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The water level changes the face of the falls and ferocity of the rapids below and the seasons affect the game-viewing and birding opportunities.
The river is in full flood from April to mid-June; high water levels occur from mid-June to the end of July and in February and March; medium-low water levels are in January, August and September; low water runs from October to December.
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Always spectacular, they must be viewed from both sides of the border and, if you can, by air on The Flight of Angels. The Zambian side of the falls offers precarious knife-edge views, wobbly footbridges and a climb to the base of the falls. The Zimbabwean side features the spectacular rain forest and the takes in most of the breadth of the falls including the thunderous Devil’s Cataract.
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Full flood
Weighing in at 550 million litres per minute; tremendous power and noise; visibility from the opposite cliffs almost nil; take to the sky for the most dramatic views imaginable.
High water
Still an enormous amount of water thundering down; visibility is raised to fleeting glimpses through gusts of spray-filled squalls; probably the best all-round time for viewing the falls from both air and ground but photography will be poor due to the spray.
Medium water
The floods taper off and you can fully appreciate the scale and volume of the falls without getting drenched; intrepid expeditions to the boiling pot near the base of the falls will yield spectacular vertical views; best time for that classic Vic Falls photograph.
Low water
Down to 3% of full flood, many parts of the falls are bare cliffs and spectacular cliffs they are; much safer for complete exploration of the falls from both Zimbabwean and Zambian sides; still a splendid sight though much of the hype may be lost on you.
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This follows the same pattern as the rest of southern Africa – winter is best for game-viewing when water and fresh growth are scarce and the animals congregate near available supplies. Summer is best for birding.
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Victoria Falls is a warm place all year round; winter evenings and early morning game drives will require a layer of warm clothing but by and large you’ll be wearing next to nothing – like everybody else.
The rainy season runs through summer from November to April and features spectacular downpours and electric storms. Winter evenings are cool and dry but still hot by day; October, known locally as Suicide Month, crackles and hisses its heated discontent and is best spent in the cool of your hotel’s pool sipping a gin and tonic.
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Price Guide
Coffee – R8
Men’s Health – R30.95
Heineken – R12
Car Hire – R200/day |
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South Africa Standard Time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). This is ideal for European clients as the time difference is minimal. South Africa does not operate Daylight-Saving Time. International Dialling Code for South Africa is 0027.
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Don't ever, ever trade currencies with shady characters. Advise you do all your your currency transaction at your hotel or at a bank!
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The Victoria Falls is the seventh natural wonder fo the world, it spans Zambia and Zimbabwe, although the views are better from Zimbabwe.
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