Tourism and Environment

‘A tourist’s guide’: Top 10 things to do in Victoria Falls

Published

4 years ago

June 8, 2022

MUNICH – If you are ending up on the Zimbabwean side of the Victoria Falls after a mobile camping safari like we did, or happen to be there for some other reason, the area has great potential for exceptionally fun things to do.

It’s definitely worth spending more time there than just a one-day-trip to see the waterfalls.

Here is our personal shortlist of the 10 Top things to do in Victoria Falls – all tried and tested by ourselves in 2022!

1 Visit Victoria Falls National Park

First it needs to be mentioned that 75 percent of the Falls are viewable from Zimbabwe and 25% form Zambia. Some people say that seeing the Falls from both sides is a must.

Since we stayed in Victoria Falls throughout, it made sense to visit the falls from there. This way we also saved the additional costs for the ,,day-tripper-visa” for Zambia (see here for the current visa requirements and costs: https://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/zambia-visa.html ) and the additional entrance fees for the national park on the Zambian side (see here for the entrance fees of both national parks: https://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/victoria-falls-entrance.html ).

To admire Victoria Falls in their full size, you first have to enter Victoria Falls National Park and then take a short stroll towards them.

There is a variety of walkways to choose from, each leading to different view points.

Depending on the season and thus the amount of water thundering over the cliffs, your own dry or wet condition also varies along the paths.

Ours looked roughly like this: from still dry to light spray to heavy rains and in the end completely soaked.

Which was a lot of fun, but you should make sure that your mobile phone, camera and important documents are either waterproof or packed away in a watertight container.

Our guide put all our stuff in a rubbish bag for the purpose, which worked perfectly well.

2 Take a helicopter ride to see the waterfalls from above

Not the cheapest activity for sure, but absolutely worth it.

From this perspective, you can see how the Falls and the adjoining gorge blend into the landscape, and it is only then that you really become aware of their whole magnitude.

Some personal advice: most operators offer scenic flights of varying lengths and prices.

You can normally choose between 15 and 30 minutes of flight time, which corresponds to a price difference from 150 to almost 300 US dollars.

The longer flights include a larger part of the Zambezi and the National Park.

However, all the interesting stuff can also be seen on the short flight, including the best photo opportunities.

Additionally: despite having been on helicopter flights before with no trouble at all, me and all the other passengers were a bit travel sick after this one.

This was because the pilot did multiple tight turns, making sure all the guests got a good view of the falls from their seats and people were constantly looking down, usually through their camera lenses.

So you might be just happy to get off again after 15 minutes.

3 Ride a jetboat through the gorge to the waterfalls

An absolutely thrilling adventure and most certainly the only way of getting close to the point where the waterfalls,hit the ground.

Modern jetboats were originally invented in New Zealand where tourists can go on a ride on multiple rivers nowadays.

Therefore, we have been pleasantly surprised to find out that one tour operator in Victoria Falls does offer a wild ride on a 465 horsepower, specially-made Adventure Jetboat (https://www.shearwatervictoriafalls.com/experience/jetboat-experience/)

This trip is taking you up and down the rapids in the Batoka gorge at a very high speed and right into the Boiling Pot of the Falls where you can feel the immense power of the water masses crashing down from above – a proper shower in their spray included.

Depending on season and water levels, you will be able to do more or less rapids along the way.

As we’ve been there in March with the water levels almost at their highest, we were able to only go over two rapids.

But those two and the captain were wild enough to make this the craziest jetboat ride we have ever been on.

A few things you should be aware of:

The boat might not operate due to very high or very low water levels in April/May and October/November
You must be fit enough to walk in and out of the gorge. The walk is steep, leading down and up over more than 150 iron steps and some rocky parts and there is no other way to get in or out
Be prepared for some violent bumps when going over the rapids. People with back problems should not hide them from the crew for their own safety, so that the right place in the boat can be chosen for them

4 Go on a chilled-out sunset river cruise on the Zambezi

When it comes to relax and unwind, a sunset river cruise on the Zambezi is definitely what you should aim for.

The most stress about this might be deciding which of the many companies and which package to choose. In case you are having a personal guide with you, like we did with Pierre from African Safari Experts, they will surely pick out the best options for you.

If you are travelling independently, we found this article very helpful to get a first overview: https://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/victoria-falls-sunset-cruise.html

5 Have a sundowner at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

Just outside the city centre of Victoria Falls you can find another splendid spot to immerse yourself in a legendary African sunset with a neat drink in your hand: the Buffalo Bar at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (https://victoria-falls-safari-lodge.com/things-to-do/bar-dining/)

What makes this place so very special is the fact that it is situated on a plateau, overlooking the Zambezi National Park and a waterhole nearby frequented by elephants, giraffes and other wild animals.

The Buffalo Bar itself offers casual al fresco dining or drinks. Make sure to bring binoculars and a proper camera!

For a closer encounter with the wildlife, you can also ask the staff to book a professionally guided sit in Siduli Hide, located at the edge of the waterhole.

6 Enjoy a late breakfast and a stunning view at The Lookout Café

Our favourite place for a late breakfast or lunch is by far the Lookout Café. Very conveniently located in the middle of Victoria Falls, you definitely get a meal with a view here.

From the open restaurant, you have a gigantic view into and over the gorge and Victoria Falls Bridge.

Additionally you are not only able to watch the adrenalin junkies rafting through the rapids below or soaring through the air on a wire, but you can book those activities directly on site.

The interior is also worth a look, as the décor has been chosen very carefully and tastefully. The Café offers different dining options as well.

https://www.thelookoutcafe.com/

7 Indulge in a great buffet and traditional show at the Jungle Junction – Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls Hotel built by the British in 1904, was originally conceived as accommodation for workers on the Cape-to-Cairo railway.

Today it is a famous luxury hotel where you can still feel the distinguished and elegant era to which it was born.

Accordingly, it is expensive to spend the night there.

But if you just want a taste of luxury and history without spending a lot of money, the hotel offers several options.

For example, you can have the famous high tea or a drink on Stanley’s terrace and enjoy another unobstructed buena vista of Victoria Falls Bridge.

The other option is to book yourself a table at the Jungle Junction Dinner where a lavish buffet infused with African flavours is presented as local tribes perform traditional dance and music (https://www.victoriafallshotel.com/jungle-junction).

8 Get up close to crocodiles and snakes at the Crocodile Park Victoria Falls

The Crocodile Park is a nice place to go to with kids, but also interesting for adults to visit.

You get to see crocodiles in all sizes, can feed them and hold a baby croc if you’re lucky.

Really intrepid people can also go at eye level with crocodiles in a diving cage.

Additionally there are lots of snakes from all over the world on display and the park attendants teach you a lot about the animals on their guided tours.(https://www.facebook.com/Crocpark/)

9 Let yourself be guided on a game drive in Zambezi National Park

In general, we would recommend to have an individual tour put together for you by a safari planner for the whole area, including a half-day or full-day excursion into the Zambezi National Park.

In our case, African Safari Expert owner Pierre arranged a personal game drive for us in the Zambezi National Park on which we saw elephants, zebras, kudus, impala and various birds.

The sandy river banks invite you to take a rest with a view of the Zambezi, so don’t forget to pack your picnic.

With a guide at our side, we admittedly felt a bit more relaxed there and could enjoy the excursion to its fullest.

If you are travelling on your own or would like to book a tour spontaneously, there are several options for this on site. (https://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/zambezi-national-park-zimbabwe.html)

10 Do some serious souvenir shopping

Victoria Falls offers lots of different ways to burn money.

One way to make yourself as well as friends and relatives who unfortunately had to stay at home happy, is to purchase all kinds of souvenirs there.

It is also a good way to support local traders and craftsmen who have suffered greatly in the two years of the corona pandemic from having no source of revenue from tourism, which is usually their only livelihood.

The woodcarvings come in all sizes, colours and shapes, so you’re spoilt for choice and it’s definitely worth having a look around.

You can also find stone figures, objects made of beads, art paintings, photo prints plus cards and bookmarks from self-made paper (for which elephant dung is used among other things), supporting the local communities that manufacture them with your purchase.

However, be aware of the street hawkers and don’t let them pester you too much.

Unfortunately some of them often persistently pursue you and try to sell you things. – The Munich Eye

In the community

Zimbabwe moves to support human-wildlife conflict victims

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Cabinet has officially approved a transformative National Wildlife Policy, marking the first major overhaul of the sector’s regulatory framework in over three decades.

For the communities of Matabeleland North—from the elephant-dense corridors of Hwange to the tourism heartbeat of Victoria Falls—the policy promises a radical shift in how local people coexist with and benefit from the country’s natural heritage.

Presented by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube on Tuesday, the new policy acknowledges that the wildlife sector has been “remarkably transformed” since the current laws were enacted in 1992.

The updated framework seeks to align Zimbabwe with modern international best practices, moving toward a “vibrant wildlife-anchored economy” that directly supports national development.

For residents of Hwange and Victoria Falls, the most critical breakthrough is the policy’s explicit focus on human-wildlife conflict (HWC).

The framework provides for the implementation of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Fund, specifically designed to provide benefits and support to victims of wildlife encounters.

This is paired with new regulations for CAMPFIRE (Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources) and the establishment of dedicated wildlife corridors to reduce dangerous interactions between animals and human settlements.

The policy is built upon 10 strategic pillars, including community-based natural resources management and the equitable sharing of benefits.

Crucially, the government now recognises wildlife as a “public resource,” with the policy aiming to support devolution and enhance “active community participation.”

This ensures that present and future generations in Matabeleland North are not just neighbours to the game reserves, but active stakeholders in its socio-economic success.

However, community members say the success of the policy will depend on how effectively benefits are devolved to grassroots level.

“We have heard policies before, but what matters is whether the money reaches us,” said a Hwange villager, Eslina Ndlovu from Nemanhanga. “Our schools are struggling, some do not even have adequate classrooms or learning materials. If wildlife revenue is coming from our areas, it should help improve our education system.”

Another villager,Joseph Mwembe from Vukuzenzele village under Chief Mvuthu, echoed similar sentiments, calling for investment in health services. “We are living with wildlife every day, but our hospitals are not equipped. We don’t have proper referral hospitals or machines. If this policy is serious about supporting communities, then we must see that money building clinics, equipping hospitals, and improving services here in Matabeleland North,” he said.

Villagers stressed that without tangible improvements in infrastructure and social services, the policy risks falling short of its intended impact.

“If communities do not benefit in real terms, then it defeats the whole purpose of calling wildlife a national resource,” added Ndlovu.

The policy also introduces measures for fisheries conservation and the protection of indigenous plant species, with strict penalties for violations that threaten resource sustainability.

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Tourist hospitalised after elephant attack

Published

1 week ago

April 23, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A 65-year-old Japanese tourist has been seriously injured after being attacked by an elephant near Victoria Falls, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).

In a statement on Thursday, ZimParks spokesperson Luckmore Safuli said Hidetoshi Matsumoto was attacked on Wednesday morning while walking alone along Big Tree Road, a route frequently used by visitors near the Victoria Falls Big Tree.

“A 65-year-old Japanese man by the name Hidetoshi Matsumoto, who was staying at the Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls, was attacked and injured by an elephant while walking along the Big Tree Road,” Safuli said.

He said the incident occurred at around 8 am.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are that on 22 April 2026 at around 0800 hours, Hidetoshi Matsumoto was alone walking along the Big Tree Road when an elephant emerged from nowhere and attacked him. Hidetoshi sustained severe injuries all over his body and was immediately rushed to Health Bridge Private Hospital for medical treatment,” he added.

Matsumoto was taken to Health Bridge Private Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.

ZimParks said rangers had been deployed to track down what it described as the “problem elephant”.

“Meanwhile, ZimParks rangers are on the ground searching for the problem elephant,” Safuli said.

He added that further details would be released as investigations continue and efforts to locate the animal progress.

Wildlife authorities have previously warned visitors to exercise caution when walking in areas bordering national parks, where wild animals can roam freely.
SOURCE: CITE

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A guardian’s legacy: PDC honours Greg ‘Gibby’ Gibbard as painted dog successes grow

Published

3 weeks ago

April 9, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

In a poignant tribute that has resonated across the conservation community, Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) recently gathered to honour the memory of Greg ‘Gibby’ Gibbard, a man whose life was inextricably linked to the survival of the African wild dog. Gibbard, who passed away in 2015, is being remembered not just for his years of service, but for a legacy that continues to safeguard one of the continent’s most endangered predators.

The Facebook remembrance, shared by Maria of PDC, highlights a life defined by “unwavering courage” and a refusal to let the story of the painted dog end. While the region continues to grapple with intense poaching pressure—including a recent surge in illegal traps that has seen thousands of snares removed from the bush—the focus of this week’s memorial is on the “hope and resilience” that Gibbard instilled in the mission.

Tracking Footprints in the Sand

For those who knew him, Greg’s work was far from the polished image of modern wildlife tourism. It was characterized by “long days in the bush, tracking fading footprints in dust and sand,” and the relentless, often exhausting effort of “educating communities and inspiring young conservationists.”

Maria noted that Gibbard stood as a “guardian of a species that many had forgotten,” recognizing early on that the survival of the patchwork-coated dogs was “inseparable from our own future.” His dedication spanned “sleepless nights worrying about disease and disappearing habitat,” a commitment that laid the foundation for the sophisticated tracking and research operations used by PDC today.

A Legacy of Resilience: The Umkhonto Pack

The success of modern interventions is widely seen as a continuation of Gibbard’s vision. A primary example is the Umkhonto Pack, which has become a “flagship example of science-driven, field-based conservation”.

Image by PDC

Though the park faces ongoing challenges with illegal snaring in communal areas, the protection of this specific pack has been a resounding victory. According to the latest PDC data:

Eight healthy pups were successfully raised during the last denning season with no mortalities .
The pack has stabilized at 19 individuals , now ranging within the safety of Hwange National Park.
The integration of research and tracking technology—methods Gibbard championed—led to the arrest of eleven poachers in the pack’s territory.

The “Shadows of the Savanna” Live OnAs the conservation community marks a decade since his passing, the presence of these “remarkable predators” remains the ultimate tribute to his life. The current population in the Hwange and Sinamatela regions is robust, with several monitored packs carrying the torch of his efforts.

The Emerald pack, which has reached 22 individuals, and the Batsha pack , with 20 dogs, are thriving examples of the “unbreakable family bonds” Maria spoke of in her tribute . Other groups, including the Kingsbury, Linkwasha, Chowato, Cave, Intundla, Khumbula, and Garikamwe packs, continue to move like “shadows across the savanna at sunrise,” fulfilling Gibbard’s dream of a wilderness that still echoes with their high-pitched calls.

“May we honour Greg’s memory not only with words, but with action,” the tribute concluded.