Rhino Walk at Victoria Falls: Walking Safari or Game Drive?
4 min read
Short answer: where you sleep decides it. In Livingstone, book the Mosi-oa-Tunya walking safari: three hours, a game drive and then white rhinos tracked on foot with armed national park rangers, with pickup at your Livingstone hotel. In Victoria Falls town, on the Zimbabwean side, the game drive and rhino walk from Victoria Falls picks you up at your hotel and takes you across the border.
The rhino options side by side
| Option | Price | Rating | What the booking page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking safari, game drive and white rhino | €66.79 | 4.6 (12) | 3 hours, morning or afternoon; game drive in an open 4x4, a stop by the river with snacks and drinks, then rhinos on foot with armed rangers; park fees included; pickup in Livingstone, from Victoria Falls at extra cost |
| Game drive and rhino walk from Victoria Falls | €131.80 | 4.2 (9) | 2.5 hours; hotel pickup in Victoria Falls and the border crossing into Zambia; up to 10 people; a short game drive, then white rhinos on foot, “as close as 10 meters”; the page lists a US$10 national park fee and a visa |
| Game drive and rhino walk experience | €118.44 | 4.5 (9) | 4 hours; 7 am pickup in Victoria Falls; private, only your group; game drive in a 4x4 and a guided rhino walk; the page lists park fees |
| Rhino game drive in a jeep | €84.60 | 5.0 (3) | 3 hours; pickup at hotels in Livingstone; groups of up to 30; the itinerary also names a walk and a ranger who joins “at some point” |
| Night rhino game drive and bush dinner | €228.87 | 4.5 (13) | 6 hours; Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve on the Zimbabwean side; pickup only in Victoria Falls; up to 8 people; night drive with spotlights, then a 3-course dinner |
Zambia or Zimbabwe
The white rhinos of the walking safaris live in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, on the edge of Livingstone in Zambia. One page explains that the park has two parts: one with the Zambian side of the falls, one with the wildlife.
If you stay in Victoria Falls town, a rhino walk means a border crossing. The page of the Victoria Falls walk describes a hotel pickup, the drive to the border, the walk in Zambia and the return to your hotel. Bring your passport and, if your nationality needs one, a visa; the page lists it among what to bring. The Livingstone walking safari picks up from Victoria Falls only at extra cost, and from Kasane in Botswana for an extra US$40.
The night drive is the exception. It runs in a private reserve about 15 minutes by car from Victoria Falls town, picks up only there, and charges an extra fare for guests staying in Livingstone or Botswana.
Walk or drive?
The three walks put you on foot near white rhinos. The Livingstone walk is the one that names armed national park rangers; the 4-hour walk from Victoria Falls speaks of experienced guides. By its itinerary, the Livingstone walk spends about two hours on the game drive and half an hour on foot.
The jeep listing is less clear than its title. Its itinerary names a walk and a safety briefing next to the game drive, and its highlights say a ranger joins “at some point”. If you want to stay in the vehicle, ask the operator before you book.
The night drive is a different trip: spotlights, nocturnal animals and dinner, and the page calls the black rhino a lucky sighting, not a promise. As on any safari, none of these pages guarantees an animal.
Children and fees
None of the five pages names a minimum age for the rhino walk. If you are travelling with children, ask the operator before you book.
Fees differ by page. The Livingstone walking safari says park fees are included. The Victoria Falls walk lists a US$10 national park fee, and the night drive a US$10 conservation fee; ask whether you pay these on the day.
For a drive on the Zimbabwe side instead, the Zambezi National Park small-group game drive starts five minutes from Victoria Falls town, in groups of up to six, and lists US$18 park fees. Ask the operator whether rhinos are part of the drive. More options are on our safari and rhino page.
Our recommendation
For most visitors who want to see a rhino on foot: the Mosi-oa-Tunya walking safari if you stay in Livingstone. It names armed rangers, includes park fees and lets you choose morning or afternoon. If you stay in Victoria Falls town, the walk from Victoria Falls handles the border for you. Combine it with the falls using our guide to both sides.
