Victoria Falls, often called Vic Falls, is a resort town in Zimbabwe on the south bank of the Zambezi, beside the waterfall that gives it its name. It lies in Matabeleland North province. Across the river and the Victoria Falls Bridge lies Livingstone, Zambia, and together the two towns are the bases for visiting one of the world's largest waterfalls.
The falls, known in the Lozi language as Mosi-oa-Tunya, 'the smoke that thunders', drop into a narrow chasm about 1,708 metres wide and up to 108 metres deep, sending spray high into the sky. Shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1989. Visitors walk the rainforest paths opposite the falls, cruise the river upstream, go rafting or bungee jumping in the gorges and take safaris in nearby national parks. Places to stay range from town apartments and guest cottages to riverside lodges and houses on both banks. The flow changes dramatically through the year, so timing shapes the experience.
Victoria Falls town, on the Zimbabwean side, is compact and close to the falls, with the national park entrance, the bridge, restaurants and activity departures within a short walk or taxi ride of the centre. It suits visitors who want to see the falls on foot and keep driving to a minimum. Quieter residential areas and lodges along the river upstream offer more space, with the Zambezi National Park just beyond.
Livingstone, about 10 kilometres north of the river on the Zambian side, is a larger city with colonial-era buildings, markets and the Livingstone Museum. Many rentals and lodges stand along the Zambezi upstream of the falls, where evenings bring river views and passing wildlife; they suit travellers who want a riverside stay and plan to use taxis or a car.
Because the border runs down the middle of the river, staying on one side and visiting the other means crossing two border posts on the bridge, so check visa rules for both countries.
The Zambezi flows across a flat basalt plateau and drops in a single sheet into the First Gorge, a crack in the rock about 1,708 metres long. From Zimbabwe to Zambia, the main sections are the Devil's Cataract, the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls, which is the highest, and the Eastern Cataract. All the water leaves the chasm through a narrow outlet and winds through a zigzag of gorges, the remains of earlier positions of the falls.
On the Zimbabwean side, a path through the spray-fed rainforest of Victoria Falls National Park faces the falls along most of their length. The Zambian side, in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, gives close views of the Eastern Cataract and a steep path down to the Boiling Pot, a whirlpool below the bridge. In low water, guided visits to Livingstone Island can include the Devil's Pool on the lip of the falls. At full moon, a moonbow can appear in the spray. Expect to get soaked at high water.
Above the falls, the Zambezi is wide and calm, with islands, hippos and crocodiles, and sunset cruises are a classic way to end the day. Zambezi National Park, on the Zimbabwean bank upstream of town, covers about 56,000 hectares and is home to elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, sable antelope and more than 400 bird species. Across the river, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park has a small wildlife section where southern white rhinos, introduced from South Africa, are protected. Chobe National Park in Botswana is a popular day trip, and Hwange National Park lies to the south of Victoria Falls town.
Below the falls, the gorges are known for whitewater rafting, and the Victoria Falls Bridge is used for bungee jumping. Helicopter and light-aircraft flights give a view of the whole chasm. Choose licensed operators, follow safety briefings, and never approach the river's edge or wildlife on your own, as hippos, crocodiles and elephants are dangerous.
Stone Age tools found around the falls show that people have lived here for a very long time. The Tonga, Toka-Leya and other peoples of the area knew the falls by names meaning 'the smoke that thunders' or 'the place of the rainbow'. The Scottish missionary David Livingstone was shown the falls on 16 November 1855, viewing them from the island that now bears his name, and named them after Queen Victoria.
The railway from Bulawayo reached the falls shortly before the Victoria Falls Bridge, built over the Second Gorge where Cecil Rhodes wanted trains to catch the spray, opened in 1905. Victoria Falls town grew from about 1901 and became a city in 2020. Livingstone, founded in 1905, was the first capital of Northern Rhodesia from 1911 to 1935. Zambia became independent in 1964 and Zimbabwe in 1980. The Livingstone Museum, established in 1934, holds many of the explorer's letters and journals.
Victoria Falls Airport (VFA), about 18 kilometres south of town, has international flights to cities including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and domestic flights to Harare and Bulawayo. On the Zambian side, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) lies about 5 kilometres from central Livingstone and about 15 kilometres by road from the falls. Victoria Falls is also linked by road and rail to Hwange and Bulawayo.
The town centre is walkable, and taxis cover longer trips. The Victoria Falls Bridge, with border posts at each end, is the main crossing between the two towns; allow time for formalities. Many lodges arrange transfers, and a car is useful for safaris and day trips, though guided tours are common.
Zimbabwe's official currency is the ZiG, but the country runs a multi-currency system and US dollars are widely used. Zambia uses the kwacha. The area lies in a malaria zone, so seek medical advice before travelling.
The region has a rainy season from about late November to early April and a dry season for the rest of the year. Because the Zambezi carries rain from far upstream, the falls' flow peaks later, in a flood season from about February to May, usually highest in April. Then the spray can rise hundreds of metres and be seen from far away, but it hides much of the falls' face, and the rainforest paths are drenched.
As the dry season goes on, the flow drops sharply, with the lowest water around November. From about September to January, parts of the rock face on the Zambian side may run dry, revealing the gorge, and the Devil's Pool is usually open from about September to December. Many visitors prefer the months between, roughly June to August, for strong flow and clearer views; days are mild then and nights can be cool. October and November are usually the hottest months.
Both sides are worth seeing. Zimbabwe faces most of the falls' width, including the Devil's Cataract and Main Falls, along a rainforest path. Zambia gives close views of the Eastern Cataract, the Boiling Pot path and, in low water, Livingstone Island and the Devil's Pool. Many visitors see both.
For the most water, visit from about February to May, with the peak usually in April, though spray can hide the view. June to August combines strong flow, clearer views and mild days. From about September to January the flow is low and parts of the Zambian side can dry up.
Victoria Falls town is compact and within easy reach of the falls on foot or by short taxi ride. Livingstone is a larger city with a museum and colonial buildings, and many lodges and rentals along the river upstream. Either works, since the bridge links the two.
Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) is about 18 kilometres south of the Zimbabwean town. On the Zambian side, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone is about 15 kilometres by road from the falls. Both have regional international flights.
Yes. The Victoria Falls Bridge, opened in 1905, links the two towns and has Zimbabwean and Zambian border posts at each end. Crossing means leaving one country and entering the other, so check visa requirements for both before you go and carry your passport.
It is a natural rock pool on the lip of the falls, at the western tip of Livingstone Island on the Zambian side. When the river is low, usually from about September to December, a rock barrier slows the current enough for guided swims. It is reached only with an organised island visit.
Two or three days allow time to see the falls from both sides, take a river cruise and try an activity such as rafting or a scenic flight. With four or five days you can add a safari in Zambezi or Chobe National Park and visit Livingstone's museum.
In Zimbabwe, the official currency is the ZiG, but the country runs a multi-currency system and US dollars are widely used, especially in tourism. Zambia, across the river in Livingstone, uses the kwacha. Carry small notes and check current payment options before travelling.
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