Top Victoria Falls Bucket List Experiences: Ultimate Travel Guide
Top Victoria Falls Bucket List Experiences: Ultimate Travel Guide
Visiting Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is a bucket list destination for travelers from around the world seeking breathtaking scenery and thrilling adventures. This year I visited this very long awaited destination and it was one of the most incredible trips ever. So I want to share with you my Top Victoria Falls Bucket List Experiences: Ultimate Travel Guide.
Nestled in the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia in Southern Africa, Victoria Falls offers a unique blend of natural beauty, wildlife encounters, and adrenaline-pumping activities. This Top Victoria Falls Bucket List Experiences: Ultimate Travel Guide will help you explore the best of Victoria Falls. It includes highlights like a visit to the falls, a helicopter ride, a safari in Zambezi National Park, or a sunset cruise in Zambezi River.
When to visit Victoria Falls
That’s a key question and when planning a trip to Victoria Falls, you should consider the time of the year. The falls water levels vary dramatically throughout the year, creating distinct seasonal experiences.
The high-water season, from February to May, offers the most spectacular views with thundering cascades and an impressive mist visible from miles away. This period is ideal for witnessing the full power of the falls, but be prepared sometimes for heavy mist that can obscure some views.
Alternately, the low-water season, from August to December, provides great views and excellent opportunities for activities like swimming in the Devil’s Pool. But the water in the falls will have a lower level. This is also a good time for wildlife spotting in nearby Zambezi National Park, as animals gather around the remaining water sources.
Both seasons offer unique advantages, so choose based on your preference or availability because it is a magnificent place all year round. I went to Victoria Falls in May at the end of the high-water season. I had the most amazing experience, enjoying great weather with warm sunny days and refreshing nights. I could still see dramatic water displays of the falls, but I also had the chance to spot the diverse wildlife in Zambezi National Park.
How to get to Victoria Falls
Getting to Victoria Falls is easy, with several convenient options available. Many international travelers fly into Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe, which is well-connected with direct flights from major cities like Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, or Addis Ababa. Alternatively, it’s possible to fly into Livingstone Airport in Zambia, which also offers great connections with various international airports.
For those already in this African region, luxury trains like the Rovos Rail and the Royal Livingstone Express offer a scenic and unique travel experience. Overland travel by car or by bus is also possible from nearby countries. Whichever route you choose, ensure you have the necessary visa and travel documents, and get ready to explore one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders.
Around Victoria Falls
When visiting Victoria Falls, you can choose to stay in either Zimbabwe or Zambia, each offering distinct perspectives and experiences. On the Zimbabwe side, the town of Victoria Falls provides easy access to amazing viewpoints of the falls, along with a wide range of accommodations, from budget-friendly lodges to luxury hotels. This side is renowned for its expansive and dramatic views of the falls.
Across the border in Zambia, the town of Livingstone offers its own charm and access to attractions like the Devil’s Pool and Livingstone Island, providing thrilling up-close encounters with the falls. Both sides boast vibrant local culture, adventure activities, and wildlife experiences in nearby national parks. Ultimately, you can visit both.
I stayed in Zimbabwe which was the base for all the activities I was lucky to experience in the region. But I did a day trip to Zambia, as I wanted to see the Zambian side of the falls. I definitely recommend that, independently of the country you choose to be based while visiting Victoria Falls, you cross the border to see the other side of the falls.
While staying in Victoria Falls, you can enhance your adventure with a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana, just a short drive away. Known for its dense elephant population and diverse wildlife, Chobe offers a thrilling safari experience that complements your visit to the falls. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time, but I would love to have added an extra day to explore one of Africa’s most known wildlife destinations.
Let me share with you my Top Victoria Falls Bucket List Experiences: Ultimate Travel Guide with the key highlights of my unforgettable trip to this world-famous natural wonder. I hope you will love Victoria Falls as much as I did.
Top Activities in Victoria Falls
Visiting Victoria Falls is an experience that immerses visitors in the sheer power and grandeur of one of the world’s most iconic natural sites.
Being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls is also a UNESCO World Heritage site because it is considered the world’s greatest sheet of falling water. In fact, it is the only waterfall with more than one hundred metres high and more than a quilometre length in the planet.
It is located in Zambezi River, the fourth largest river in Africa at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “The Smoke that Thunders,” the falls are definitely a breathtaking sight to behold. Its noise can be heard from a distance of 40 quilometres, while its spray and mist rises to an impressive height of more than 400 meters.
Victoria Falls were discovered in 1855 by the famous Scottish explorer David Livingstone, the first European crossing Africa from south to north. He named it Victoria Falls after his reigning queen. David Livingstone was deeply impressed by the beauty of the falls and wrote that “probably angels are admiring the scenery while flying nearby”. That’s why it is also known as the Falls of the Angels.
You can see Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia sides, as 75% of the falls is located in Zimbabwe and 25% in Zambia. When someone asks me which side I prefer or which one to choose when in the region, I actually recommend visiting both. You have different perspectives from Zimbabwe and Zambia sides, but they are equally beautiful and worth visiting.
It’s not difficult to visit the different sides of Victoria Falls as the border is literally in the falls area, near Zambezi Bridge. You need to make sure you have the visas to enter both countries (it might require a payment depending on the visa you get when you arrive to Zimbabwe or Zambia). And of course… don’t forget to bring your passport when crossing the border.
Additionally, you have to pay a fee to enter Victoria Falls park in both countries – 50 USD for international visitors in Zimbabwe and 30 USD in Zambia. But it is worth it, as it will allow you to experience different perspectives of the falls in two different countries.
Visit Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe side
To see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side you need to visit Victoria Falls National Park and to pay a fee of 50 USD for international travellers. Be aware that the fee is for a single entry. If you exit, you have to pay again. At the entrance of the park you will find a curio market selling handicrafts and souvenirs, as well as a coffee shop where you can have a light meal or buy some refreshments.
The park is open from 6h to 18h in Summer season (September to April) and from 6h30 to 18h in Winter (May to August). If you go early in the morning you can see the sunrise and you have the park almost for yourself. In the morning you have a good light for photographs, whilst from 14h to 16h you have the best chances to see the rainbows over the falls.
Entering the park and as you approach the falls, the sound of roaring water grows louder, and the mist created by the plunging waters rises high into the air. The well-maintained cobblestone trails provide access to the 16 viewpoints available in the Zimbabwe side of the falls, each offering a unique perspective of the thundering cascades and the vast Zambezi River that feeds them.
It is very easy to follow the pathway in the rainforest to see the different viewpoints. I recommend you take a raincoat, as you can get some spray from the falls in different parts of the path, sometimes quite heavy.
You start the visit in viewpoint 1 near Livingstone’s statue. In viewpoint 2 you have the real first sighting of the falls, which is absolutely magical. This was one of my favourite viewpoints because of its staircase and its picturesque view framed by some trees. Just be careful because the stairs can be slippery.
One of the highlights of the Zimbabwe side is the Devil’s Cataract, visible from the viewpoints 3, 4 and 5, where you can feel the ground tremble beneath your feet from the force of the water. The Main Falls, the largest curtain of falling water, offers from viewpoints 6, 7 and 8 a majestic view that truly captures the scale of this natural wonder.
As you walk along the scenic paths, you will be surrounded by lush rainforest, nourished by the perpetual mist from the falls. The park is also home to diverse wildlife, and you might spot monkeys, bushbucks, and a variety of bird species.
Be ready to get some heavy spray and to wear your raincoat when passing by viewpoints 9 to 15 during the high water season, because they are located in the narrowest part of the gorge. In viewpoints 12 and 13 you can see at distance Livingstone Island and Devil’ Pool, where you can swim in low water season. Danger’s point in viewpoint 15 is the closest to the Zambian side, whilst on 16 you can admire the iconic Zambezi Bridge.
You can tour the falls on your own, which is easy to do starting from the entrance and following the pathway across the various viewpoints which are very well signed, or you can have a guided tour. I decided to do a guided tour organized by Ilala Lodge Hotel where I was staying, and it was an amazing choice to know more about the falls.
Conveniently located at the heart of Victoria Falls town, Ilala Lodge is the closest hotel to the falls, at less than 10 minutes walking from this site. With a beautiful property surrounded by lush gardens, two pools and views to the spray, Ilala Lodge Hotel is a perfect place to stay while visiting the falls. It also has a very friendly and attentive staff, the award winning restaurant Cassia offering delicious gourmet cuisine and luxury comfortable rooms. You can even spot some wildlife grazing or drinking water on the hotel lawns. Know more about my incredible stay at Ilala Lodge Hotel here.
Visit Victoria Falls from Zambia side
To see Victoria Falls from the Zambia side you need to visit Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and to pay a fee of 30 USD for international travellers. As in the Zimbabwe side, the fee is for a single entry, so if you exit the park you have to pay again. The entrance to the park is located 50 meters from the immigration post, so it’s very convenient if you are crossing the border from Zimbabwe. Near the entrance you will find a curio market selling traditional craftsmanship and Zambian souvenirs.
When you enter the park, there are well signed pathways leading to the different viewpoints of the eastern part of the falls. Even if only 25% of Victoria Falls extension is located in Zambia, the falls on the Zambian side provide access to 13 viewpoints, some of them bringing you astonishingly close to the cascading water.
One of the highlights is the Knife-Edge Bridge, offering a thrilling perspective of the Eastern Cataract as you cross the mist-drenched path, feeling the powerful spray of the falls around you. The bridge gives access to the western most viewing point on the Zambian side, from where you can see Zimbabwe and the Zambezi Bridge.
In the afternoon you have very good chances of seeing the amazing rainbows over the falls. I was lucky to spot rainbows in the Eastern Cataract at around 14h and it was one of the best views ever. I’ve also read that watching the sunset from the Zambian side is a breathtaking experience.
The Zambian side also offers unique experiences that showcase the falls’ grandeur in different ways. During the dry season, you can walk across the river to Livingstone Island and even take a dip in Devil’s Pool, a natural infinity pool right on the edge of the falls, providing an adrenaline-pumping view directly into the gorge below.
Additionally, the Boiling Pot, accessed by a steep path, offers a stunning view from the bottom of the falls, where the Zambezi River swirls and churns dramatically. This side of Victoria Falls also provides an excellent opportunity to explore the surrounding Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, where you can enjoy a safari and spot wildlife like elephants, zebras, and giraffes.
Take a Helicopter Ride over Victoria Falls
An amazing experience to have in Victoria Falls is taking a helicopter ride over one of the natural wonders of the world, from the most unique and breathtaking perspective of the falls.
There are different flights available. I took the “Flight of the Angels”, a 12 minute flight giving an amazing view from the falls, as well as the surrounding Zambezi National Park. But there are longer flights for an even better opportunity to witness the falls from above.
As the helicopter lifts off, the panoramic views begin to unfold, offering a bird’s-eye view of the mighty Zambezi River winding through the lush landscape. The sheer scale of the falls becomes apparent as you soar above the churning waters, with the mist rising like a mystical veil. The sight of the entire width of the falls, stretching over a mile, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The flight provides a comprehensive view that is impossible to capture from the ground. You can see the zigzagging gorges carved by millennia of erosion, the serene stretches of river upstream, and the vibrant rainbows that form in the mist. The helicopter ride also offers glimpses of the surrounding national parks. If you are lucky, you can even see some wildlife like elephants or hippos.
I did my flight with The Zambezi Helicopter Company, and I had an amazing experience. It was organised by The Palm River Hotel where I was staying, which is conveniently located very close to the helipad.
Located at the banks of Zambezi River at only 4 quilometres from the iconic Victoria Falls, The Palm River Hotel is an amazing place to stay in this region. It offers stunning architecture, an amazing garden with a pool facing the river, a top notch service, a great restaurant and even the opportunity for some wildlife spotting like warthogs. Know more about my amazing stay in The Palm River Hotel here.
Cross the iconic Zambezi Bridge
Crossing the Zambezi Bridge at Victoria Falls is an experience that melds natural beauty with history and adventure. The bridge itself, a marvel of early 20th-century engineering, spans the majestic Zambezi River, providing unparalleled views of one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls.
Connecting Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe with Livingstone in Zambia, the bridge crosses Zambezi River just below the falls and it is built over its second gorge. The bridge results from the vision of Cecil John Rhodes to connect Africa from Cape-to-Cairo with a continuous railway. Completed in 1905 with an impressive 128 meters high and 198 meters length, it carries rail, road, and foot traffic between the two countries.
I definitely recommend crossing the bridge on foot. As you walk across, the thundering roar of the falls and the mist rising from the crashing water below creates an immersive sensory experience. The bridge offers a unique vantage point, where you can witness the sheer power of the falls, with stunning views.
For thrill-seekers, the Zambezi Bridge is more than just a scenic crossing. It’s a gateway to adventure activities like bungee jumping and zip-lining, where you can dive into the chasm below or glide above the river, feeling the rush of adrenaline.
Go on a Sunset Cruise in Zambezi River
Embarking on a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River is a magical journey that combines the serene beauty of the landscape with the thrill of wildlife spotting. I totally recommend adding it to your Victoria Falls bucket list.
As the boat gently glided along the river, the wildlife started to emerge, providing an unforgettable spotting experience. We could see some hippos playfully emerging from the water and crocodiles lazily basking on the banks.
Suddenly the sky began to transform into a canvas of warm shades of orange, pink and purple reflecting off the tranquil waters. The silhouette of the lush riverbanks, dotted with ancient trees and dense vegetation, just added magic to the enchanting atmosphere.
We stopped for a drink in the middle of the river to admire the sun going down, while hearing stories about the region from our skipper. It was an unforgettable moment.
I had the great opportunity to go on a sunset cruise organized by Victoria Falls River Lodge while I was staying in this amazing lodge located at the banks of Zambezi River. The cruise is one of the activities that is included in the package offered to guests. There are sunrise and sunset cruises available, and guests can select the one they prefer…or ultimately both.
Nestled on the private Kandahar Island along the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls River Lodge offers a luxurious retreat that seamlessly combines natural beauty with unparalleled comfort. Accessible only by boat, the lodge’s exclusive location ensures a sense of tranquility and seclusion, providing exquisite service to guests and stunning luxury treehouses elevated above the riverbanks. Victoria Falls River Lodge is the starting point for many adventures in the region like cruises in the river, safaris or visiting the falls. Know more about my bucket list stay in Victoria Falls River Lodge here.
Do a Safari in Zambezi National Park
Another thrilling experience in the region is a safari in Zambezi National Park. I went on a sunset safari while staying in Victoria Falls River Lodge, and I couldn’t recommend it more. Beyond the beauty of the African wilderness and the stunning landscapes, it is an exhilarating opportunity to spot some wildlife.
The safari was an unforgettable experience. As the late afternoon sun began to descend, casting long shadows over the sprawling savannah, the landscape was bathed in a warm, golden light. The park, with its mix of riverine woodlands, grassy plains, and mopane forests, came alive in a display of colours and textures. The Zambezi River, winding through the park, glistened in the fading sunlight, creating a picturesque backdrop that was nothing short of breathtaking.
One of the most memorable moments of the safari was stopping by the banks of Zambezi River to witness the sun going down, while enjoying a drink and listening to the sounds of nature.
During our safari we were very lucky to see some giraffes with their silhouettes striking against the colourful sky, crossing the road in front of our 4×4. Alongside the giraffes we also spotted some impalas grazing peacefully, some buffalos moving through the twilights and a myriad of bird species settling down for the evening.
For some more travel inspiration about Africa, check my article about “10 Namibia Bucket List Experiences“.
