Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, offers an all-encompassing experience for any traveller. The combination of Africa’s finest wildlife, birdlife, culture and history, as well as the amazing activities in Victoria Falls, make this a must-see destination. And, of course, as one of the seven natural Wonders of the World, the actual Victoria Falls are a sight to behold. The natural rainforest on the Zimbabwean side of the falls is a unique habitat to over 400 plant species, numerous bird species and small antelope and primates.

This charming town is located on the banks of the Zambezi River, one of the most fascinating rivers in Africa. The Zambezi traverses a wide variety of landscapes along its lengthy journey and is a true gem of the African continent. As the fourth largest river in Africa, its total catchment covers about 1 390 000km² and is approximately 2700km long. On its way to the Indian Ocean, the Zambezi flows through six countries in total: Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. It spends the most amount of time in Zambia, and the least in Botswana. The river forms the border of Zambia and Namibia, Zambia and Botswana, and Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The famous Victoria Falls Bridge spans the Zambezi River and connects Zambia and Zimbabwe. The impressive Hwange National Park, another wildlife paradise, is only 180km from Victoria Falls. The border with Botswana lies just 88km away and is accessible as a day trip; the Kazungula border post in Botswana is near the only spot on earth where four countries meet at one point (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and the Caprivi Strip of Namibia).

The adventure activities in and around Victoria Falls make for incredibly memorable travel experiences; choose from nature-based activities, cultural trips or the exhilarating options of bungee jumping and white-water rafting. The Victoria Falls National Park is filled with all the magnificent African wildlife, including elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. A sunset cruise along the Zambezi River is exceedingly popular and is a perfect way to cap off any day spent in Victoria Falls.

No matter the time of year, Victoria Falls is a wonderful destination to visit as each season offers a different experience to visitors.

Zimbabwe has a temperate climate and very pleasant weather. The hot summer months are between September to April, where temperatures go up to 40’C. It is also the rainy season, and you can expect to witness dramatic African thunderstorms in the afternoon that built up during the day, followed by a short but intense storm. The sunsets that follow are always colourful – be sure to hop aboard an evening cruise to witness them!

The Victoria Falls are at their peak flow during April and July and are a truly majestic sight to behold. Be sure to hire a raincoat from outside when you visit Falls as you will get wet with the spray!

Victoria Falls during the rainy season

Victoria Falls during the dry season

The Zimbabwean winter is from May to early August – temperatures are mild, around 17’C during the day, and a bit cooler at night.  There’s still a lot of water in the Victoria Falls and as the landscape is a bit drier, it is a good time to see wildlife and combine your trip with a safari.

From late August to December, the water level in the Falls starts to drop which leads exciting rafting during this time of year, as the low water levels mean more rapids are opened. In September the bird life gets even more interesting because of migrants around the Zambezi Valley, and well worth a birding cruise on the Ra-Ikane.