23 Things To Know BEFORE Visiting Victoria Falls

There are few issues extra majestic than a waterfall, however relating to Victoria Falls, “majestic” doesn’t even BEGIN to explain it.

This humongous waterfall is without doubt one of the world’s most outstanding pure wonders and a real gem of Africa. With wealthy forestry, ample and various wildlife, and pure magnificence wherever you set your eyes, Victoria Falls must be a bucket-list location for everybody.

It was with this spirit that we booked our journey to Victoria Falls once we knew we might be visiting Zimbabwe and the expertise didn’t disappoint one bit.

By means of our expertise, we’ve compiled this detailed checklist of issues you must know earlier than visiting Victoria Falls, to make sure your journey goes off with out a hitch. 

1. About Victoria Falls

Situated in southern Africa, on the Zambezi River, this is without doubt one of the most astonishing waterfalls you might ever see. 

This African waterfall stretches to a width of 5604 ft (longer than 18 soccer fields!) and a top of 300 ft, making for a really imposing sight.

Whereas not the tallest or the widest waterfall on the earth, Victoria Falls is taken into account the biggest as a result of the realm of the sheet of water it produces is bigger than another waterfall. Many take into account Niagara Falls, probably the most well-known locations on the earth, to be spectacular, however it dwarfs compared to Victoria Falls, which is twice as tall and twice as broad.

The European’s first encounter with these majestic falls was by means of a Scottish explorer and missionary, David Livingstone, in 1855. Upon seeing the awe-inspiring sight, he was bowled over and determined to call the waterfall after the reigning monarch on the time, Queen Victoria.

2. Victoria Falls Brings Collectively Two International locations

The Zambezi River runs alongside the borders of many nations, forming a hyperlink between them. Victoria Falls is without doubt one of the gems alongside this historic river that lies on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

One other enjoyable truth; yet another manner that the Zambezi River brings these two nations collectively is thru the Kariba Dam, which gives electrical energy to each nations.

3. Which Facet Is Higher To Go to From? Zimbabwe or Zambia?

Should you’re planning your journey primarily to see Victoria Falls, then Zimbabwe is the simple alternative. When you can entry and see the waterfall from each nations, the Zimbabwean facet has extra viewpoints (16 out of 20 in complete) that give a wider view of Victoria Falls. We’ve now been a number of occasions to Victoria Falls, and may attest that the higher view is from Zimbabwe, as a majority of the water flows on the Zambia facet.

When visiting from Zimbabwe, you aren’t that affected by the change in season both, since a lot of the water on the Zambian facet dries up throughout the dry season, whereas the Zimbabwean facet nonetheless has a powerful circulate of water. The final time we visited it was in November, the tip of the dry season, and the falls had been nonetheless insanely spectacular from the Zimbabwe facet. Whereas if I had been on the Zambia facet, there’s not a lot I might have been seeing throughout the Zambezi.

Although all that being mentioned there are benefits to visiting from Zambia. Mosi Oa Tunya Nationwide Park on the Zambian facet sometimes attracts fewer guests in comparison with the Zimbabwe facet, with a decrease entry value of simply US$20. These routes present varied views of the Falls, together with views from the underside and the facet. Through the wet season, visiting the Zambian facet might end in a completely drenched expertise. The close by main city of Livingstone presents a nice two-day keep, boasting wonderful eating choices and lodging. Zambia’s foreign money tends to be extra secure than that of Zimbabwe and the favored Satan’s Pool and Livingstone Island tour is conveniently positioned on the Zambian facet.

This could go with out saying, however double-check your journey plans, as a result of vacationers have gotten confused pondering Zambia and Zimbabwe are the identical nation. We bumped into a pair who had booked their visas and tickets to Zimbabwe, however their lodges in Zambia, and one of many guides instructed us in a while that it was a typical incidence.

If in case you have plans to journey into Zambia and Zimbabwe it’s finest to look right into a KAZA UniVisa. This distinctive visa grants limitless entry into Zimbabwe and Zambia inside a 30-day interval. In case your nationality necessitates a visa for each nations, acquiring this visa is extra economical than buying particular person visas. Moreover, it permits a day-trip to Botswana with the pliability to return to Zambia or Zimbabwe. The price for this visa is $50.

4. How To Get To Victoria Falls

Since Victoria Falls was the final cease on our journey itinerary for Zimbabwe, we determined to take essentially the most handy route and flew proper into Victoria Falls Worldwide Airport from Hwange Nationwide Park, which is the place we had been on safari. The Vic Falls Airport is certainly one of Zimbabwe’s main airports and positioned only a quick distance from the city of Victoria Falls. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from the Vic Falls Airport to the city of Victoria Falls, nonetheless the price is a hard and fast worth at a whopping $30.

The city of Victoria Falls is the place most lodges are positioned, and from the city it’s only a quick 20 minute stroll to Victoria Falls, or a 5 minute drive. Many lodges and resorts supply shuttles to Vic Falls. If you’re staying at a safari lodge, just like the Vic Falls River Lodge, typically the switch to Victoria Falls is included.

There are bus providers that you might additionally use to achieve the city of Victoria Falls from different elements of Zimbabwe and lots of tour operators will supply visits to the Falls with transportation included.

5. What’s the Price of Entry?

Since April of 2023, entry costs have seen a steep enhance. Worldwide guests must pay $50 to enter Victoria Falls Park and get a correct view of the majestic Falls. For SADC nations, the entry price is $30, and the price is $7 for Zimbabweans. Youngsters aged 6 to 12 pay half, whereas kids underneath the age of 6 take pleasure in free entry. If you’re a member of SADC or Zimbabwean, it’s essential to deliver proof with an ID.

It’s essential to keep in mind that that is for a single-entry ticket. Should you exit and wish to return later within the day, it’s essential to pay the entry price once more.

Like most companies in Vic Falls, it’s doable to pay with bank card at Victoria Falls. Although it’s at all times advisable to have money on you in Zimbabwe – notably USD.

6. When is the Greatest Time to Go to Victoria Falls?

Whereas there’s circulate of water all yr spherical, every season has its distinctive specialty. 

Victoria Falls is at its peak between March and June, however whereas you will get the complete expertise of the Falls, different actions grow to be restricted. For instance, when you’re searching for some out of doors adventures when you’re right here, white water rafting isn’t doable throughout this time.

For such actions, you’ll want to attend until August by means of December. That is additionally when you’ll be able to go to the famed Satan’s Pool (extra on that later). Nevertheless, the water within the Falls is kind of low throughout this time. If wildlife is extra your factor, then any time between July and October is good.

7. Exploring Victoria Falls 

When you enter the Falls Park, all it is advisable to do is observe the Victoria Falls footpath to the Falls themselves. You’ll know whenever you’re shut as a result of it’ll get misty shortly. There’s a reasonably straightforward pathway to observe that’s straightforward to know. We advocate beginning on the David Livingstone Statue and dealing your technique to the fitting from there!

When on the remark decks, ensure you have agency footing and don’t act a idiot by leaping round or hanging off the rails. At some spots the water will probably be mere few ft away out of your ft and, with one improper transfer, you might get pulled down with the water. Nevertheless the paths are properly maintained and supply loads of distance from the sting. You’d must attempt onerous to fall, however it does occur.

Security precautions however, whenever you get a full view of Victoria Falls from any of the remark decks, you’re left standing in awe. Nature’s magnificence and energy are on full show, particularly throughout the peak wet season.

Nevertheless, exploring Victoria Falls Park will hardly take you a few hours, so that you’ll want to seek out one thing to do for the remainder of the day. Fortunately, the resort city of Victoria Falls is close by and there’s lots to do there.

8. Visiting The Satan’s Pool

August to January mark the drier months of the yr for Victoria Falls and that is when top-of-the-line spots in your complete space opens up. The Satan’s Pool is a pure rock pool, dubbed the world’s finest infinity pool, positioned on the very fringe of Victoria Falls on the Zambia facet solely.

Embarking on a difficult journey of strolling and swimming by means of the Zambezi, adventurers attempt to achieve a novel pool. Upon reaching this adrenaline-pumping swimming gap, these daring sufficient to make the leap expertise an exhilarating encounter with the river’s power. The formidable present propels them to the pool’s edge, the place a rocky lip halts their descent, and the tumultuous waters of the Zambezi cascade over close by cliffs.

The vantage level from the precipice presents an completely exhilarating panorama, permitting you to sense the sheer energy of the Zambezi River because it rushes previous and plunges down a wide ranging 100-meter (320-foot) drop!

With over 500 million liters (132 million gallons) of water plummeting over the Falls each minute, this pure spectacle calls for respect. This exercise have to be made with a educated information.

Through the dry months (August to January) you’ll be able to go swimming at this spot and take photos proper on the fringe of the waterfall. Along with making for excellent Instagram moments, it’s additionally a spot the place you can also make lasting recollections.

9. Maintain An Eye Out for Wildlife

The encircling areas in Zambezi Nationwide Park are dwelling to many species of wildlife akin to giraffes, antelopes, Cape buffalo, zebras, and even elephants. Large cats akin to lions and cheetahs are seen on occasion, however not too steadily.  You’ll even have the prospect to see crocodiles and hippos, together with baboons and vervet monkeys. Nevertheless at Vic Falls you’re more than likely to see warthogs operating about, baboons, and monkeys.

Chook watching can be fairly well-liked with greater than 35 species of raptors calling the realm their dwelling.

10. Victoria Falls Is Steeped In Historical past

Whereas quite a lot of credit score is given to David Livingstone for the invention of Victoria Falls, and although the waterfall itself is known as after a British Monarch, this waterfall has held an essential place within the native tribal tradition for a lot of centuries.

The locals even have their very personal names for the waterfall. In Lozi, it’s known as “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” which interprets to “thundering smoke,” and in Tonga, it’s known as “Shungu Namutitima,” which suggests “boiling water.”

There’s proof that proves that people going again to the Stone Age have used the falls as a supply of water or for civilization. Archaeologists have discovered human artifacts from varied time intervals and there’s even proof of a settlement within the space that dates again to greater than a thousand years in the past.

11. You Can See Victoria Falls From The Sky!

Whereas an costly indulgence, helicopter rides can be found at Victoria Falls, permitting guests an opportunity to get an aerial view of the majestic waterfall from the sky.

A brief helicopter experience begin at $150 (Excludes Park Price & Gasoline Levy), whereas an extended experience will value you almost $400. Nevertheless, it’s a splurge-worthy exercise, as let’s face it this can be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative. Many say it’s properly well worth the cash!

12. Flora Round Victoria Falls

The world across the waterfall has a dense forested area with palm timber, mopane, and teak dominating the tree line. Vegetation across the falls can be ample, with the water offering diet to ivory palms, wild date palms, pod mahogany, and batoko plum! Maintain your eye out for all of the completely different vegetation!

13. Take A Practice Experience Round Victoria Falls!

Should you can’t do the helicopter experience, positively benefit from the practice experience across the falls. A restored practice, steam engine, and all, will take you on a experience and supply a very completely different view of the majestic waterfall.  The practice comes with a number of lounge areas, eating, and extremely snug chairs.

14. In regards to the City of Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, the city, is a cute little resort city and it’s dwelling to many small markets that promote completely different items and crafts. There are additionally many actions that you might participate in, akin to zip lining, canoeing, bungee leaping, and even crocodile diving!

We loved heading right here for some buying, in addition to grabbing a drink on the River Brewing Co.

15. What To Carry to Victoria Falls

A water bottle, sunscreen, hat, and cozy strolling sneakers are requirements when visiting Victoria Falls. Relying on how a lot you stroll round and discover, you additionally may wish to hold one thing to snack on akin to path combine, an vitality bar, or sandwiches. 

You’ll additionally wish to deliver one thing to maintain your belongings dry since you are DEFINITELY going to get moist when visiting the Falls. By the point we reached the final remark deck, we had been just about soaked by means of and thru! We advocate a journey digital camera to seize the fantastic thing about the falls, it is without doubt one of the finest trip spots on the earth in spite of everything. Should you determine to deliver a digital camera, you 100% have to even have one thing to guard it from the water, like a water-proof safari bag.

16. Local weather Change Is Impacting Victoria Falls

Many consultants are in worry that Victoria Falls will quickly be declared a last-chance vacation spot World Heritage Web site. That is due to local weather change’s important adversarial impacts on Victoria Falls.

As a result of rising temperatures, water circulate has decreased through the years and droughts have gotten extra frequent and extreme every year. Once we final visited in November, the rains had been weeks late, and Zimbabwe was properly right into a drought. On safari, we noticed many elephants almost dying of dehydration and warmth.

Many main channels akin to Discovery and Nationwide Geographic, have additionally documented the specter of local weather change to this unbelievable pure surprise and broadcasted them in a number of packages and documentaries.

All these adversarial situations have an effect not solely on the Falls and the way they give the impression of being but in addition on the native wildlife. With rising droughts, the pure habitat of many animals is disappearing and will quickly result in irreversible injury to their inhabitants numbers.

17. Greatest Eating places Close to Victoria Falls

The city of Victoria Falls has many eating places that provide high quality meals, however the preferred, by a large margin, is the Three Monkeys Restaurant & Bar. Each locals and vacationers flock to this restaurant in giant numbers.

All through our two days in Victoria Falls, we ate at Three Monkeys, and the Lookout Cafe. Along with all kinds of meals akin to burgers, pizzas, BBQ, and wood-fired dishes, there are additionally vegan choices and a powerful number of drinks on the bar.

For dinner although, we virtually at all times caught to the eating choices at our lodging, the Vic Falls Resort.

18. Malaria is a Danger

Whereas Victoria Falls is technically categorized as a malaria zone, you are able to do many issues to guard your self. Use mosquito repellant profusely and guarantee your home windows are closed for the night time. That is very true throughout the wet season when the bugs are dangerous.

Now we have visited Zimbabwe a number of occasions and by no means take malaria tablets, as we aren’t in malaria inclined areas or it’s the dry season and there are usually not many mosquitos round.

Nevertheless it you suppose it’s possible you’ll be in danger, it’s finest to seek the advice of along with your physician on different ways in which you might forestall and safeguard your self from malaria.

19. Is Victoria Falls Value Visiting?

An impressive waterfall, wealthy greenery, various wildlife, and extremely vivid rainbows. What extra might one ask for out of a visit?

I might simply advocate Victoria Falls as a bucket checklist location to anybody with out a second’s hesitation. The expertise of seeing one of many world’s pure wonders, and one that’s on such a huge scale, is an expertise that shouldn’t be missed. We cherished it a lot we’ve traveled twice to Victoria Falls.

Should you’re into journey actions, Vic Falls can be declared the journey capital of Africa. With bungee leaping, Satan’s Pool, helicopter flights, and white water rafting on supply, it’s onerous to get bored!

20. How Lengthy Ought to You Keep At Victoria Falls?

Whereas we spent three full days in Victoria Falls, it appeared prefer it wasn’t sufficient time. It’s best to have a minimum of two days to your self on this location; the primary day to relaxation in some picturesque settings. Many individuals head right here earlier than or after their Southern Africa safari, particularly since there’s a properly linked airport!

So far as time really at Victoria Falls, I might allocate 2-3 hours to amply discover. We spent a pleasant morning at Victoria Falls, arriving round 9 am to beat the noon crowds and spent three hours having fun with the views and taking plenty of photographs. If I had been to redo the expertise, I might have preferred to get there proper at opening to beat all of the crowds and get higher late. Although there’s loads of house to unfold about right here.

21. Lunar Rainbow – A moonbow!

The enchanting phenomenon generally known as the lunar rainbow or ‘moonbow’ is fashioned when gentle refracts by means of airborne water particles, with the moon serving as the sunshine supply as a substitute of the solar. Throughout this celestial show, the Victoria Falls Nationwide Park welcomes guests for unique lunar rainbow excursions.

On each full moon, the Victoria Falls rainforest reopens within the night, presenting a novel alternative for particular excursions that unveil the mesmerizing great thing about the lunar rainbow, contingent upon favorable climate situations and spray depth.

Victoria Falls stands as one of many uncommon areas on our planet the place this charming pure occasion happens, simply accessible for these searching for to witness its splendor. Surprisingly, many guests to the realm stay unaware of this breathtaking incidence, which ranks among the many most awe-inspiring spectacles at Victoria Falls. To make sure you don’t miss this magical show, it’s advisable to observe the complete moon cycle and plan your go to accordingly.

22. Keep on the Vic Falls Resort

Throughout our time at Vic Falls, we knew we needed to e book someplace iconic. Cue the Victoria Falls Resort, which stands as a beacon of luxurious and class within the coronary heart of Africa. With its timeless class and charming views, a keep at this iconic institution is extra than simply lodging – it’s an immersive journey into the pure and cultural wonders surrounding it.

Inbuilt 1904, the Victoria Falls Resort has a wealthy historical past that mirrors the evolving tapestry of Southern Africa. Constructed initially as lodging for employees on the Cape-to-Cairo railway, the resort has since reworked into an emblem of refined colonial attraction. Entering into its storied halls is like stepping again in time, with classic decor, excessive tea traditions, and a way of timeless grandeur.

The resort presents a variety of lodging, from fashionable rooms to opulent suites, every meticulously designed to mix basic class with fashionable consolation. The rooms are adorned with colonial-era furnishings, exuding a refined ambiance that pays homage to the resort’s historic roots. The attentive employees, identified for his or her heat hospitality, ensures that each visitor seems like royalty all through their keep.

We cherished our keep right here, and it was well-positioned within the City of Victoria Falls. It was additionally only a 15 minute stroll to Victoria Falls, which was straightforward for us to stroll to within the morning! Although even whenever you’re not proper up near the waterfall one of many standout options of the Victoria Falls Resort is its unmatched view of the majestic Victoria Falls. Think about waking as much as the sound of cascading water and stepping outdoors to a powerful view of the falls – a sight that by no means fails to encourage awe.

The opposite stand out of the Victoria Falls resort is their iconic excessive tea. Provided day by day to resort and non resort visitors, having excessive tea right here just like the royals used to is without doubt one of the finest issues to do in Victoria Falls.

Test availability for the Vic Falls Resort!

23. Victoria Falls Suggestions

Cease at each viewpoint: Cease at each single viewpoint you’ll be able to whereas at Victoria Falls. Every one presents a novel and completely different view than the opposite. And also you’ve already paid $50 to enter so it’s possible you’ll as properly get your cash’s value!

Plan on getting moist: We visited within the top of a drought throughout the dry season and nonetheless received fairly freaking moist! Plan on getting moist in your go to, and convey some dry gear on your electronics.

It’s costly: The entry price retains rising to Victoria Falls, and I’ve to confess that $50 is a reasonably steep entry worth. The primary time we visited in 2016, the worth was $30, which I already thought was excessive! Simply settle for that it’s a dream vacation spot and that Africa isn’t the most cost effective vacation spot and benefit from the pure surprise!

Cafes and Restrooms: There are a number of locations to seize snacks, a meal, and a number of bogs close to the doorway to Victoria Falls!

Plan on strolling: The Vic Falls advanced is fairly giant, and to see every viewpoint would require some strolling. Carry good journey sneakers for the day, we advocate non slip trainers!

You Don’t Want A Information: The paths are straightforward to observe and a information will not be wanted, although it’s possible you’ll get requested a number of occasions if you’d like one. Whereas a information could also be useful for telling the historical past and concerning the land, it’s removed from mandatory until you need somebody to take your photographs!

Plan to Spend 2-3 hours having fun with the falls. If you will get there at dawn, you received’t be disillusioned.