Recommended itinerary:
Where to go and what to see in Victoria Falls to get the most from your trip – a 4-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Richard Holmes.
Editor note – Richard has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our Victoria Falls destination guide.
Spend a morning marvelling at Mosi-oa-Tunya. The Zimbabwean side offers the best views, from stone pathways that meander through lush rainforest. It’s worth the extra walk to Danger Point, to see the thunderous Eastern Cataract.
Afterwards, learn more about wildlife conservation at the Victoria Falls Elephant Sanctuary, before relaxing at the historic Victoria Falls Hotel for lunch or afternoon tea.
Then take to the skies in a helicopter, for a quick flight to admire the cascades from above.
Enjoy dinner at your riverside lodge or, on the Zimbabwean side, the colourful ‘Boma Dinner & Drum Show’.
Zimbabwe
This 108-metre-high waterfall on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia is one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, it’s impossible not to be awed and humbled by Mosi-Oa-Tunya, the ‘smoke that thunders’.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free
Victoria Falls Town, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
Enjoy a close-up experience meeting Loxodonta africana in their natural environment, at this respected elephant sanctuary.
Best for ages: 74+ | £15 | 2-3 hours
Livingstone, Southern Province, South Africa
Appreciate the true scale of the Falls from above, with helicopter and microlight flights.
Best for ages: 10+ | £150 | 1.5 hours
Victoria Falls Town, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
Vibrant outdoor restaurant steeped in African decor, with local entertainment and terrific barbecue buffet.
Best for ages: 4+ | £25 | 3 hours
Step out for a walking safari in Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, tracking endangered white rhinoceros.
Next, head into Livingstone for souvenir shopping at the Dambwa Market, before lunch at the Zambezi Waterfront.
After lunch, brave a cliffside swim in the Devil’s Pool above the Falls. If water levels are too high (it’s safest August-December) head upstream for a canoe safari on the Zambezi River.
End the day with a trip on the Royal Livingstone Express, enjoying sundowners aboard a vintage steam train.
Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Southern Province, Zambia
Excellent guided bush walks that will get you up close and personal with the endangered white rhinoceros in Zambia’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park.
Best for ages: 14+ | £82 | 2 or 4 hours
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia
Enjoy a taste of local living at the Dambwa market in Livingstone. This is where locals come to shop, and you’ll find everything from fresh produce to wooden carvings. Guided tours are available if you’re unsure about exploring on your own.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia
This small island in the centre of the flow offers a mind-blowing picnic spot – right on the edge of the 103m-high Falls. A lucky (crazy) few can sign up for a dip in the small lagoon sitting right on the lip.
Best for ages: 12+ | £115 | 2 hours
Zimbabwe
Paddle down the mighty Zambezi, spotting birds and big game including hippo, elephant and crocodile.
Best for ages: 12+ | £120 | 5 hours
Make this a day for adventure! The Zambezi River is home to some of the most extreme white-water rapids on the planet, and river rafting should be top of your list. Water levels will determine how many rapids you can tackle.
Alternatively book a jet-boat excursion, for a thrilling ride and a different perspective of the Falls from below.
If time (and courage) allows, bungee jump from the famous railway bridge across the Batoka Gorge. If that’s a step too far, try zip-lining across the gorge instead.
After a day of adrenalin, relax with a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River.
Zimbabwe
Take courage in both hands and raft the world-class white-water rapids of the mighty, crocodile-infested Zambezi River, funneling through the Batoka Gorge at Victoria Falls. And remember to look out for the crocs!
Best for ages: 15+ | £100 | 5-10 hours
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia
Exhilarating jetboat adventure that powers up the rapids of the Zambezi River.
Best for ages: 12+ | £80 | 2-2.5 hours
Zimbabwe
A historic bridge over a famous gorge sets the scene for one of the most impressive and famous bungee jumps on the planet. Seriously white-knuckle aerial adventure.
Best for ages: 18+ | £130 | 2 hours
Victoria Falls Town, Matabeleland North, Central African Republic (CAR)
One of the world’s greatest zip-lines – 425 metres across a scenic Gorge, over the churning Zambezi River, passing the dramatic spectacle of one of the world’s biggest waterfalls.
Best for ages: 10+ | £65 | 1-2 hours
Leave early to make the most of a full day in Botswana’s Chobe National Park; an hour’s drive from Victoria Falls.
Chobe excursions include transport to the Park and safaris in open vehicles, with the chance to spot all of the ‘Big Five’.
A boat trip on the broad Chobe River delivers close-up encounters with elephant, rhino and buffalo.
Return for sundowners at The Royal Livingstone Hotel, followed by dinner in their restaurant, Kubu. The impressive Falls views and riverside setting make it worth the hefty price tag.
Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta, Central African Republic (CAR)
Explore one of Africa’s most spectacular wilderness areas, famed for its huge herds of elephant and elephant-eating lions.
Best for ages: 5+ | £120 | Full day
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia
With the spray rising downstream and the sun dipping below the Zambezi, enjoy the best sundowner G&T in Africa from the Kubu Bar at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. Non-residents are welcome, and the views are worth the price tag.
Best for ages: 18+ | £12 | 2-3 hours
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia
A five-star hotel with an unrivalled Falls location, luxury rooms and modern facilities… at a price.
Official star rating:
