Called Mosi-oa-Tunya — "the smoke that thunders" — by the Kololo people, Victoria Falls is where the Zambezi drops more than 100 metres into a narrow basalt chasm along a front of around 1.7 km. At peak flow the spray rises hundreds of metres and can be seen from far away. The falls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
For Okavango travellers, the falls are the natural bookend of a trip. The Zimbabwean town of Victoria Falls and the Zambian town of Livingstone are both less than two hours from Kasane, and many itineraries fly in here, spend two nights, then continue to Chobe and the delta — or the other way round.
Top things to do: Victoria Falls
Walk the rainforest trail
The Zimbabwean side has the longest walkway, facing most of the falls across the gorge. The guided both-sides tour adds the view from Zambia.
The Flight of Angels
A short helicopter flight is the only way to see the whole width of the falls and the zigzag gorges downstream.
Livingstone Island and Devil’s Pool
From the Zambian side, a boat reaches the island on the lip of the falls. In the low-water season (roughly August to January) you can swim in the natural rock pool on the very edge.
How to get to Victoria Falls
- By air: Victoria Falls Airport (VFA, Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (LVI, Zambia) both have regional flights.
- From Kasane: roughly 80 km, about 1–1.5 hours plus border formalities.
- Visas: check the current rules for Zimbabwe and Zambia (including any combined visa scheme) before you travel.
Insider tips
- The falls are fullest from about March to May, when spray can obscure the view; the clearest photographs come from around August to December, when some sections on the Zambian side can run low.
- Take a waterproof or rent a raincoat at the entrance in high-water months — you will get soaked.
- Allow at least one full day, or two if you want to see both sides and do an activity.
- Visiting from Chobe? A day trip from Kasane is possible, but an overnight is far more relaxed.
Best tours & safaris: Victoria Falls
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Victoria Falls:
Guided tour from €55 Zimbabwe & Zambia: Guided Tour of the Falls from Both Sides
Most visitors see the falls from one country. This guided tour walks the rainforest trail on the Zimbabwean side, then crosses to see the falls from Zambia — the only way to understand how long the curtain of water really is. Check your visa arrangements before you go.
- Viewpoints in Zimbabwe and in Zambia
- Cross the border at the Victoria Falls Bridge
- Rainforest trail in the spray
Helicopter flight from €158 Victoria Falls: Helicopter Tour with Hotel Pickup
The only way to see the full width of Victoria Falls at once. The short flight circles the falls and the gorges below, with a longer option over the upper Zambezi. Hundreds of glowing reviews.
- The "Flight of Angels" over the falls
- The Zambezi and its zigzag gorges
- Hotel pickup included
Guided excursion from €202 From Victoria Falls: Livingstone Island Tour & Devil’s Pool
A boat takes you to the island on the lip of the falls where David Livingstone first saw them in 1855, and — in the low-water months, roughly August to January — you can swim in the rock pool on the very edge. Seasonal; check the listing for dates.
- Boat to Livingstone Island on the edge of the falls
- Swim in Devil’s Pool when water levels allow
- Breakfast on the island
Multi-day tour from €528 3 Days Explore Zambia, Zimbabwe and Chobe Park in Botswana
Three countries in three days: the falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia, a walk to track white rhino in Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, and a full day on the Chobe. A tidy, well-reviewed way to fill the gap before or after the delta.
- Victoria Falls from both countries
- White rhino tracking on foot in Zambia
- Full-day safari in Chobe National Park
