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Luangwa and Zambezi Explorer

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An action-packed itinerary taking in the best of Zambia. Visit South Luangwa National Park and marvel at the abundance of game, canoe the mighty Zambezi at Lower Zambezi National Park before heading to the world’s largest waterfall, Victoria Falls.


Prices: On request

Duration: 9 nights

Availability: Year round

Destinations: South Luangwa National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls


Highlights

i) Canoeing on the Zambezi River

ii) Excellent walking safaris with potentially close approaches on big game

iii) Observe rare and elusive game on night safaris

iv) Excellent guiding throughout

v) Authentic bush experience with all the comforts

vi) Luxury & adventure at Victoria Falls

All about Luangwa and Zambezi Explorer.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer Overview - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Overview:

An exciting itinerary epitomised by superb guiding, exceptional wildlife encounters, authentic bush accommodations and an abundance and diversity of activities for you to enjoy. All rounded off with a luxurious stay close to one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.

Best time to visit?

So what is the best time of year to take this trip to maximise your overall experience? Without knowing you yet this is a difficult question to answer. With so many variables to consider we need to know what is important to you before we advise on the preferable time for you.

There are many variables to consider when attempting to recommend the best time to visit. Specific considerations include the whereabouts of migratory animals, the effect the density of the vegetation and height of the grass has on wildlife viewing, special wildlife moments such as the birth of baby animals, and the effect weather patterns has on wildlife behaviour. Other factors to consider are the variation in prices at different times of the year, visitor traffic, whether you prefer a lush or relatively arid environment and of course the annual climate, namely temperature and rainfall values.

For this reason we present detailed information for each individual destination in the locations section to help you understand what may work best for you. We will of course have an in-depth discussion with you prior to making a booking so you are completely happy with the time of year you decide to travel.


Included activities:

  • Game drives
  • Night drives
  • Walking safari
  • Canoeing
  • Seasonal boating safaris (January – April)

Optional activities:

  • Village tours
  • Tribal textiles visit
The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the tour price.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer Overview 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

  • Domestic flights as described in the daily itinerary
  • Airport transfers as described in the daily itinerary
  • 9 nights accommodation as stated
  • All meals and drinks as stated in the daily itinerary
  • All relevant taxes and surcharges
What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the tour price.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer Overview 3 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

  • International flight to and from Zambia
  • Airport transfers in home country
  • Meals and drinks not stated in the daily itinerary
  • Applicable VISAS
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Health innoculations and medications
  1. Day 1 Your Ultimate Wildlife Adventure Begins

    Board your overnight international flight from your chosen airport to Lusaka, Zambia.

  2. Day 2 Nkwali Camp, South Luangwa National Park (D)

    Arrive in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, where you will be extended a warm African welcome by representatives of our partner company. You will board your internal flight to Mfuwe Airstrip, arriving just 90 minutes later. The trip to camp takes 40 minutes, passing by vibrant villages and some game viewing areas. On arrival in camp you will be introduced to the camp and staff before being served dinner. There may be an opportunity for a night game drive to kick your safari off in style.

  3. Days 3-4 Nkwali Camp, South Luangwa National Park (B, L, D)

    After a restful night the day starts early with your morning activity. As with most safari camps, activities are divided into morning and afternoon sessions with rest and relaxation in the middle of the day.

    South Luangwa is one of the flagship wildlife sanctuaries in Africa. It is renowned for its density of leopard which makes it arguably the best place on earth to see these magnificent cats. The park has a full quota of African game including the elusive wild dogs.

    Nkwali Camp is an excellent camp in which to experience all South Luangwa has to offer due to its variety of game viewing activities. Choose from game drives by night or day, quality walking safaris, or boating in the emerald season.

  4. Day 5 Old Mondoro Camp, Lower Zambezi National Park (B, L, D)

    Today you say goodbye to the Luangwa Valley and head south to Lower Zambezi National Park. You will transfer back to Mfuwe Airstrip and take your light aircraft flight south to Jeki Airstrip in the Lower Zambezi National Park. As always you will be met by your guide and transferred to camp. You will arrive in camp by lunch time. After an orientation around camp and an introduction to your living quarters you will be whisked off onto your afternoon game activity before returning back to camp for dinner. You may then choose to head back out into the bush on a night game drive or decide to relax and listen to the rhythm of the bush in camp.

  5. Days 6-7 Old Mondoro Camp, Lower Zambezi National Park (B, L, D)

    These next two days are all about safari. The Lower Zambezi National Park is recognised for reliable game viewing and is especially good for wild dogs, as well as most of the big predators for that matter. The thing that really sets it apart is its riverside location and sheer abundance of dry land and water-based activities.

    Choose to canoe beside large game such as the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus or elephants crossing the river. Walking safaris promise approaches on large game such as lions, leopard and elephants. Game drives offer the promise of ticking off an abundance and variety of game whilst night drives introduce you to the secrets of the African bush after dark.

  6. Day 8 Thorntree River Lodge, Livingstone (Victoria Falls) (B, L, D)

    Today is the day you effectively finish the safari portion of your trip and head further south to the mighty Victoria Falls. You will fly out of Jeki and land at Livingstone Airport. On arrival you will be collected by your local representative and transferred to the luxurious Thorntree River Lodge.

    Today will be a good opportunity to relax around your private pool and watch the Zambezi almost naively meander towards the ferocity of the Falls downstream. Maybe you will choose to take a sunset river cruise on the Zambezi or take full advantage of the luxurious lodge.

  7. Days 9-10 Thorntree River Lodge, Livingstone (Victoria Falls) (B, L, D)

    These next two days are dedicated to enjoying life close to the world’s largest waterfall. You may choose to relax and simply enjoy your idyllic settings with a gentle trip down to the Falls to enjoy its majesty. You may choose to experience the Falls from a unique vantage point in the sky, either on a microlight or helicopter tour.

    For those of you who have more energy to give there is a raft of action-packed adrenaline activities in the area, namely world-leading white-water rafting, bungee jumping or gorge swings to name but a few.

  8. Day 11 The End Of Your Ultimate Wildlife Adventure (B)

    Sadly, all great things must come to an end as you call time on your trip of a lifetime. You transfer to Livingstone Airport where you will board your international flight to your chosen destination. As you gain altitude you will once again see Mosi-oa-Tunya, serving as a gentle reminder this won’t be your last trip to this most magical of continents.

Our Recommendations

Old Mondoro Camp
Lower Zambezi National Park

Overview: Old Mondoro is recognised as one of the Lower Zambezi National Park’s most intimate and private safari camps. Its location overlooking a network of hippo-inhabited islands and a grove of Acacia trees, from which massive elephant bulls constantly feed, give claim to being one of the most beautiful and remote locations in the park. The camp has been constructed out of canvas and natural materials with an open design. It perhaps appears to be more suited to the more adventurous traveller but in fact appeals to anybody wanting an authentic but comfortable bush experience. The open style of the camp ensures guests never feel too far removed from the action.

Accommodation: 8 double or twin tented suites. Hot and cold water are available without interruption and supply the en-suite bathrooms. Each bathroom is equipped with indoor flush toilet, wash basin, outdoor shower and a huge splash tub overlooking the Zambezi River.

Facilities & Amenities:

Power & communication:

Activities: Vehicle safari, night game drives, bush walks, canoeing on the Zambezi, boat cruises and catch and release fishing.

Children: 12 years and older are welcome in camp. Those aged 18 and younger must be accompanied overnight by an adult. Walks and canoeing are permitted for kids aged 14 and above.

Accessibility: The camp is most easily accessed by air into Jeki Airstrip within the national park. Flight duration from Lusaka is 35 minutes and 90 minutes from Livingstone.


Nkwali Camp
South Luangwa National Park

Overview: Nkwali Camp is located on the banks of the Luangwa on a magnificent meander in the river on the border of the national park. Being situated on its own private land outside the park it has exclusive access to a private game viewing area behind camp, as well as access to the park itself either by boat or pontoon.

Accommodation: Six chalets accommodating a maximum of 14 guests at any one time. The chalets have various bed configurations as follows, one double, four twins and a honeymoon/family suite. All chalets have huge en-suite bathrooms with double sinks and open showers.

Facilities & Amenities: Public areas include the dining area and a swimming pool, which is often shared with elephants as they pass through camp in search of a drink.

Power & communication: The camp runs on mains electricity, allowing you to charge electrical devices and camera batteries with ease. Mobile phone network coverage is unreliable.

Activities: Vehicle safari, night game drives, walking safaris, seasonal boating (late December/ early January to around April). Cultural visits are also extremely worthwhile ways to spend time in the Luangwa Valley. A tour to Kawaza Village or the Mfuwe area are fantastic ways to learn about human life in the area. Also a visit to Tribal Textiles supports the local community by purchasing their locally produced textiles.

Children: Youngsters aged 7 and above are welcome.

Accessibility: Nkwali is usually reached by fly-in safari to Mfuwe Airstrip. Flight times are 90 minutes from the Zambian capital of Lusaka and only 60 minutes from Lilongwe over the border in Malawi. The camp is then located another 40 minutes by road from Mfuwe Airport.


Thorntree River Lodge
Victoria Falls

Overview: Thorntree River Lodge is set in Zambia’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, just a short distance from the famous Victoria Falls. It has been completely rebuilt with an environmentally-conscious design. The design is modern contemporary with tented roof structures to maintain the feel of authentic Africa.

Accommodation: The lodge boasts 12 twin rooms with 2 sets of inter-leading units. Each unit has its own indoor and outdoor bathrooms, as well as a luxurious private plunge pool. The room is loaded with facilities and amenities including air-conditioning, complimentary mini bar, safe, and tea and coffee making facilities.

Facilities & Amenities: The main lodge consists of a lounge with an open dining area, where the fine dining experience of African cuisine will come to life. A gym and spa overlook the mighty Zambezi River, and there is a small library with WiFi for your use. The communal deck is set on the edge of the stunning riverside, and is home to a boma area and infinity pool. A spectacular wooden decking, the scene of moonlit dinners, floats on the edge of the water and helps to achieve a seamless feel between river and lodge.

Power & communication: Full mains electrical power. WiFi throughout the property. Available mobile phone network coverage.

Activities: There are so many activities and things to do here you could spend a month and not get bored. Within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park you can enjoy typical game activities such as walking, boating, game drives, canoeing and rhino tracking on foot. It must be noted this national park is very tame in comparison to the areas we usually recommend. Those guests who are in the area for the adrenaline type activities the Falls and surrounding areas have become famous will be in awe of the variety on offer. Activities include canoeing and kayaking on the Zambezi, helicopter scenic flights, river cruises, horse-back safaris, bungee jumping, gorge swings, and exhilarating white-water rafting, amongst others.

Children: All ages are welcome.

Old Mondoro Camp
Lower Zambezi National Park

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Old Mondoro Camp - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Old Mondoro Camp 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Old Mondoro Camp 3 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Nkwali Camp
South Luangwa National Park

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Nkwali Camp - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Nkwali Camp 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Nkwali Camp 3 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Thorntree River Lodge
Victoria Falls

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Thorntree River Lodge - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Thorntree River Lodge 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

 

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Thorntree River Lodge 3 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, South Luangwa National Park - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Quick Facts

  • Special Status: N/A
  • Location: Eastern Zambia
  • Land mass: 9,050 km²
  • Mammal species: 60+
  • Bird species: 400+
  • Big 5 reserve: No (Rhino are absent)

Activities

  • World class walking safaris
  • Multi-day walking expeditions
  • Game drives
  • Night drives
  • Fly camping
  • Boating safaris (seasonal)

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, South Luangwa National Park 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Highlights

  • World-leading leopard destination
  • African wild dogs
  • Large abundance and variety of game
  • A plethora of varied safari activities

South Luangwa National Park is the flagship park and jewel in the crown of Zambia’s safari circuit. Despite this it is little known outside of the enthusiastic safari community. This relative obscurity protects it from overcrowding for now.

With a total land mass of 9050 km² South Luangwa protects a very respectable area of pristine African wilderness. It is located in the Luangwa Valley in the north-east of Zambia, nestled between the remote North Luangwa National Park and the Lower Zambezi National Park.

The park is reachable overland from Lusaka but the more medium budget, and certainly high-end safaris, fly in and out of the Mfuwe Airport close to the park’s border. Flying is much more efficient and helps to easily combine South Luangwa with other locations in the country and across international borders. Due to its location and domestic flight schedules it is most easily combined with the two aforementioned national parks, as well as further south with Victoria Falls.

South Luangwa National Park is unfortunately only recognised as a Big 4 location. The notable absentee, as is the case in many wildlife reserves across Africa, is the black rhinoceros. Its fate caused by uncontrolled poaching. Despite the best efforts to reintroduce this magnificent animal attempts have unfortunately failed so far.

The park has all the other big game you would expect to see on safari. It is perhaps recognised as the best place in the whole of Africa for observing leopards, only rivalled by the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa. If you are desperate to see leopard then visit South Luangwa for a great opportunity. As well as leopard, it is home to all the other cast of predators including lions and spotted hyena. Cheetah are present but the environment is less suited to their hunting style. Wild dogs reappeared back in 2015 and sightings are being reported as pretty reliable given their well-documented elusiveness.

The predators are supported by a diverse number of prey species including impala, greater kudu, warthog, bushbuck and waterbuck. The park is also home to three special sub-species that are endemic to the Luangwa Valley, these being Cookson’s wildebeest, Thornicroft’s giraffe and Crawshay’s Zebra. Other ungulate highlights include the 18,000-strong hippopotamus population, the densest in the world, that populate this stretch of the Luangwa River.

Birders will be especially keen to witness the 400 plus species of birds, especially the thousands of carmine bee-eaters that migrate to the Luangwa River for 3 months of the year.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, South Luangwa National Park 3 - Ultimate Wildlife AdventuresLuangwa Zambezi Explorer, South Luangwa National Park 4 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures


Best Time To Visit

The climate of South Luangwa National Park can be simplified by dividing it into the dry season and wet season, with two transitional shoulder seasons. Each season, and indeed the months within each season, offers you a different experience. There is no time of year that offers you the best of everything so we provide you with a balanced account throughout the year so you are able to make an informed decision on the best time to visit based on your preferences.

The dry season runs from June to October. It is at this time of year wildlife viewing is at its best. The season, as its name suggests, is characterised by blue skies and no rain. A perfect time to be on safari. As Zambia is in the Southern Hemisphere this time of year is winter. The coolest months are July and August when night temperatures drop enough to necessitate warm clothing for early morning game activities. However, the sun quickly raises the mercury so expect to be basking in 30 degrees Celsius by lunch. Temperatures increase as the season draws on with October being extremely hot and dry and uncomfortable for those who do not enjoy such high temperatures.

Wildlife viewing is at its best in the dry season as the animals migrate towards permanent sources of life-giving water. This predictability and reliability makes game viewing much more reliable and predictable. Huge volumes of wildlife can be seen in one place which makes for great photographic opportunities. The negative aspects of the dry season are the premium price tags the camps carry at this time of year and also the dry and dusty park isn’t as beautiful as in the wet season.

The wet season runs from December to March. Rainfall is a feature of most days in the form of heavy showers and thunderstorms yet it rarely rains all day. Travel can be difficult at this time of year and some roads may become washed out. The presence of water throughout the park and beyond its boundaries allows wildlife to disperse into the hinterland making game viewing generally more of a challenge. However, many species of animals give birth at this time of year so it is the best time to travel for the cuteness factor.

Prices are at their lowest at this time of year but it must be noted most of the remote camps are closed. However, permanent lodges stay open and offer attractive rates. The wet season is definitely the best time if you are looking for an exclusive safari where other tourist vehicles are a rare sighting. Although South Luangwa National Park certainly isn’t a busy park it can suffer occasional crowding around water sources in the dry season.

The transitional shoulder seasons are November and April and May. At these times of year they represent a transition from the dry to wet season and wet to dry season respectively. These months are considered to offer a compromise between the two main seasons.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Lower Zambezi National Park - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Quick Facts

  • Special Status: N/A
  • Location: Eastern Zambia
  • Land mass: 4,092 km²
  • Mammal species: 60+
  • Bird species: 400+
  • Big 5 reserve: No (Rhino are absent)

Activities

  • Game drives
  • Night drives
  • Canoeing
  • Premium walking safaris
  • Boating
  • Fishing
  • Birding

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Lower Zambezi National Park 2 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Highlights

  • Beautiful destination based around the Zambezi River
  • Extremely high standards of guiding
  • High-quality and authentic camps
  • Premium-quality walking safaris
  • Night drives
  • Canoeing safaris
  • Reliable wild dog sightings

The Lower Zambezi National Park is located in Eastern Zambia. It is a relatively small to medium sized park with a land mass of 4092 km². It is ideally located on the banks of the Zambezi River, with South Luangwa National Park to the north and the spectacular Victoria Falls to the south.

It is possible to reach the park by road from Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. However, this isn’t practical for a multi-destination itinerary so a fly-in option is much more popular. The park links well by air with South Luangwa National Park, Lusaka, and Livingstone (Victoria Falls).

The Lower Zambezi is an exciting national park to visit due in no small measure to its exceptional array of activities on offer. Its location on the banks of the great Zambezi River ensures exciting water-based activities are offered by most of the high-quality camps and lodges we recommend. Canoeing and boating safaris on the water are complemented by land based vehicle safaris and night drives. Walking safaris are another option available to you. We love national parks and game reserves that are able to offer such a vast array of wildlife perspectives. It enhances the adventure and increases your chances of seeing more species of animals. The park is also renowned for its high quality camps and excellent guiding.

Wildlife abundance and diversity are excellent at the Lower Zambezi National Park, making it an ideal destination for a wildlife based holiday. The river is densely populated with crocodiles and hippopotamus. Carnivores are well represented by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and even the elusive African wild dog. Smaller carnivores include serval, caracal, honey badger, African civet and common genet. Herbivores are well represented with solid populations of bushbuck, waterbuck, impala and puku, as well as buffalo, elephants, and rare antelope species such as eland and roan. Notable absentees are giraffe that have never historically occurred here and black rhinoceros that have been poached to extinction.

The absence of the black rhinoceros prevents Lower Zambezi from being a Big 5 destination but this is more than made up for by the combination of wildlife abundance and diversity, vast array of exciting activities and premium guiding quality.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Lower Zambezi National Park 3 - Ultimate Wildlife AdventuresLuangwa Zambezi Explorer, Lower Zambezi National Park 4 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures


Best Time To Visit

The climate of Lower Zambezi National Park can be simplified by dividing it into the dry season and wet season, with a two transitional shoulder seasons at the end of each. Each season, and indeed the months within each season, offers you a different experience. There is no time of year that offers you the best of everything so we provide you with a balanced account throughout the year so you are able to make an informed decision on the best time to visit based on your preferences.

The dry season runs from June to October. It is at this time of year wildlife viewing is at its best. The season, as its name suggests, is characterised by blue skies and no rain. A perfect time to be on safari. As Zambia is in the southern hemisphere this time of year is winter. The coolest months are July and August when night temperatures drop enough to necessitate warm clothing for early morning game activities. However, the sun quickly raises the mercury so expect to be basking in 30 degrees Celsius by lunch. Temperatures increase as the season draws on with October being extremely hot and dry, and uncomfortable for those who do not enjoy such high temperatures.

Wildlife viewing is at its best in the dry season as the animals migrate towards permanent sources of life-giving water. This behaviour ensures game viewing is much more reliable and predictable. Huge volumes of wildlife can be seen in one place which makes for great photographic opportunities. The negative aspects of the dry season are the premium price tags the camps carry at this time of year and also the dry and dusty park isn’t as beautiful as it is in the wet season.

The wet season runs from December to March. Rainfall is a feature of most days in the form of heavy showers and thunderstorms, yet it rarely rains all day. Travel can be difficult at this time of year and some roads may become washed out. The presence of water throughout the park and beyond its boundaries allows wildlife to disperse into the hinterland making wildlife viewing generally more of a challenge. However, many species of animals give birth at this time of year so it is the best time to travel for the cuteness factor.

Prices are at their lowest at this time of year but it must be noted most of the remote camps are closed. However, permanent lodges stay open and offer attractive rates.

The wet season is definitely the best time if you are looking for an exclusive safari where other tourist vehicles are a rare sighting. Although Lower Zambezi National Park certainly isn’t a busy park it can suffer occasional crowding around water sources in the dry season.

The transitional shoulder seasons are November and April and May. At these times of year they represent a transition from the dry to wet season and wet to dry season respectively. These months are considered to offer a compromise between the two main seasons.

Zambia Luxury Honeymoon, Victoria Falls 4 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Quick Facts

  • Special Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Location: Borders South Zambia and West Zimbabwe
  • Height: 108 metres
  • Width: 1708 metres
  • Volume: 500 million litres per minute
  • Did you know: Victoria Falls is recognised as the largest waterfall on earth due to having the largest curtain of falling water in the world.

Activities

  • Bungee jumping
  • Helicopter flights
  • Microlight flights
  • Devil’s pool swimming
  • High wire activities (gorge swing, flying fox, zipline)
  • Tandem skydiving
  • Canoeing on the Zambezi River
  • Sunset cruises on the Zambezi River
  • Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park game drives & rhino tracking on foot

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Victoria Falls 4 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures

Highlights

  • Spectacular views of the world’s largest waterfall
  • Take to the sky and view the falls from a unique vantage point
  • Relax at one of the lodges or camps on the edge of the Zambezi
  • Navigate the raging Zambezi on a white-water rafting trip of a lifetime
  • Take to the water for a more gentle approach canoeing or sunset cruises
  • Test your nerve for heights with a bungee jump

Mosi-oa-Tunya as it is known locally, or more commonly recognised as Victoria Falls, lives up to its Zambian name, it is quite literally The Smoke That Thunders.

It is amongst the most spectacular of earth’s waterfalls. A result of the contents of the Zambezi River, 2 km wide at this point, plunging over the rock face to produce spray that can be seen more than 20 kilometres away.

Victoria Falls is recognised as the largest waterfall in the world. Although it is neither the tallest nor the widest its combination of both these dimensions ensure it is the planet’s greatest sheet of falling water. An astonishing 500 million litres each minute pass over the precipice to continue its journey towards the Indian Ocean.

Visitors flock to this natural wonder of the world for obvious reasons. The sheer magnitude of the Zambezi River, the waterfall itself and the surrounding vegetation make for spectacular viewing. However, this area is also known for being a bit of an adventure playground with a huge variety of adrenaline-fuelled activities to keep you busy. There are of course much more relaxing ways of passing your time for those who want to relax before or after a safari.

The activities are highlighted above and can either be organised by your agent at Ultimate Wildlife Adventures or arranged locally upon arrival at your lodge or camp.

The Falls are easily accessible via the airports close to Livingstone in Zambia or the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This ensures it is logistically easy to combine safari in these two countries with times at the Falls. The waterfall’s proximity to Northern Botswana ensures it is often combined with an overland safari. Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls works as an excellent combination.

Luangwa Zambezi Explorer, Victoria Falls 2 - Ultimate Wildlife AdventuresLuangwa Zambezi Explorer, Victoria Falls 3 - Ultimate Wildlife Adventures


Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit the spectacular Victoria Falls is dependent on what it is you personally want to gain from experiencing the world’s largest volume of falling water. In essence, there is no one time of year that offers you the best of everything the Falls has to offer. Each season, and indeed the months within each season, offers you a different experience. Therefore, we provide you with a balanced account throughout the year so you are able to make an informed decision on the best time to visit based on your personal interests.

As with all locations the climate is a huge consideration when deciding the best time to visit. Price of accommodations and the volume of other tourists is also important to most. A huge factor to consider when planning a trip to Victoria Falls is the water levels as this dictates the experience massively and also which activities are available.

The seasons at Victoria Falls are uniform with the surrounding game viewing parks with regards temperatures and rainfall. The wet season runs from November to April and is characterised by daily temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, daily rainfall and inevitably high humidity. November sees the start of the rains with December to February being the wettest months before a drop off in March and relatively little in April. May is somewhat a shoulder season before the onset of the long, dry winter beginning in June and running through to October. Here temperatures drop considerably to lows of around 7 degrees Celsius so warm clothing is advisable for evenings and early mornings. Temperatures quickly recover to 26 degrees during the day thanks to the reliable presence of the sun above clear skies.

The water level is obviously dictated by the rainfall and the ferocity of the water cascading over the Falls is largely dictated by rainfall ‘collected’ in the Zambezi River in the preceding months. Therefore, water levels are highest after the longest unbroken period of rainfall and lowest after long periods of dry weather.

The water level is at its lowest from October to December following the dry winter period. This really isn’t the greatest time to visit for those expecting to see Victoria Falls in all its might as the falling water is reduced to a relative trickle and may have even stopped cascading on the Zambian side. March to June are the months where water levels are at their highest, producing the spectacular show that one expects to see. Walking amongst the Falls is spectacular but expect a drenching. The Falls are spectacular by air and live up to their local name Mosi-oa-Tunya, The Smoke That Thunders, being visible from miles away. July to September sees a drop in water levels but this may be a good time to visit for those wanting a clearer view of the Falls to take photographs.

Activities are dictated by the water levels. White water rafting is seasonal and is divided into the low water rafting season and high water rafting season. The former runs from July to roughly mid-February and is the best time to visit as all the rapids can be navigated with excitement but safely. Mid-February until July is the high water season. Operations will still run at this time of year but the first 10 rapids are skipped as they are deemed too dangerous to navigate. In years of extreme water levels operations may cease in this period. Devils Pool and Livingstone Islands are also seasonal and only available in the lower water level months. Activities from the sky are arguably best when the Falls are at their most ferocious.

As with all locations the surrounding vegetation is at its most beautiful at the end of the rains and is reduced to an arid, dusty landscape by the end of the long dry season.

Visitor volume is at its greatest in the dry season months of June to October, peaking in July and August and this is reflected in the prices charged by the lodges and camps.