Victoria Falls is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and can be visited from both countries. But which side is the best?
Note: This article was written prior to the reintroduction of the Kaza visa. In practice the differences are not great, but it is a bit cheaper with the new visa option if you visit both countries.
There are a few factors to consider, such as when you travel, where you want to stay and if you want to see both sides or just one of them.
The main difference between the countries is that the Zambezi, the river creating Victoria Falls, flows from Zambia into Zimbabwe. Therefore the top of the Falls can be viewed from the Zambian side, while the front of the waterfall can be viewed from the Zimbabwean side.
Season
When it is dry there is less water, meaning that there is less to see from the Zambian side. The waterfall becomes narrower, making the part of the falls visible from the Zambian side even smaller. On the Zimbabwean side less water leads to less fog and mist and it is easier to see the actual waterfall and take pictures. We have not visited Victoria Falls during the dry season, but according to others it is best to visit the Zimbabwean side this time of the year.
In the rainy season the increased water levels makes the falls more interesting from the Zambian side.
You can walk all the way down to the river bank just a few meters from the edge of the waterfall or walk around towards the border and see the front of the waterfall. In Zimbabwe it is possible to see the waterfall at its widest (an impressive sight), but the increased water levels also create more fog and mist, making it harder to see anything at all. The photos we took in Zimbabwe had to be heavily dehazed to bring back the details of the waterfall, but there are places in the national park with good view points even during the rainy season. And of course visibility also depends on the weather and wind conditions; we received feedback from others experiencing nothing but rain in Zimbabwe during the rainy season.
In short: In the dry season it is best to see the falls from Zimbabwe. In the rainy season we think Zambia offers the best view, but this is very much debatable.
Accommodation and immigration
According to some, Zambia is a bit more modern and civilized than Zimbabwe, others says the other way around. We like to think that this means both sides are roughly the same. We only spent the nights in Zimbabwe, but did not have any problems with the standard there and see no issues booking your accommodation in this country.
Both countries require a visa for most Europeans and North Americans, but Zimbabwe offers visa on arrival. It is 30 USD for single entry for most nations, but Canada is double the price and a bit more! In Zambia visas must be applied for in advance, but the process is fairly simple and can be applied for online. A single entry visa costs 50 USD and is valid for 90 days.
Double visit
It is of course possible to visit both countries, and when you have made it all the way to Victoria Falls, why skip the last few meters to the other side of the border? Unfortunately the park entrance fees and visa fees quickly add up when visiting both sides, but in our opinion it is still worth it.
If you have Zambia as your place of origin you need a single entry visa to Zimbabwe (30 USD), entrance to the Zimbabwean National Park (30 USD) and your Zambian visa must be multiple entry for you to get back into Zambia. This costs 30 USD more than a single entry visa.
If Zimbabwe is your place of origin you need a day trip visa to Zambia (20 USD), Zambian National Park entry (20 USD) and either a multiple entry visa to get back into Zimbabwe (15 USD more than single entry) or a new single entry visa (30 USD). There is no problem getting a new single entry visa to Zimbabwe every time you cross the border and according to others it is easier to get two single entry visas rather than a multiple entry one. We got two single entry ones even though it is 15 USD more expensive than a multiple entry one, but it saved us a lot of potential hassle.
Total price to see Victoria Falls from both sides: (including initial visa fee):
From Zambia: 160 USD (120 USD with Kaza visa)
From Zimbabwe: 115-130 USD (100 USD with Kaza visa)
Total price to see Victoria Falls from only one side: (including initial visa fee):
From Zambia: 70 USD (20 USD excl. visa)
From Zimbabwe: 60 USD (30 USD excl. visa)
The free option
A free way of seeing more of Victoria Falls is to walk to the Victoria Falls Bridge situated in no man’s land between the two nations. You can enter this area without emigrating from your current country. You just get a white piece of paper that you have to show when crossing the border back into the country again. Zambia requires you to leave your passport with the border control until you get back from no man’s land.
The view from the bridge is not the best, but still worth seeing, especially given the fact that it is totally free. It is also possible to do bungee jumping from the bridge, or maybe rather just watch other people do it.
If you enter the bridge from Zimbabwe leaving your passport is not required when crossing the border (at least not when we were there). In theory this means that you can walk onto the bridge, cross over to Zambia (with the passport you didn’t leave in Zimbabwe) and get back to Zimbabwe without reapplying for a new visa. If this is legal we do not know, and do not encourage people to do so, but it’s always worth asking at the Zimbabwean emigration if that is OK. Maybe you will save 30 USD.
Devil’s pool
Finally there is another very good reason to visit the Zambian side of the falls: Devil’s Pool. This is a part of the river on the very edge of the waterfall where the water is calm and it is (fairly) safe to go for a swim and look down at the 107 meter drop to the bottom of the falls. Devil’s Pool is only open when the water levels are low enough, usually between August and mid-January. We arrived on the 19th of January and they had closed the pool just two days earlier… those that have tried swimming there says it’s one of the best things they have done and a must-do for anyone wanting the full Victoria Falls experience. For some time after Devil’s pool has closed it is possible to visit Angel’s Pool located nearby, though this is supposedly not as spectacular. The price to visit Devil’s Pool is around 90-175 USD and usually includes lunch/dinner if the time of the day is right.
Helicopter
A third perspective of Victoria Falls is to see it from the air. It is possible to rent a helicopter and fly above the falls; the price is around 150 USD for a 13 minute flight. On sunny days this can be a great opportunity to get good pictures and see an amazing view, but on rainy days the visibility can be very limited. Check the possibility of bad weather cancellation before you order as some companies offer this.
In short
The biggest wow-factor is found on the Zimbabwean side of the falls, but in the rainy season it is easier to get a good view and take nice photos from the Zambian side. If you have the chance, visit both sides!
Good to know:
Visa to Zambia costs 50 USD (single entry) and can be applied for here
Visa to Zimbabwe costs 30 USD (single entry) and is obtained on the border
Entrance to Victoria Falls costs 20 USD in Zambia and 30 USD in Zimbabwe (VISA cards accepted)
Zimbabwean dollars have been reintroduced in Zimbabwe (yes, seriously), make sure that you go to an ATM that provides United States dollars and do not get too many Zimbabwean dollars in change as they can be hard to get rid of (and will probably be devalued by the second if history has taught us anything). US dollars are accepted everywhere.
Kaza visa which is a common visa for Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be reintroduced. This will make the visa process much easier, but this time the Kaza will only include visas to Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The best photos in the rainy season are usually possible to get at the Danger point (on both sides of the border) as there is less mist there and larger sections of the falls are visible.
In Zambia good photos can be taken 100 meters to the right of the entrance, where it is possible to see the fault from the side, parallel to the waterfall.
Boiling pot, a round part of the river right after the waterfall can be reached from Zambia and takes you through a nice small rainforest on the way. A band of baboons are present here as well. This place is a must see if you visit the Zambian side of the Falls.
