How To Plan A Trip To Victoria Falls Like a Travel Professional.

So you have decided that you want to go ahead with your bucket-list tour to Victoria Falls, and when you start your research, you soon find out that as Victoria Falls is the adventure capital of Africa, it has so many choices of hotels, lodges and activity experiences, so suddenly the task looks quite daunting. With so different options on accommodation and experiences on offer, you are worried that you may make the wrong choices and leave this beautiful destination feeling like you never got the best out of it. Let’s get rid of some of the uncertainty and show you how to plan your dream trip to Victoria Falls.

Every visitor to Victoria Falls has different preferences, different unique expectations for their tour, maybe you’re an adrenalin junkie looking to Bungee Jump off the 110 meter Victoria Falls Bridge or White Water Raft, maybe you are family looking to immerse yourself in the history, culture and cuisine of the destination, and the planning of these scenarios would differ substantially.

At Where To Africa we have designed tours for a wide spectrum of guests, with different expectations, budgets and across all seasons, and we have seen just about everything which puts us in a great position to help you.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, known by the locals as “Mosi oa-Tunya” (“the smoke that thunders”) lies almost half-way along the Mighty Zambezi Rivers’ 2700 km journey from its source in north-western Zambia to its entry into the Indian Ocean on the coast of Mozambique. Spanning nearly 2 Kilometres the Zambezi River plunges approximately 108 meters into the depths of the Batoka Gorge, creating the biggest curtain of falling water in the world.

The Zambezi River at this point forms the border line between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and Victoria Falls Town on the Zimbabwe Side, and Livingstone on the Zambian side form the tourism hubs that surrounds the Victoria Falls. The viewing of the Falls is obviously the prime motivation for visitors, however the destination offers a much wider range of experiences, from bungee jumping and white water rafting for the adrenaline junkie, to sunset and dinner cruises or game drives and game walks for the more sedate guests.

Which Side Of Victoria Falls To Stay On.

The age old question that is asked by everyone planning to visit Victoria Falls is “Should I go to Zambia or Zimbabwe?”. The Zambezi River defines the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and so both countries share the spectacular Victoria Falls, but your choice on which country to stay in can influence your budget and your experience and so here are some notes of the considerations for each side to help you decide.

Traditionally Zimbabwe is reputed to have the best overall viewing;

• Approximately 75% of the face of the Falls can be viewed from the paths in the Rainforest on the Zimbabwe side.
• Zimbabwe has a Rainforest in the truest sense of the word and has “rain” caused by the mist of the cascading water, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
• The Zimbabwe side has water flowing all year.
• The Town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe virtually surrounds the Falls making access to all supporting facilities easy and convenient.
• The experiences on offer are generally more numerous on the Zimbabwe side and are generally cheaper. 

Zambia Views and Facilities are quite different and its also quite unique in its own right.

• Generally Airfares are cheaper into Livingstone than they are into Victoria Falls.
• Zambia only has 25% of the face of the Falls, the Eastern Cataract, but it does have a good network of paths and viewing platforms to provide some unique views and this can be just as rewarding. It is also very easy to take a morning trip across to Zimbabwe to do a viewing of the Falls from that side, and likewise time allowing we also recommend guests staying in Zimbabwe to take a trip across to Zambia for a viewing on that side.
• During the Dry Season, the Zambian side completely dries up and so the viewing becomes that of a shear rock-face and gorge which however is also spectacular.
• They have no real Rainforest as there is no mist on that side during the dry season.
• The town of Livingstone is some 10 Km. back from the Victoria Falls and make logistics to the activities at the falls a bit more time consuming if you are staying in a town hotel.
• Zambia however does have some really amazing hotels and lodges on the river just above the Falls, but they are a closer to  some of the experiences on offer at the Falls. Most of these river based lodges have their own activities such as cruises at the lodge.
• There are some experiences such as the Microlight Flights that are only available on the Zambian Side.

Ultimately both Victoria Falls and Livingstone offer a different but equally rewarding experiences and it becomes a personal choice on which side to stay.

Seasons

Broadly summer in Victoria Falls runs between September to April, and very mild winters between May and August each year. Winters are mild and dry with low temperatures between 7-10°C and high temperatures between 25-27°C

Summer can be very hot with low temperatures of  15-17°C and high temperatures between 34-38°C. Rainy season is during the summer months generally December through to April rains can be sudden and dramatic with heavy thunder showers and storms.

Viewing and Activities can be heavily influenced by the weather:-

• Victoria Falls is spectacular whatever time of the year you view it, however the viewing experience is very different depending on the time of year you are there.
• The rainy season is mid-December through to the end of March and the volume of water passing over the Falls increases steadily over this period peaking in about April each year. During the high water flows, the “mist” caused by the cascading water can be very thick and make viewing difficult and wet, there is usually enough wind to blow the mist away for periods to see the spectacular water flow. The water levels decline from May through to mid-December, again providing different viewing experiences. Usually the Falls completely dries up on the Zambian side from about late October to December, but this also provides spectacular viewing of the gorge, and there is always water flowing on the Zimbabwe side.
• Game Viewing is best during the so called dry winter months where the bush is sparse and the wildlife gathers near water sources and particularly the Zambezi River.
• White Water Rafting is usually best during August to December as the low water makes for spectacular rapids. The rafting closes usually between April and July due to the high water.
• On of the most spectacular experiences, Livingstone Island and Devils Pool also closes between January and August, again as the water is too high.
• During the rainy season certain game drives may be affected by the heavy rains and the parks being inaccessible, as well as the animals being widely dispersed due to ample water and grazing.

Victoria Falls however is a year-round destination and planning the right activities in the right seasons will give an equally great experience.

Length of Stay

Victoria Falls is usually a bucket-list trip, and the last thing you want is to be leaving with the feeling that you haven’t experienced everything the destination has to offer. Most flights arrive in Victoria Falls around midday and depart early afternoon, so this can limit your time in-destination

We recommend that you stay a minimum of 3 Nights – 4 Days to get the full benefit.

Airport Transfers

This may seem like an insignificant part of the tour, but is is important. Generally there are 2 types of airport transfers, Standard Coach Transfers and Private Transfers. Coach Transfers are shared transfers with other guests and even guests from other hotels, whereas Private Transfers are for you and your family or group.

Picture the following, you have arrived after a long haul flight, have been through customs and immigration, and are led to the bus, and all you want to do it get to your hotel and freshen up. Now you wait for passenger 44 who has lost his luggage, and then when all the passengers are through you then do the “Milk Run” dropping off all the other passengers at their hotels before you eventually get to yours.

Now, imagine walking out the Airport, being escorted to your private transfer where you are given a bottle of ice-cold water and within 20 Minutes you are in your hotel.

A Private Transfer costs $4 – $6 extra, why would you not want to spend this for all the benefit you get.

Where To Stay.

Wether you are staying in Livingstone or Victoria Falls you will have noticed that in formal accommodation establishments, there are prices ranging from US$700 per person per night, down to US$80 per person, so what gives and what are the factors that influence these prices.

The type of accommodation and the package inclusions are a large factor in the pricing. In both Victoria Falls and Livingstone you have very upmarket lodges, generally out of town offering fully inclusive packages and these tend to be the higher priced. For instance a lodge like Victoria River Lodge is in the US$700 p/p bracket, but this will include: Luxury accommodation, all meals, drinks, airport transfers, a game activity and river cruise per day, and a guided tour of Victoria Falls.

Compare this with small boutique lodge in Victoria Falls in the mid-market range of US$115 per person per night which is on a bed and breakfast basis.

Out of Town Lodge vs In Town Lodge? This choice is largely dependent on what you get out of the trip. If you are primarily looking for a Safari Experience and at the same time getting a chance to view the Mighty Victoria Falls, then perhaps and out of town lodge is right for you. However if your primary goal is to experience all the amazing activities in Victoria Falls or Livingstone, then an in-town lodge or hotel would be recommended.

Where to Stay in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (Our Recommendations)

Up-Market Accommodation

• Victoria Falls Hotel – in town
• Ilala Lodge – in town
• Victoria Falls Safari Lodge – in town
• Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel – out of town
• Elephant Camp – out of town
• Old Drift Lodge – out of town
• Victoria Falls River Lodge – out of town

Mid-Market Accommodation

• Batonka Lodge – in town
• Bayete Lodge – in town
• Explorers Village – in town
• Nguni Lodge – in town
• Masuwe Lodge-out of town

Where to Stay in Livingstone, Zambia (Our Recommendations)

Up-Market Accommodation

• David Livingstone Safari Lodge – out of town, but on the river close to the Falls.
• Royal Livingstone  – out of town, but on the river close to the Falls.
• The River Club – out of town
• Tongabezi Lodge – out of town
• Toka Leya Wilderness Camp – out of town
• Thorntree River Lodge – out of town

Mid-Market Accommodation

• Victoria Falls Waterfront – out of town, but on the river close to the Falls.
• Avani Resort – out of town, but on the river close to the Falls.
• Protea Hotel – in town
• The Courtyard Hotel – in town

David Livingstone Safari Lodge Exterior

Activities and Experiences

The Victoria Falls / Livingstone area is aptly known as the adventure capital of Africa, and there are far too many activities to cover here, but you can see read: The Best Activities in Victoria Falls or The Best Activities in Livingstone

Activity choices and program largely depends on if you looking for an adrenalin filled trip, or if it is more of a family safari with the more sedate activities. We think that the choice of adrenalin activities such as the Bungee Jump, White Water Rafting, Gorge Swing speak for themselves, what we will cover here is a couple / family program to get the most out of a 3 Night / 4 Day Tour.

Day 1 – Once you have arrived, cleared immigration and had a transfer to your hotel, it will in most cases be after lunch, so after a long flight what better than to spend a relaxing evening on the Zambezi River

• Zambezi Dinner Cruise – Enjoy the best of both worlds, a spectacular Zambezi sunset cruise followed by a four-course meal, freshly prepared on-board. (Alternate to this either side of the river is the Evening Sunset Cruise)

Day 2 – Full Day of Activities

• Guided Tour of  Victoria Falls – After all is this not one of the main reasons you are here, to experience of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of The World. A must see when visiting Victoria Falls. We recommend early to mid-morning to get the best light of the rising sun on the face of the Falls (Evening tours are also great)
• Lunch at the Lookout Cafe – Quite simply great food on the edge of the gorge with the most spectacular views.
• Historic Bridge Tour – a journey through 100 years of Victorian engineering to the heart of Cecil John Rhodes’ vision of a Cape to Cairo railway. The Victoria Falls Bridge was built in 1905 using revolutionary engineering methods for its day. The Victoria Falls Bridge Tour includes a light hearted but informative talk on the history of the bridge,
• The Boma Dinner and Drum Show – The Boma restaurant is an unforgettable African experience infused with Zimbabwean cuisine and culture.

Day 3

• Chobe Day Trip – A Chobe Day Trip is a unique opportunity to experience some of the best game viewing in Africa. If you are visiting Victoria Falls and do not have the time for a few nights in the Chobe, a Chobe Day Trip is certainly an experience that you should not miss out on. It really is worth visiting the Chobe for a day.
  • A short road transfer from Victoria Falls to Kasane, where you will be taken on a Chobe River Cruise
  • A barbeque Lunch on the unique floating restaurant in the middle of the river
  • A Game drive in the Chobe National Park, home to the biggest elephant population in Africa.
  • Transfer back to Victoria Falls in time to freshen up for dinner
• Dinner at Dusty Road – Dusty Road is a traditional Zimbabwean restaurant, the food is cooked the Zimbabwean way, on open fires and in cast iron pots and ovens, giving you an authentic, wholesome and tasty food experience.

Day 4

• Flight of the Angels Helicopter Flight – This spectacular flight was so named after David Livingstone’s comment about Victoria Falls, “a sight so lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. Your last view of Victoria Falls will probably be the most spectacular, a memory created that will last you forever.
• 20 Minute transfer to the Airport for your outgoing flight.

Of course these activity programs are totally flexible and can be mixed and matched with any other activities you wish to do and your travel designer will be able to tailor-make this for you.

Victoria Falls Activity Special

Use a Local Destination Management Company to arrange your tour.

As with any popular international tourist destination, there are agents from all over the world marketing and selling it, some very good with a good knowledge who have visited and done inspections and research, and some who may have never been there and are selling from pictures and or websites.

Local Destination Management Companies have intimate knowledge of the destination, as they are “Made in Africa”, local and on the ground and are the best people to advise you and build your tour.

We all know, that unfortunately sometimes things can go wrong when you are on a Tour or Safari and having someone in-destination to call on for help and assistance is invaluable. When a transfer doesn’t arrive for your activity, isn’t it easier to call the local representative who can fix it in minutes, as opposed to trying to call your agent in the USA where it is 02h00 am. Emergency situations are also far better handled by someone on the ground. So even if your trip is arranged through an international agent, ensure they have a local DMC representing them that you have all their details and you can contact them when needed.

Contact us to help plan your Victoria Falls Tour – Help Me Plan