Things to do in Victoria Falls

For the waterfall itself, which the local name Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the smoke that thunders”, describes well, and for what grows around it: Zambezi sunset cruises, helicopter flights, rafting in the gorge, bungee from the bridge and day trips to Chobe National Park.

It depends on the season. In high water the Zimbabwe side usually gives the broad view of the curtain; the Zambia side is where activities such as Devil’s Pool and the Livingstone Island trips take place when the river is low. Many visitors do both, and both-sides tours exist.

Only when the river is low. Guides and operators give slightly different windows, roughly from mid-August or September to December or January, so confirm the date with the operator. It is reached from the Zambia side by boat from Livingstone Island.

It is in Botswana, about 70 to 80 km away by road, plus a border crossing at Kazungula that can take 20 to 60 minutes. Day trips run roughly six to ten hours door to door and start early, so treat it as a full day.

Usually yes, depending on your passport. The KAZA UniVisa covers Zimbabwe and Zambia for 30 days and was priced at US$50 in the sources we checked, but it has been suspended at times. Check the official Zambian and Zimbabwean pages before you travel.

Not guaranteed. The animals are wild, so a sighting depends on the day and the season. Read what each listing says about sightings and about what happens if there are none.