Victoria Falls Travel Guide

Many of the best restaurants near Livingstone are situated in the town’s upscale hotels. The Old Drift Restaurant at The Royal Livingstone dishes up inspired à la carte dining, but the views from the riverfront tables at Kubu make it worth booking a table in advance. For dining with a difference The Elephant Café combines gourmet bush cuisine with unforgettable elephant encounters. The Royal Livingstone Express offers a memorable train trip out onto the bridge spanning the Batoka Gorge, before a five-course dinner is served in the elegantly restored train carriages.

The Victoria Falls is often dubbed Africa’s adventure capital, and you’ll certainly want to pack active wear that can get wet. For viewing the Victoria Falls a raincoat or umbrella – for the falling spray, not the rain – is a good idea. If you have an expensive camera, consider taking along a waterproof cover.

For river-rafting and kayak trips a good pair of aqua-shoes is advisable, as well as a rash-vest to keep you protected from the sun during long periods in the water. A wide-brimmed hat and plenty of high-factor sunscreen are also essential.

Even at the smartest hotels there’s little in the way of dress code, but pack a smart-casual outfit for dinner. 

The climate at the Victoria Falls is warm year-round, but particularly in summer (October-March) when dramatic thunderstorms help to clear the high humidity. Winter (May-September) brings cooler temperatures and clear skies. 

But don’t plan your visit around the weather; plan it around the water. The Victoria Falls are most spectacular in late summer, when the Zambezi River is in full flood and the Falls is transformed into the world’s largest sheet of falling water. 

Victoria Falls, like most of Zambia, is a malaria area. Though the risk is lower during the dry winter months (May-October), anti-malarial prophylactics are recommended year-round. Consult your travel doctor at least three weeks before departure.

The Victoria Falls links Zimbabwe and Zambia across the Zambezi River, but by far the best views are from Zambia’s northern shores. See how it all fits together with our useful maps…

Livingstone’s Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (IATA code: LVI) is the gateway to the region, situated just a short drive from the Victoria Falls. Direct scheduled flights link to long-haul international services at Johannesburg (1h45m flying time) and Nairobi (3h15m). 

Private charter flights offer fast and convenient connections to/from Maun (for the Okavango Delta), Kasane (for Chobe National Park), as well as airstrips in Zambia’s national parks.