Safari to Victoria Falls

the epicentral location for safari in the whole region

The Victoria Falls is one of the most alluring locations in Africa and a major hub for safari trips throughout the region.

Victoria Falls is one the world’s greatest natural wonders, a 1700 metre wide wall over which the great languid Zambezi River suddenly plunges into a 100 metre deep chasm. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the Smoke that Thunders, the plume of mist that rises from the falls can be seen for miles around and is a major landmark. It is the largest waterfall in the world as measured by the surface area of the sheet of falling water.

The Victoria Falls area is also a major transport hub at the heart of Southern Africa, with international airports and significant towns on both the northern Zambian side and the southern Zimbabwean sides, plus major roads heading out in all directions.

Despite this, much of the vicinity is contained within conservation areas, with the broad river and its downstream gorge being flanked by riverine forest and bush, well populated by elephants, hippos, crocodiles and other creatures. It’s not quite a top quality safari area, but it certainly is a very pleasant place to visit.

A visit to the falls is surprisingly interesting and impressive. In addition there are a host of other activities on offer, some of which are really very good, notably the white-water rafting.

Zambezi National Park

At 560 square kilometres, Zambezi National Park is a substantial wildlife reserve which starts on the fringes of Victoria Falls Town and runs west along the south side of the Zambezi River. Further reserves continue all the way to the border post with Botswana, providing a very substantial wildlife reserve.

Along with the smaller Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambian side of the river, these reserves help to make the Victoria Falls area feel relatively wild and undeveloped, with elephants, crocodiles and hippos still very much at home on the broad river above the famous waterfall.

Largely due to its proximity to the town, the reserve is not generally considered to be a prime safari destination, so most people tend to combine a stay in this area with a trip to a more remote safari area.

However those people who are lucky enough to stay in one of the lodges set within the park are able to enjoy a beautiful and peaceful bush environment, as well as having immediate access to some very pleasant canoe safari, motorboat safari and walking safari.

Victoria Falls is a very popular location and is, from a transport perspective, the central hub for safari in the southern part of the continent. The area therefore tends to feature in a lot of trips.

The usual stay duration at Victoria Falls is 2-4 nights, usually at the front end of a trip, since this is such an easy place to slide gently into Africa.

Seasonality

The best time to visit Victoria Falls is generally considered to be during the May-Oct dry season, when safari in the reserves of Zambia and Zimbabwe is strongest.

During the early part of this season, the flow rate over the falls should be high, possibly with the spray obscuring the views.

Towards the end of this season, the flow rate over the falls can reduce to not much more than a trickle, which can significantly reduce the majesty of the experiences.

Generally, we tend to recommend that you focus your trip on the best time for safari, rather than worry too much about the falls.

Getting there

The international airport at Victoria Falls is the main hub for safari in the region, with regular direct connections to Johannesburg, Kruger and other key locations. There may also be some long haul connections.

Most of the safari areas in this region are connected to the falls by light aircraft. The main exceptions are Hwange (which can also also be easily reached by road) and Botswana (which is usually accessed by road to the airport at Kasane, with onward flights from there to the camps).

Where to stay

The Victoria Falls area contains a very wide range of accommodation options.

The highest quality lodges are generally to be found alongside the Zambezi River upstream, where there is a much more laid back safari atmosphere.

The larger and more commercial hotels are generally located in the more busy areas closer to the Victoria Falls.

The best value options are to be found in the town itself, starting with the famous old Victoria Falls Hotel and including a number of pleasant little guesthouses.

There are also options above the dramatic ravine downstream from the falls and in more rural areas further south.

best visited during the May-Oct dry season