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One of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls sits between Zimbabwe and Zambia along the Zambezi River. Also called Mosi-oa-Tunya or the “The Smoke that Thunders”, Victoria Falls is considered the worlds largest waterfall based on its combined height (354′) and width (5,604′).

Where to stay

If you are looking for budget-friendly accommodation, check out Jollyboys Backpackers located in Livingstone, Zambia. This cute hostel covered in brightly colored pillows offers very reasonable rates with friendly and professional staff. There are plenty of styles of rooms to chose from so they can accommodate solo travelers as well as groups. I felt very safe and they had everything available on site including food, drinks, and internet. You can pay for anything at the restaurant using U.S. dollars, but you’ll receive Zambian currency in exchange which you can always use at the local market.

What to do

You can book various types of excursions through the front desk such as safaris, boat cruises, bungee jumping as well as scheduling a free shuttle to the falls in the morning. After getting dropped off at the falls, take a stroll around The Victoria Falls World Heritage Site for spectacular panoramic views. Afterward, take a walk across the Victoria Falls bridge into Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls National Park for even more rainbow filled vantage points.

During my stay, we also opted for a safari in the Chobe National Park in Botswana that offered a great opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife such as antelope, crocodiles, hippos and even a full-grown bull elephant that swam directly in front of our boat. We also scheduled a sunset booze cruise that included all food and alcohol as well as amazing views from the Zambezi River.

When To Visit Victoria Falls

February through May offer the best views of the falls as the waters from the Angolan Highlands have finally arrived at the gorge making the water tumbling over the edge extremely impressive. These months, however, don’t coincide with optimal game viewing opportunities in neighboring parks and the powerful waters make river rafting or visiting Devil’s Pool (a pool of water on the edge of the falls) too dangerous. If you want the best of both worlds consider June through August since these months will provide the best safaris as well as excellent views of the falls.