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This post was created with the purpose of giving all the information on how to visit Victoria Falls, or Victoria Falls. Actually, when I was reading the information about visiting Victoria Falls I was getting worried. I had read that I would not see Victoria Falls-I was afraid that I would only see the magnificent canyon from which the water of the falls descends.

Well, this post was created for the purpose of tidying up. I start with a simple and concise sentence. I visited Victoria Falls in late November-they are spectacular! Therefore, all the information that says that in November it is not possible to see Victoria Falls is false and tendentious. Okay, it is true: it is not possible to see Victoria Falls at the peak of its activity, but it is still an unforgettable sight!

Now it is time to describe how to visit Victoria Falls, and how best to admire these waterfalls, 108 meters high and about 1,700 meters long!

How to visit Victoria Falls: Zimbabwe Park

The Zimbabwean part of Victoria Falls offers, in my opinion, the best views. This statement of mine is confirmed by the entrance fee: the cost of the ticket in the Zimbabwean part is $50, while in the Zambian part it is $20.

Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Park offers as many as 16 viewpoints. The first is dedicated to Livinsgtone, the English explorer who discovered Victoria Falls in 1855, according to European biography (the falls were, of course, already well known to locals).

The first six viewpoints are devoted to the Devil’s Cataracts. From the seventh to the twelfth viewpoints it is possible to appreciate the Main Falls. From the thirteenth to the sixteenth viewpoint it is possible to appreciate the eastern part of Victoria Falls. My favorite Victoria Falls viewpoints are numbers 1,8, 9, 11 and 12. Viewpoints 1 through 12 are little dependent on the season: in the dry season (including late November, when I visited Victoria Falls) I was able to admire an incredible spectacle. In the last four viewpoints, however, the water was actually more scarce. Did this influence my viewpoint? Absolutely not, as evidenced by this VIDEO! Visiting the Zimbabwean part of Victoria Falls requires at least a couple of hours.

Here is a video depicting the beauty of the place!

How to Visit Victoria Falls: Zambia Park

The Zambian part of Victoria Falls, offers a different visit. It is not possible to appreciate the power of the Main Falls (Zimbabwe viewpoint 6-12) but it is possible to admire the canyon in all its beauty. In late November, indeed, the water was a bit low. All in all, however, the canyon viewpoints on the Zambian side are magnificent!

Zambia’s Victoria Falls Park offers three walks. The first is about 45 minutes long and allows visitors to admire Victoria Falls. The second is about 30 minutes long and allows a closer look at the famous Victoria Falls bridge. Finally, the third is more challenging (45 minutes) in that it allows you to get to the Boiling Pot, which is the base of Victoria Falls and the bridge that joins Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is where the famous Victoria Falls rafting routes begin.

The Zambian part of Victoria Falls also needs about two hours to visit. If time is short, I definitely recommend visiting the viewpoints over the falls-they are so worth it, as demonstrated by this VIDEO!

How to visit Victoria Falls: Devil’s Pool

Before explaining in more detail when to visit Victoria Falls, I continue by recounting how I experienced Victoria Falls in late November. The Victoria Falls dry period allows you to visit the incredible Devil’s Pool, on the Zambia side of the falls (VIDEO).

This tour lasts three hours and includes a lunch, breakfast or snack (depending on the time of booking). The cost of this experience ranges from $125 to $200, and it is unforgettable!

The GreenSafaris company takes care of everything.. One must be at the landing stage that leads to Livingston Island. A ten-minute boat ride takes you to the island. Here you walk relatively close to the edge of Victoria Falls until you reach the infamous Devil’s Pool. Here you jump into a natural pool (with nibbling fish and an occasionally annoying current) that literally overlooks Victoria Falls…from a whopping 110 feet above!

The guys at GreenSafaris are super prepared, and there is a little rock protecting-the adrenaline rush was still a lot! The Devil’s Pool season generally runs from September to January. In the other months there are two other natural pools: Angel’s Pool and Rock’s Pool.

Flying over Victoria Falls

The noteworthy experiences in Victoria Falls are not over yet! Seeing Victoria Falls from the top of Devil’s Pool was a magical moment. I well decided, therefore, to visit Victoria Falls: I decided, therefore, to visit Victoria Falls with an ultralight flight!

The ultralight flight takes about 15 minutes. I chose to do the flight on the Zambian side, with the Livingstone’s Adventures company.. It was a sublime experience! There is the possibility of having the same experience in Zimbabwe, and by helicopter.I was delighted with my flight (cost about 150 euros) by ultralight in Zambia! Here is a video of the experience!

Other experiences worth mentioning include rafting and bungee jumping. These can be booked from either Zimbabwe or Zambia. The rafting, as far as I have been told, is beautiful and pretty badass: it lasts more than half a day and the rapids reach the fifth level of difficulty…out of five!

How to visit Victoria Falls: the bridge

Victoria Falls is a symbol of both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Victoria Falls bridge represents the union of these two states, which share the honor of hosting one of the world’s best-known natural wonders.

This bridge was built in 1905, the brainchild of Rhodes (after whom Rhodesia, as an area that included the southern part of Zambia and the northern part of Zimbabwe was called). Rhodes had the idea of connecting Cape Town to Cairo with a long rail line: the project foundered due to the outbreak of World War I. However, the idea gave us this magnificent railway bridge connecting Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to Livingstone, Zambia.

There is the option of viewing the bridge from Zimbabwe’s and Zambia’s Victoria Falls Parks, walking across it, or participating in a guided tour that tells the story of the bridge (it is quite an adrenaline-pumping tour, as you walk attached to carabiners). The Victoria Falls Bridge is also home to one of the world’s most famous bungee jumps: the drop is about 110 meters.

Map of Victoria Falls

Before describing when to visit Victoria Falls here is a map that describes the falls area well. Zambia and Zimbabwe are separated by a bridge, built in the early 20th century (it was supposed to connect Cape Town to Cairo). The Zimbabwean park is a 15-minute walk from Victoria Falls, while the Zambian park is a 10-minute cab ride from Livingstone, the closest Zambian center to Victoria Falls.

The center of Victoria Falls is, therefore, in my opinion much more convenient for visiting the falls.

When to visit Victoria Falls

There are several seasons to visit Victoria Falls.

September through December. The waterfalls are drier. Little water is seen in the Zambian part (especially in October and November). In compensation, it is possible to view the falls from Devil’s Pool.

January through May. The falls are at maximum flow. It rains often and the view of the falls is often obstructed. When, however, it does not rain, it is possible to appreciate the full force of the falls. At this time it is easy to understand the original name of Victoria Falls: Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders.

June through August. The rainy season is over, but the falls are still full of water. The view from Zambia is sublime, but Devil’s Pool is inaccessible.

I visited Victoria Falls in November, and would like to see it again in August.Among the tips on how to visit Victoria Falls I would put, without a doubt, the fact that these falls deserve at least two visits!

Visiting itinerary to Victoria Falls

This is my itinerary for visiting Victoria Falls at its best.

Day 1: Visit to Zimbabwe Park in the morning. Afternoon visit to Victoria Falls Bridge, with optional historical tour.

Day 2: Morning flight by helicopter or ultralight (I suggest the Zambian option), excursion to Devil’s Pool and visit to Zambia Park.

There are two kilometers of No Man’s Land between the Zimbabwean and Zambian borders. I recommend bringing dollars in cash to pay for the cab that takes you from one border to the other.

Finally, Victoria Falls can serve as a base for a visit to the Chobe, a beautiful park where you can see the big animals in Botswana! Here is a day tour starting in Victoria Falls.

I must say that Botswana is not just Chobe: It deserves a visit of a few days!

IN ADDITION TO HOW TO VISIT VICTORY FALLS YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN …

Ethiopian Dancalia!

The beautiful Djibouti!

A trip to Ethiopia!

What to see in Namibia!

INFORMATION ON HOW TO VISIT VICTORY FALLS

• To best visit Victoria Falls, I recommend devoting two days and three nights. I recommend sleeping in Victoria Falls. In fact, the Zimbabwean park is only a fifteen-minute walk from the main hotels and restaurants.

• I slept very well at Explorers Village in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Here, through the Shearwater agency, various excursions can be booked. There is also a play every night at 8 p.m. that tells about local traditions.

• There are a couple of good restaurants near Explorers Village, such as Three Monkeys and the same restaurant inside Explorers Village. My favorite, which falls into the excellent restaurant category (and with modest prices, about 12 euros a plate), is called Zulu Bistro Bar, just a 10-minute walk from Explorers Village. Here you can try traditional local dishes-I tried a couple of delicious meat dishes!

• Also in the vicinity of Explorers Village are an excellent brewery (River Brew) and, for nightlife lovers, a club (Cotton Club).

• Costs in Victoria Falls are high, even for a European. Entry to the Zimbabwean park costs $50, a rafting trip costs about $150, a night in a double room costs about $100…in short, it’s not a cheap destination.

• In both Zimbabwe and Zambia, U.S. dollars are accepted. Personally, I have always used credit cards, except when taking cabs to go from Zimbabwe to Zambia and vice versa. A visa is needed to enter Zimbabwe: the cost of a single entry is US$30; double entry, on the other hand, costs US$45.

• Here, then, is the final question. Zimbabwe and Zambia: which is the best place to see Victoria Falls? For me it is a 9.5-9.5 tie, on a scale of 10. From Zimbabwe you admire the falls at their best, from Zambia you experience them, especially from Devil’s Pool! I give 10 to Iguazu Falls, which I still consider one of the most beautiful natural monuments in the world! (Blog post!)