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Zimbabwe

Things to do in Victoria Falls

Why you should go

Ninety seconds on Victoria Falls

A small Zimbabwean town sits on the Zambezi where the river drops into a basalt gorge, and it exists almost entirely to serve that spectacle. It is the base for the falls themselves, for rafting below the gorge, and for game drives in Zambezi National Park. Flights land at the airport a short drive out, and the Zambian side is reached on foot across the bridge. Spray peaks between March and May, when the viewpoints stay soaked; low water from September opens the gorge floor and Devil's Pool.

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Things to do

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  1. Devil's Pool

    Other · 3 hr

    Water pools in a rock hollow at the very edge of the eastern cataract, with a natural ledge holding swimmers back from the drop. Access runs from Livingstone Island by boat with a guide, and only when the river is low enough, roughly August to January. Crossing into Zambia is part of the trip, so passports matter.

  2. Rainforest Walk

    Other · 2 hr

    Spray falling back onto the gorge rim waters a strip of evergreen forest that survives on that mist alone. A path through it links the viewpoints, from Devil's Cataract to Danger Point, and takes a couple of hours at a slow pace. In flood season the walk is a drenching, so a raincoat and a dry bag for cameras earn their place.

  3. Victoria Falls Bridge

    Bridge · 1 hr

    Steel spans the second gorge between Zimbabwe and Zambia, carrying road, rail and a walkway on a single arch opened in 1905. Bungee jumpers, swing operators and zip lines work from the deck, and guided tours go underneath on the maintenance catwalk. A border post sits at each end, so a walk across needs the right paperwork.

  4. Zambezi National Park

    Park · 5 hr

    Riverfront and teak woodland run upstream from the falls, close enough for a game drive to fill a morning without a transfer. Elephant, buffalo, sable and lion move between the river and the inland pans, and the Zambezi drive follows the bank for several kilometres. Late dry season concentrates animals at the water, which is when sightings come easily.

Basemap Meridian · data © OpenStreetMap

Dispatches

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Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe Side: Which Month, Which Bank, Which View
Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe Side: Which Month, Which Bank, Which View

The water crossing Victoria Falls swings by a factor of ten across the year, from around 3,000 cubic metres a second at the peak to roughly 300 in the leanest month.

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