Plan your safari
A rainbow over the curtain of Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River

Victoria Falls Safaris

The largest sheet of falling water on earth: Victoria Falls, a natural wonder.

Plan your safari Highlights

Victoria Falls (known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the smoke that thunders”) is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and an unmissable addition to any Southern Africa safari.

Because they straddle Zambia and Zimbabwe, the falls combine effortlessly with Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Chobe for a classic bush-and-falls journey.

Highlights of Victoria Falls

A rainbow arcing over the main falls at Victoria Falls

The main falls

Over a kilometer of thundering water and rising spray.

Devil’s Pool

Swim at the very edge of the falls in low-water season (Zambia).

Helicopter flights

The “Flight of Angels” over the gorge and falls.

Zambezi sunset cruise

Sundowners and wildlife on the great river above the falls.

Know before you go to Victoria Falls

Flights, entry rules, health and money: the practical details we handle for you, all in one place. Requirements can change, so we confirm everything when you book.

Getting there from the USA

First, fly via Johannesburg to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) or Livingstone (Zambia), about 90 minutes from Joburg. Also, the falls pair naturally with Botswana, Hwange or the Lower Zambezi.

Visas & entry

Zimbabwe issues US citizens a visa on arrival (~$30); Zambia is visa-free for US passport holders. Alternatively, the KAZA UniVisa (~$50) covers both sides of the falls.

Health

The falls region is a malaria area, so prophylaxis is advised. High-water spray season (March–May) soaks the viewpoints, so tours provide a poncho.

Money & tipping

In addition, US dollars circulate widely in Zimbabwe. Activities are usually pre-booked through us; tipping guides is at your discretion, around $10–20 per activity.

Best time to visit Victoria Falls

Mar–May

Highest water: the most powerful curtain of spray.

Sep–Dec

Low water, with clearer views, and the Devil’s Pool is open.

Planning & cost for a Victoria Falls safari

Safari cost

Priced to your budget, and built around your camps, the season and how you like to travel. There are no fixed packages.

How we travel

Above all, we design every journey privately, with private guides and vehicles arranged where specified, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout. At fly-in camps, game drives may be shared unless a private vehicle is reserved.

How long to stay at Victoria Falls, and how the falls change

In general, most travelers give Victoria Falls two nights. That is enough for a guided walk along the rainforest paths, a sunset cruise on the upper Zambezi and one signature activity: the helicopter flight, Devil’s Pool in low water, or a day trip to Chobe, whose riverfront is under two hours away by road. The Okavango Delta is a short flight further, which is why the falls so often close a Botswana safari.

However, the falls look completely different through the year. When the Zambezi is in flood, roughly March to May, the spray rises so high that the viewpoints are drenched and the curtain of water is often veiled in mist. Then, toward the end of the year, the river drops; parts of the Zambian side can run almost dry, the basalt face is exposed, and the Zimbabwean side keeps the fullest flow. In short, neither is better, only different: high water is about power, low water about clear views and Devil’s Pool.

Also, around full moon in the high-water months, the spray can form a lunar rainbow, and the rainforest paths open for evening visits to see it. If your dates allow, we time your nights to catch one.

Practical details,
in one place

Finally, the full detail on money, health, connectivity and packing is in our Safari Planning Guide.

Victoria Falls FAQs

March to May, peaking around April, brings the highest water and most dramatic spray; September to December offers clearer views and access to the Devil’s Pool on the Zambian side.

Zimbabwe has the larger panoramic views, while Zambia offers close-up access and the Devil’s Pool. Many travelers cross to see both.

Helicopter flights, sunset Zambezi cruises, white-water rafting, bungee jumping and the Devil’s Pool, plus easy onward travel to Botswana.

Getting to Zimbabwe: flights, visas and health

Correct when we wrote it. Before you travel, we check every requirement for your exact route and tell you what to apply for and when.

AirportsVictoria Falls (VFA) for the Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools; Harare (HRE) for connections. Both are reached via Johannesburg.
Getting thereConnect through Johannesburg, then it is about 90 minutes on to Victoria Falls. Livingstone in Zambia sits twenty minutes away on the other bank if that routing suits better.
Visa: US citizensZimbabwe issues US citizens a visa on arrival or online (about $30); Zambia is currently visa-free for US passport holders. The KAZA UniVisa (about $50) covers eligible itineraries crossing between the two. Zimbabwe eVisa portal: evisa.gov.zw.
HealthYellow fever certificate required if arriving from a risk country. Hwange, Mana Pools and the Zambezi valley are malarial. Country guidance: CDC Travelers’ Health.
PassportSix months’ validity beyond your return date, with at least two blank pages. Travel insurance including medical evacuation is required on every journey we plan.
Full flight guidePlan your safari

Plan your Victoria Falls trip.

A Victoria Falls safari works as a hinge between two countries, not simply a viewpoint.

Tell us how you like to travel and start with a complimentary consultation.

Plan your safari

For official background on the falls, see the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Victoria Falls.