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A rainbow standing in the spray of Victoria Falls
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Victoria FallsTravel Guide

Zambia5 stories

Mosi-oa-Tunya — 'the smoke that thunders' — crashes along the Zambezi on Zambia's southern border, with the safari town of Livingstone serving as its lively, surprisingly delicious base.

Is Victoria Falls right for you?

When to come

May to August, when the falls are full and the weather mild

Around 33°C by day in October, 25°C in July — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We publish a multi-day route for this one.

Victoria Falls is inWarm in JanuaryWhere the food is the reason
When to go
January: around 30 degrees by day, 18 at night, 168 millimetres of rain, very wet.
February: around 29 degrees by day, 18 at night, 126 millimetres of rain, wet.
March: around 30 degrees by day, 17 at night, 70 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 29 degrees by day, 14 at night, 24 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
May: around 27 degrees by day, 10 at night, 3 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
June: around 25 degrees by day, 6 at night, 1 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
July: around 25 degrees by day, 6 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
August: around 28 degrees by day, 8 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
September: around 32 degrees by day, 13 at night, 2 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
October: around 33 degrees by day, 17 at night, 27 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
November: around 32 degrees by day, 18 at night, 64 millimetres of rain, some rain.
December: around 30 degrees by day, 18 at night, 174 millimetres of rain, very wet.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

May to August, when the falls are full and the weather mild

Average daily highs, recorded at Victoria Falls town (Zimbabwe bank), 1961-1990 normals.

Where this comes from

World Meteorological Organization (en.wikipedia "Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe" weather box) — No weather box exists for the Zambian side (Livingstone district); used the Victoria Falls town station directly across the gorge, same microclimate.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with

Nothing else we cover is within a comfortable hop — this one is a trip of its own.

Plan itWhere to stay in Victoria Fallsad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Victoria Falls

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Victoria Falls

A rack of grilled ribs on a wooden board with sliced tomatoes, pickles, and a bowl of barbecue sauce
01
Food

What to Eat at Victoria Falls: A Zambezi Food Guide

Nshima and river bream, peanut-buttered greens, and high tea above the gorge — eating well on the Zambian side of the world's greatest waterfall.

Zambia · 2 min
The steel arch of the Victoria Falls Bridge spanning the gorge above the churning brown Zambezi, spray drifting off the cliff faces.
02
Itineraries

Let the Zambezi Set the Running Order: Four Days on the Zambian Bank of Victoria Falls

The Zambian bank is worth four days, but the river's water level decides what order they go in, which days swap, and what is simply closed when you arrive.

Zambia · 10 min
A rainbow arcing through the spray at the lip of Victoria Falls as the Zambezi pours over the basalt edge.
03
Destinations

When to See Victoria Falls: An Honest Month-by-Month Guide

The world's most famous curtain of water is two different spectacles depending on the month. Here is what the Zambezi actually does across the year — and how to pick your moment.

Zambia · 2 min
Coils of sausage, bacon and cuts of meat grilling over charcoal on an outdoor braai in Africa
04
Food

Market Tastes on the Zambezi: Eating Like a Local Around Victoria Falls

Away from the lodge buffets, the towns beside the falls eat vividly and seasonally — river fish, maize-meal comfort food and rainy-season delicacies. Here is what to try, and when.

Zambia · 2 min
The sun low over Victoria Falls, curtains of water dropping into the narrow basalt gorge with spray rising from the chasm.
05
Hidden Gems

The Quiet Seasons of Victoria Falls: When Insiders Choose to Go

The dry-season consensus has Victoria Falls backwards: from the Zambian side, the months most travellers are told to avoid are the ones that open the gorge, the island and the wildest water on the Zambezi.

Zambia · 12 min
In pictures

Victoria Falls, framed

A small group of people standing on the rocky lip of Victoria Falls beside palm trees, with the river pouring over the basalt shelf below them.
Victoria Falls Zambezi waterfall, Victoria Falls
Photo: Ed Wingate / Unsplash
A full rainbow arching over the gorge and the bridge at Victoria Falls
Photo: Lesly Derksen / Unsplash
Women in beadwork near Victoria Falls
Photo: Giusi Borrasi / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Victoria Falls

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for Zambia

Money

Zambian kwacha (ZMW)

Language

English is the official language, alongside Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga and others

Power

Type C/D/G, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

There is no public network aimed at visitors — around Livingstone and Victoria Falls it is lodge transfers, taxis with the fare agreed in advance, and shared minibuses.

Tipping

About 10% in restaurants and lodges where no service charge is added; safari guides and trackers are tipped separately at the end of a stay.

Tap water

Tap water is not recommended for drinking; use bottled or filtered water.

Driving

Left-hand side; a national licence covers visits of up to 90 days, after which an International Driving Permit or a Zambian licence is required.

Emergency

999 (police), 993 (fire), 992 (ambulance); 112 works from a mobile

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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