ledge and drops 108 metres (354 feet) down into a powerful whirlpool, it forms the largest sheet of falling water on the planet.
The falling water's impressive roar can sometimes be heard from 40 kilometres (25 miles) away. And on a wind-free day during high-water season, which runs from about February to July depending on the rain, a dazzling cloud of mist can float high above the Falls. With a combined width of 1 708 metres (5 604 feet) and height of 108 metres (354 feet), it is the largest waterfall on Earth.
Since 1998, trips to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia have been planned for thousands of travellers from across the globe. But knowing when to go and what to expect is important for planning your trip. Whether you’re looking for a lodge beside the Zambezi River amidst trees in Zimbabwe or a grand hotel where white-gloved waiters serve G&Ts on manicured lawns, Vic Falls caters to every style and budget.
Historical and Geographical Context
The Zambezi River is the fourth-largest in the African continent and spans across six different nations - its amazing journey spans an impressive 2,700 km. Along the way, you can see a range of wildlife and participate in a plethora of activities. The Zambezi River is fed by water that flows down from wetlands in northern Zambia on the border with the Angolan Highlands.
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In 1855, British explorer and missionary David Livingstone was the first European to witness the magnificence of one of Africa’s most incredible sights, Victoria Falls. He named it for the British monarch at the time, Queen Victoria. The local people of the Zambezi Valley, known as the Tonga people, had lived around the Falls for centuries.
They called the falls the Mosi Oa Tunya, which translates as ‘the smoke that thunders’. David Livingstone renamed them Victoria Falls, after Queen Victoria, the monarch at the time in England. Today, the falls are known by both names, with the park on the Zambian side now called Mosi Oa Tunya National Park. Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to part of Victoria Falls and is named so because “Mosi-Oa-Tunya” means “the smoke that thunders” - a perfect analogy for these awe-inspiring waters.
The Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls is significant worldwide for its exceptional geological and geomorphological features and active land formation processes with outstanding beauty attributed to the falls i.e. the spray, mist and rainbows. Sprays from this giant waterfall can be seen from a distance of 30 km from the Lusaka road, Zambia and 50 km from Bulawayo road, Zimbabwe. Basalts have been cut by a river system producing a series of eight spectacular gorges that serve as breeding sites for four species of endangered birds.
Victoria Falls is neither the widest nor highest waterfall in the world, but it’s the world’s largest sheet of falling water. It is twice the height of North America’s Niagara Falls, and is only rivalled by Iguazu Falls in South America.
Planning Your Visit
The good news is, no matter which side you stay on, you can easily cross the border to explore the other or to undertake activities like white-water rafting, gorge swinging, bungee jumping, visiting Livingstone Island or having dinner on an old-fashioned train. If you want the best of both worlds, you can easily get across the border via Victoria Falls Bridge. All you'll need is your passport and a double / multiple entry visa, which you can purchase at the border control (your guide or transfer agent generally expedites this for you).
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As about three quarters of Victoria Falls lie in Zimbabwe, the country has the lion's share of vantage points. Want to get really close to the cascades of water? Then head to the Zambia side of Victoria Falls. During the low-water season, head down the footpath that leads to the Boiling Pot: a massive whirlpool at the base of the waterfall.
Like almost everything else in Africa, the spectacle at the Falls is entirely dependent on rainfall. When you choose to travel will have a massive impact on your experience of the waterfall. Rain may vary from year to year. The Zambezi River is usually low during December, rising steadily as the rain water starts to arrive from the Angolan highlands. As the early summer rains arrive in about November, so the current gains momentum and the water surges.
High-water levels mean the current is too fast for water-based activities like swimming in Devil's Pool or rafting. Low-water season runs from about September or October to about January when levels drop over the dry winter. Safari's high or peak season is from about June to October - a good time to combine a safari with a visit to Victoria Falls. Bear in mind that the later you visit, the drier the waterfall will be. The ‘sweet spot' for a good safari and great views is generally about July and August, which is also a very popular time to visit. This depends entirely on your vacation wishes.
Between February and July, the mighty Zambezi River is in full flood and the waterfall is at its most thunderous - usually peaking between March and April. Dazzling clouds of mist can float 400 metres (1 312 feet) above the Falls! The Falls' lunar rainbows or ‘moonbows' are rare atmospheric phenomena that occur when the bright glow of a perfect full moon reflects and refracts off the mist created by the waterfall.
Excellent visibility of Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia sides - lower water levels mean less spray and mist. Expect dramatic and short afternoon thunderstorms, hot and humid weather conditions, and spectacular sunsets. Expert tip: October is the hottest month of the year in Vic Falls (around 34°C / 93°F), and one of the very best months for safari. The animals don't stray far from the little remaining water, but the Falls' water levels are at their very lowest and the Zambian side will the completely dry.
Read also: Exploring Kenya's Waterfalls
When Is The Best Time To Visit Victoria Falls? - Resort 2 Travel
Visa and Border Information
Both Zambia and Zimbabwe require nearly all foreign nationalities to have a visa to enter. There is the option of a single entry visa to either country (approx USD $30-50 depending on nationality), but you can also get the KAZA visa (also known as a UniVisa). This enables the holder to freely travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well do a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana through the Kazungula border. It is valid for 30 days and allows unlimited border crossings.
You can get the KAZA visa on arrival at the following points of entry: Victoria Falls airport, Livingstone airport, Harare airport, Lusaka airport or at the Kazungula land border at Botswana. You need to specify your preference for this visa and provide $50 in US dollar bills. Many of these border ports also offer card payments, but on the off chance that this isn’t working on the day you arrive, it is recommended to bring the US dollars in cash to be on the safe side. The KAZA visa is available to around 65 nationalities, including the UK, the US, Australia, Canada and most EU countries.
Getting There and Around
There are daily flights from South Africa's international airports to Livingstone Airport (LVI) in Zambia and Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) in Zimbabwe. Flying into the airport on the side of the Victoria Falls you plan on staying in is advisable.
- Livingstone Airport (LVI): From Livingstone airport to the town centre or most hotels/lodges, a taxi is the main form of transport and takes only 10-15 minutes. Expect to pay around USD $10.
- Victoria Falls Airport (VFA): A road transfer from VFA to Vic Falls Town will take you about 20 minutes. A taxi is the best way to travel from Victoria Falls airport to the town centre. Average journeys cost USD $15.
Another option is by bus, with several companies connecting other Southern African cities with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Livingstone in Zambia. A slower, but more scenic way to travel to Victoria Falls is by train. Finally, if you’re coming from Botswana, you need to head to Kasane, a border town that’s also very close to Chobe National Park. Here you can easily jump in a shared taxi to Livingstone and Victoria Falls.
Zambia vs. Zimbabwe: Which Side to Choose?
The very first thing to do when planning a trip is to decide which side of Victoria Falls to visit. As the falls straddle both Zimbabwe and Zambia, most visitors can head to both the sides (visa dependent), but you will need to choose one side to call your base.
- Zambia: One downside of staying on the Zambia side, is that you’ll need to use a taxi each time you want to visit the Victoria Falls from your hotel, whether it’s nearby or in Livingstone town centre. Entry to the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park costs around US $20 dollars and a visit can take 3-4 hours as some of the hiking paths are steeper here. If you visit the Zambian side in the rainy season, you can get completely drenched. Livingstone, the nearest major town, is a nice place to spend a couple of days with some great dining spots and accommodation. As the Zambian side has only a quarter of the falls, it could be said that the viewpoints this side are less spectacular than on the Zambian side.
- Zimbabwe: Unlike the Zambian side, you can walk from Victoria Falls town centre to the entrance to the falls in a couple of minutes. Zimbabwe is home to the Victoria Falls National Park, which was more organised and structured than on the Zambia side. It had a proper welcome centre, souvenir shop and lots of signage and information on the falls. Most importantly, Zimbabwe has the more impressive viewing opportunities of the Falls, and the water flows year-round. Entry to the park on the side costs US $30 per person and a full visit to Zimbabwe side takes around 2-4 hours. These give greater perspective of the Falls, rather than the close up immersive (and drenching) experience of the Zambian side in rainy season.
Fortunately, it is really simple to travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe if you have the KAZA visa. The easiest way is to walk from one side to the other, including enjoying the bridge crossing on foot as the views are spectacular. On both sides, the walk from each entry to the respective national parks to the actual passport-stamping border crossing is around 10 minutes or so. Then you need another 15 minutes to walk the length of the bridge.
Activities and Attractions
As a visit to see the Falls on either side of the border may only take an afternoon, there’s so many other things to do on both sides of the border. Visiting the Victoria Falls is only the start of the adventure!
Here are some popular activities in the Victoria Falls area:
- Devil's Pool: This natural rock pool sits at the very edge of Victoria Falls, only accessible when water levels are at their lowest, from about August to December. You'll have to reserve a spot on a boat that leaves for Livingstone Island from the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia.
- White Water Rafting: One of the most exhilarating activities to do in Victoria Falls, and gives a totally different perspective. White water rafting is available on both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides.
- Bungee Jumping: The fall is a 111m drop, and you plummet straight down to the Zambezi River. The location of the bungee jump is on the Victoria Falls Bridge between both border crossings.
- Helicopter Ride: If you visit in the rainy season, you can see the true magic of the falls from the sky. It can be done from either the Zambia or Zimbabwe side. Known as the ‘Flight of Angels', this thrilling flip over the waterfall is a definite bucket-list activity.
- Chobe National Park Day Trip: Departing from both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides, this is probably one of the better value activities on offer at the Victoria Falls. We spent a full day in Chobe. This was inclusive of a straight forward border crossing at Kazungula, a morning game drive, a delicious lunch and an afternoon boat drive on the Chobe River.
- Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River: The cruise departs in the late afternoon and offers the chance to get up close to wildlife, particularly hippos. Often these boat companies have unlimited snacks and drinks too. A lovely way to relax and savour the awe-inspiring beauty of Africa's fourth-longest river.
- The Royal Livingstone Express: This iconic 1920s steam train traverses from Livingstone to Victoria Falls, offering an opulent five-course evening dinner service. The train runs along part of Cecil Rhodes’ ‘Cape to Cairo’ railway.
Other activities and attractions include:
- Gorge swinging
- Visiting Livingstone Island
- Having dinner on an old-fashioned train
- Shopping at colourful markets
- Visiting Hwange National Park
- Afternoon teas at Stanley's Terrace
Safety and Ethical Considerations
Despite Zimbabwe's political instability, safari partners on the ground assure that it's safe to travel in all the renowned national parks and important tourism destinations. Zimbabweans are born story-tellers and Victoria Falls Town has numerous young men who will ask you to buy their wooden, metal or stone artefacts.
Here are some tips for ethical tourism in Victoria Falls:
- If you are sure you have no intention of buying anything, don't visit the Open Market or stop at the stalls outside the entrance to the Falls.
- Africans appreciate people who say ‘hello' before asking questions or demanding a price. It is best to say, ‘Hello, how are you?', listen to the answer before getting into the business of negotiating a price.
- Be wary of buying non-sustainable timber or hardwoods - deforestation and habitat destruction are realities in Africa.
US dollars are universally accepted but South African rands, euros and pounds sterling are also welcome. Some street traders are happy to swap items of value - like razor blades, clean clothes, pens, shoes and toiletries - for their wares. If you're flying directly home, consider getting a bag of items together, even if it's just to donate to a trader.
Flora and Fauna
The national parks contain abundant wildlife including sizeable populations of African bush elephant, Cape buffalo, giraffe, Grant's zebra, and a variety of antelope. Lions, African leopards and South African cheetahs are only occasionally seen. Vervet monkeys and baboons are common. Southern white rhinoceroses inhabit Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Black rhinoceroses roam Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve.
The river above the falls contains large populations of hippopotamus and Nile crocodile. Klipspringers, honey badgers, lizards and clawless otters can be glimpsed in the gorges, but they are mainly known for 35 species of raptors. The Taita falcon, Verreaux's eagle, peregrine falcon and augur buzzard breed there. The river is home to 39 species of fish below the falls and 84 species above it.
Riverine forest with palm trees lines the banks and islands above the falls. The most notable aspect of the area's vegetation though is the rainforest nurtured by the spray from the falls, containing plants rare for the area such as pod mahogany, ebony, ivory palm, wild date palm, batoko plum and creepers and lianas.
Table 1: Average Monthly Flow Rate of the Zambezi River
| Month | Average Flow Rate (m³/s) |
|---|---|
| January | 1,500 |
| February | 2,500 |
| March | 3,500 |
| April | 4,000 |
| May | 3,000 |
| June | 2,000 |
| July | 1,500 |
| August | 1,000 |
| September | 800 |
| October | 500 |
| November | 700 |
| December | 1,000 |
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