Victoria Falls town positions you within easy reach of some of the best wildlife and wilderness in Southern Africa. The falls themselves are extraordinary, but if you spend more than two nights here, the surrounding region has enough variety to fill an entire week without repetition.
Zambezi National Park — Game Drives from Town
Zambezi National Park shares its southern boundary with Victoria Falls town. The park runs 40 kilometres along the river upstream from the falls and covers 56,000 hectares of mopane woodland and riverine forest. Entry costs approximately USD 15 per person as of 2026.
The main draw is elephant — Zambezi NP holds a resident population of several hundred, and sightings are frequent year-round, particularly near the river. Lion, leopard, and a small buffalo population are present but less reliably spotted than at Hwange, 100 kilometres southeast. Sable and roan antelope are the signature herbivores.
Most operators in town offer half-day game drives into the park, departing at dawn or late afternoon, for approximately USD 60–90 per person including park fees and a vehicle. Full-day drives with a packed lunch are available from around USD 120 per person. The dawn drive is the stronger option for predator activity; afternoon drives catch better light.
If you’re hiring a self-drive vehicle, the park road runs north from the Victoria Falls town entrance fee gate, though a 4WD is advisable on sandy tracks.
Chobe National Park, Botswana — Full-Day Cross-Border Trip
Chobe is one of the best one-day wildlife experiences in Southern Africa, and the proximity to Victoria Falls makes the logistics straightforward. The border crossing at Kazungula runs between Zimbabwe and Botswana — operators handle the paperwork, and the crossing typically takes thirty minutes in each direction.
A standard Chobe day trip packages a morning game drive with an afternoon Chobe River boat cruise, which consistently produces exceptional sightings: elephant herds swimming between islands, buffalo drinking in lines, carmine bee-eaters nesting in the bank, and hippos surfacing metres from the boat. Predator sightings are less predictable but the sheer concentration of large herbivores along the Chobe River is consistently impressive.
Prices run approximately USD 170–220 per person including transport, border fees, park entry, guide, and lunch (as of 2026). Depart early — most tours leave Victoria Falls at 06:30 to reach the park for the morning drive before temperatures peak.
Livingstone Island and the Devil’s Pool
Livingstone Island sits directly at the lip of the Eastern Cataract on the Zambian side of the falls. During low-water season — roughly August through early December — water levels drop enough to swim in the Devil’s Pool, a natural rock channel right at the edge of the main drop with the falls crashing down metres away. It is one of the most striking swimming experiences on the continent.
Access is via boat from the Royal Livingstone Hotel on the Zambia side. You’ll need to cross into Zambia at the border post on Victoria Falls Bridge (KAZA Univisa covers this). The excursion costs approximately USD 110–130 per person including the crossing, guide, and breakfast or lunch on the island.
Note that Livingstone Island closes during high-water season when water levels make the crossing unsafe — typically January through June. The falls themselves are most dramatic during this period (April–June), so the two experiences don’t overlap.
Sunset Cruises on the Zambezi
The Zambezi River above the falls — upstream of the fast water that becomes the falls — is broad, calm, and stocked with hippo and crocodile. Sunset cruises run approximately two hours, departing around 16:00–16:30, and combine cold drinks and snacks with reliable elephant and hippo sightings along the riverbank.
Multiple operators run boats ranging from small, intimate vessels (12–20 passengers) to larger double-deck boats. Prices run from approximately USD 45–75 per person depending on the vessel and inclusions (as of 2026). Book through town operators on Parkway Drive, or directly through larger hotels.
Gorge Swing and Canoe Trips
The Batoka Gorge below the falls offers two additional day experiences beyond the bungee jump itself. The gorge swing involves a 70-metre free fall from the Victoria Falls Bridge before the swing arc catches — less technically demanding than bungee but similarly intense. Prices run around USD 90–100 per person.
Downstream from the gorge, guided half-day and full-day canoe trips paddle the calmer sections of the Zambezi below the rapids, passing through sections with hippo, crocodile, and varied birdlife. Full-day paddles typically cost USD 90–120 per person including lunch and guide.
Victoria Falls Town and the Rainforest
The rainforest walk on the Zimbabwe side deserves its own half-day rather than being rushed. The 11 viewpoints span the full 1.7-kilometre width of the falls, and the walk takes 60–90 minutes at a comfortable pace. Entry is approximately USD 30 per person as of 2026. Dawn visits before tourist groups arrive give the best light and the most space at each viewpoint. The souvenir market at the entrance gate is worth fifteen minutes if you want baskets, stone carvings, or printed cloth. For accommodation options while in Victoria Falls, search hotels in Victoria Falls on Booking.com.
Book Day Trips on GetYourGuide
The table below covers the most-booked day trips from Victoria Falls on GetYourGuide, all with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Prices are 2026 verified starting rates.
| Day Trip | Duration | From (USD) | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chobe National Park Day Trip — Game Drive & River Cruise | Full day | $170 | Book |
| Hwange National Park Full Day Safari | 8–10 hrs | $180 | Book |
| Hwange National Park Private Wildlife Safari | 12 hrs | $240 | Book |