Victoria Falls Tours: Which Side, What the Gate Costs, Which Tour to Book
91 tours, typically 60 to 120 EUR. The gate fee is extra, the Zambian bank thins from September, and one helicopter listing holds 65% of the reviews.
There are 91 Victoria Falls tours on this site, typically 60 to 120 EUR, and that range describes almost nobody's day. The guided walk on the Zimbabwe side typically costs under 30 EUR, and the park gate is not in it. The dearest listing is a safari package priced above 1,000 EUR. One 12-minute helicopter listing alone holds 3,979 of the 6,159 reviews. This page deals with the place before the tour: how the falls formed, why the two banks are different visits, what the river does month by month, and what you pay at the gate. The five tour formats are compared in a table further down, and each one has its own page. Prices, reviews and durations are read from the listings on 22 October 2026, and every other figure on the page comes from a source named beside it.
Victoria Falls is on the border, so this page covers both banks, and the menu lists it under Zambia as well as Zimbabwe. If you came for the cheap walk, the Zimbabwe-side guided tours page reads its 20 listings one by one. If you are comparing the country's other waterfalls, the Zimbabwe page does that, and says honestly that they have no tours. The five format pages are linked in the table near the end of this one. Distances are straight lines, and prices are per person, private tours included: none of the 31 private listings quotes one price for the whole group.
Choose a destination in Victoria Falls
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Victoria Falls Helicopter & Microlight Flights
Fourteen Victoria Falls helicopter and microlight flights read one by one: roughly 120 to 500 EUR, the 12 minute flight against the 25 minute one, and what…
14 experiences -
Victoria Falls Safari Packages (Chobe & Hwange)
Twenty Victoria Falls safari packages with Chobe or Hwange compared: from under 500 to more than 1,000 EUR, 2 to 6 days, what the price covers and which…
20 experiences -
Both Sides of Victoria Falls
Eighteen Victoria Falls tours of both sides compared: from under 30 to more than 250 EUR, 3 to 10 hours, the real bill with park fees and visas, and the one…
18 experiences -
Victoria Falls Guided Tours (Zimbabwe Side)
Victoria Falls guided tours on the Zimbabwe side: 20 listings, typically under 30 EUR for 2 hours, with the park gate paid separately on the day.
20 experiences -
Victoria Falls Tours from Livingstone (Zambia Side)
Nineteen Victoria Falls tours of the Zambia side compared: roughly 30 to 120 EUR, 1 to 4 hours, why two-hour walks sit a price band apart, and what the…
19 experiences
Waterfalls Travel Experiences in Victoria Falls
13 to 15 Minute Private Helicopter Flight over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia Sides
Left and right orbits over the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides of the falls, a short run along the gorges, then Zambezi National Park with a chance to spot game.
15 Minute Helicopter Flight over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwean Side, Park Fees Included
Park fees, fuel levy and hotel transfers within Victoria Falls town are all included, and a booking holds up to three travelers on the Zimbabwean side.
15 Minute Victoria Falls Helicopter Flight in a Bell Long Ranger or Robinson 44, Zimbabwe
Window seats for every guest in a six-seat Bell Long Ranger or three-seat Robinson 44, with return hotel transfers and a view of the bridge and gorge.
25 Minute Victoria Falls Helicopter Flight over the Falls, Batoka Gorge and Zambezi Park
A three-in-one flight over the falls, the Batoka Gorge and Zambezi National Park wildlife, with shared hotel transfers from within Victoria Falls town.
Batoka Sky Helicopter Flights over Victoria Falls from Livingstone, 15 to 30 Minutes
Choose a 15, 22 or 30 minute flight over the falls and Batoka Gorge from the Zambian side of the river, or fly back from a rafting trip on a Gorge Liftout.
Flight of Angels Helicopter Flight over Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and Victoria Falls
A 15 or 25 minute helicopter flight with transfers from your accommodation, a map briefing at the helipad and a chance to spot wildlife and park flora below.
Flight of Angels Helicopter Ride at Victoria Falls, Window Seats and Park Fees Included
A 15 minute Flight of Angels with a window seat for every passenger, return transfers from your pickup point and the national park fees already paid.
Flight of Angels Helicopter Ride over Victoria Falls, 12 to 13 Minutes, Bubble Windows
Bubble-window helicopter flight from a Zambezi National Park helipad, with hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle and a 7 to 10 minute drive to takeoff.
Half-Day Private Victoria Falls Tour Through Zimbabwe and Zambia with Guide
Hotel pickup and a private guide for about five hours in the rainforests of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Park fees, visas and lunch are extra. Starts from two guests.
Half-Day Victoria Falls Tour from Livingstone with Hotel Pickup and Choice of Departure
Pick a morning or afternoon start for a walking tour of the cascades with hotel pickup, park fees and water included. At least 2 people are needed per booking.
Kazungula Airstrip Helicopter Flight over Victoria Falls, Batoka Gorge and Zambezi Park
Choose a 15 minute scenic or 25 minute game flight from Kazungula, with transfers within Victoria Falls covered and a hostess waiting for you at the helipad.
Livingstone and Victoria Falls 4-Day Budget Camping Tour Across Zambia and Zimbabwe
Three nights in Adventure Village tents, the falls from Zambia and Zimbabwe, a village visit, a game drive and a Zambezi cruise. Breakfast is included.
Livingstone and Victoria Falls Combo, Zambia and Zimbabwe Sides with Museum Visit
Sixteen Zimbabwe viewpoints, a Zambian walk and an hour at the Livingstone Museum, with a shared transfer from lodges on either side. Lunch and park fees extra.
One-Hour Victoria Falls Tour from Livingstone with Boiling Pot and Knife Edge Bridge
A short guided visit with an English-speaking guide to the rainforest, Boiling Pot and Knife Edge Bridge, with a transfer from Livingstone and bottled water.
Private Microlight Flight above Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Gorge, Leaving from Zambia
A private 15 minute microlight flight that departs from the Zambian side, with an air-conditioned vehicle included and a fee for guests staying in Zimbabwe.
Private Two-Hour Victoria Falls Tour of Zambian Viewpoints, Guides in Four Languages
A private guide for up to 10 travelers on the Zambian side, with the Knife-Edge Bridge, bottled water and guiding in German, English, French or Spanish.
Private Victoria Falls Guided Tour with Personal Guide, Snacks and Five Guide Languages
One personal guide for your party and nobody else joining, with snacks, bottled water and guiding in German, English, Italian, French or Spanish available.
Private Victoria Falls Tour of the Zambia and Zimbabwe Sides with Border Assistance
A four-hour private tour of both sides of the falls at your own pace, with private transport and help at the border. Government fees are paid at the entrance.
Private Victoria Falls Tour, Zimbabwe Rainforest Paths and Zambia Knife-Edge Bridge
Private tour with guiding in five languages, covering the Zimbabwe rainforest paths and Zambia's Knife-Edge Bridge. Air-conditioned vehicle and water included.
Six-Hour Victoria Falls Guided Tour Across Zimbabwe and Zambia with Hotel Transfers
Hotel transfers and a guide for six hours across Zimbabwe and Zambia, with the Big Tree baobab and the 1905 Victoria Falls Bridge. Passports and visas needed.
Slow-Paced Private Victoria Falls Day Across Zimbabwe, the Bridge and Zambia
A private guide, no fixed schedule and a hotel lobby pickup. Walk Zimbabwe's rainforest trails, cross the bridge on foot if you like, then see Zambia's falls.
Three-Hour Victoria Falls Guided Tour, Bridge and Zambian Side Viewpoints
A short guided visit with local guides who help with photos: the falls, the bridge and the Zambian side. Guide fees and an air-conditioned vehicle included.
Victoria Falls 13 Minute Helicopter Flight of Angels with Four Orbits and Hotel Transfers
Four circuits, two on each side of the falls, give every seat a view. Hotel pickup, the pilot/guide and VAT are covered, while park and aviation tax are extra.
Victoria Falls 13 Minute Helicopter Tour with Bottled Water, Hotel Pickup and Park Helipad
Hotel pickup, a 7 to 10 minute drive to a helipad inside Zambezi National Park and bottled water included for a 13 minute flight over the falls and gorge.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders
Two names are in use. Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders", is Lozi, and the Tonga name is Shungu Namutitima, "boiling water". David Livingstone saw the falls from the island that now carries his name on 16 November 1855 and named them for the queen. The Zambezi drops in one sheet 1,708 m wide, according to UNESCO and Zimparks. UNESCO gives the drop by section: 61 m at the Devil's Cataract, 83 m at the Main Falls, 99 m at Rainbow Falls and 98 m at the Eastern Cataract, with 108 m at the deepest point. The World Waterfall Database lists 105 m and 1,707 m. UNESCO puts the spray plume at about 500 m at its highest and says it can be seen from 50 km on the Bulawayo road and 30 km on the Lusaka road.
It is not the tallest waterfall in the world, since Angel Falls is far taller, and not the widest, which is Khone Falls on the Mekong. UNESCO calls it the largest curtain of falling water in the world without saying by what measure. The Zambia Tourism portal spells it out as width and height combined. Zimparks calls it the world's largest waterfall and gives no measure, so we do not repeat that. Whatever the measure, the water level matters a great deal here: the sheet can be a wall or a thin curtain.
Where the river reaches the edge
The Zambezi spreads across a wide basalt bed, dotted with islands, before it drops. Four streams are counted along the edge from west to east: the Devil's Cataract, the Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, the highest, and the Eastern Cataract. Two islands sit on the crest, Boaruka and Livingstone Island.
From a path you never see this top half. Devil's Pool is a natural pool at the western tip of Livingstone Island, on the Zambian side, and a rock barrier holds back the current only when the river is low. That is why it has a season.
How a river cut a zigzag canyon
The falls sit on a plateau of Jurassic basalt, in layers. The rock cracked along fracture lines, and the river found them. The first gorge is 80 m deep at its western end and 108 m at the centre, with one outlet about 110 m wide. UNESCO counts a zigzag series of eight gorges over about 150 km below the falls, and says seven earlier waterfalls occupied the seven gorges below the present one. The second gorge starts 250 m below the falls and runs 2.15 km. The third holds the Victoria Falls power station.
For a visitor the result is a geometry: the Zimbabwe bank looks across the first gorge at the wall of water, while the Zambian bank stands closer to the top.
The second gorge and its bridge
The Victoria Falls Bridge crosses the second gorge. In the photo it is at the top left, with a fall on the right and a rainbow in the spray. It opened in September 1905 with the railway, and it is 198 m long and 128 m above the river at low water, according to Wikipedia.
You can walk across it, and it is the crossing for the day trips that do both banks.
From first sighting to a new gate tariff
Dates from Wikipedia, except the last, which is the ZimParks tariff of February 2026.
The origins
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1855
Livingstone sees the falls
On 16 November he views them from the island that now bears his name, and names them for Queen Victoria.
The growth
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1905
The railway and the bridge
The railway arrives and the bridge opens in September, joining the two banks of the gorge.
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1989
UNESCO World Heritage listing
The site is inscribed under criteria vii and viii.
Today
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2019
The lowest flow in a century
Unusually low rain reduces the falls to their thinnest flow in a hundred years.
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2026
Zimbabwe raises its gate fees
In February, as VAT takes effect, ZimParks changes the main-gate tariff.
Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.
Two banks, two gates
Two national parks share the falls: Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe, about 23 km² according to Zimparks, and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia. UNESCO counts 3,779 ha of the Zambian park and 2,340 ha of the Zimbabwean one inside the World Heritage property. Each has its own gate, fee and paths, and choosing between them is a trade.
| Question | Zimbabwe side | Zambia side |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | The wall across the first gorge: Devil's Cataract, Main Falls and Rainbow Falls | The top of the falls and the Eastern Cataract, with the Knife-Edge Bridge |
| Gate fee | Set by ZimParks; raised in February 2026 | Sources disagree; confirm at the gate |
| Low water, October to December | Not measured in the sources we read | Parts of the face dry up from about October (Zambia Tourism) |
| Devil's Pool | Not on this bank | Livingstone Island trips, usually about August to January |
| Where tours start | Victoria Falls town | Livingstone, 9 km from Victoria Falls town in a straight line |
| Visa for both | KAZA UniVisa, valid 30 days | Same UniVisa |
Our read is to see both if you have the day, with one caveat. The Zimbabwe bank faces the wall of falls.
With a half day, take the Zimbabwe side.
How much water: the months
The Zambezi River Authority's gauge at Nana's Farm read 296 m³/s on 26 October 2026, a dry-season reading. The authority gives the long-term mean annual flow at Victoria Falls as 1,100 m³/s, and the highest flow on record as 10,000 m³/s, in March 1958. The 1,088 m³/s sometimes quoted as the mean is the World Waterfall Database's average for its eight high-flow months. Check the authority's bulletin for the current reading. The falls never stop. They change character.
From February to July walkers get wet enough that listings tell you to bring a raincoat. At the peak of the flood the spray can hide the foot and the face of the falls. Wikipedia puts the flood from February to May with a peak in April, and the Zambia Tourism portal says the full width cannot be seen on foot in March and April. Wikipedia adds that from September to January up to half of the rocky face may become dry, so the season changes the visit more than it ends it.
What goes on top of the tour price
Almost no listing includes the park: on the cheapest page, 15 of 20 say outright that the entrance is extra, and none says it is included.
| Item | Amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe gate, main entrance | Set by ZimParks | ZimParks tariff as reported in February 2026, with VAT |
| Zimbabwe VIP gate; moonlight viewing | Separate tariffs | The same tariff |
| Zambian gate | Sources disagree | Confirm the figure at the gate |
| KAZA UniVisa | Valid 30 days | Zambia Tourism: Zambia, Zimbabwe, day trips to Botswana; not Angola or Namibia |
| Helicopter taxes | Extra on one page | Wild Horizons lists its 12 to 13 minute flight with taxes excluded |
The listings are behind the tariff: some still quote the price from before the February rise, so check the current figure with ZimParks.
Most tours leave from Victoria Falls town, and 97% of the 91 include pickup. Livingstone, the base for the Zambian bank, is 9 km from the town in a straight line. Kasane, in Botswana, is 73 km to the west and is where the Chobe day trips begin.
Which Victoria Falls tour to book
| Format | Tours | Price band | Typical length | What you are buying |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided tours, Zimbabwe side | 20 | Under 30 EUR | 2 hours | A guided walk of the rainforest path; gate extra |
| Both sides | 18 | 60 to 120 EUR | 5 hours | Both banks and the bridge in a day; gates and visas extra |
| From Livingstone, Zambia side | 19 | 60 to 120 EUR | 2 hours | The Zambian bank, collected in Livingstone |
| Helicopter and microlight | 14 | 120 to 250 EUR | Under 1 hour | 12 to 30 minutes in the air; taxes can be extra |
| Safari packages | 20 | More than 1,000 EUR | 4 days | The falls plus Chobe or Hwange, with beds and meals |
The pages: Zimbabwe-side guided tours, both sides, from Livingstone, helicopter and microlight and safari packages.
Four of the five formats typically cost under 250 EUR, and the fifth is above 1,000 EUR because it is a trip with beds, not a tour. One listing, the 12 to 13 minute flight, holds 3,979 of the 6,159 reviews, 65%. Without it the rating rests on fewer than 2,200 reviews spread over 90 tours.
Devil's Pool, the one thing with a calendar
Everything else on the Zambian bank can be visited year-round. Devil's Pool cannot. No official body publishes opening dates for Devil's Pool. The Zambia Tourism portal says it is only open at certain times of the year and is usually accessible in the low-water season, from about August to January. Wikipedia says a rock barrier forms an eddy when the river is at a certain level, usually between September and December. Operators decide on the day. Devil's Pool is sold on a single tour in this catalog, a full day in the 250 to 500 EUR band on the both-sides page. The Livingstone tours here are walks and views, not Livingstone Island trips.
Questions about Victoria Falls tours
Is it better to see Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe or Zambia?
Zimbabwe gives you the view across the gorge. Zambia gives you the top of the falls and Devil's Pool. With one half day, pick Zimbabwe. With a full day and the KAZA UniVisa, do both by crossing the bridge.
Is Victoria Falls dry in October?
No, but it is thin. Wikipedia says that from September to January up to half of the rocky face may become dry, and the Zambia Tourism portal says parts dry up from October, with little rivulets in November and December. The Zambezi River Authority read 296 m³/s at Nana's Farm on 26 October 2026.
When is Devil's Pool open?
No official body publishes dates. The Zambia Tourism portal says usually about August to January, in the low-water season, and Wikipedia says usually September to December. Operators decide on the day.
Looking at the rest of Zimbabwe?
The Zimbabwe page compares Victoria Falls with Mutarazi, Pungwe and the other falls, and says which have tours.
Data verified on . Tours, prices and reviews read from 91 listings on 22 Oct 2026. River flows from the Zambezi River Authority; facts on the falls from Wikipedia; fees as reported in Feb 2026.