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Home  >  Africa • Trip Reports  >  Victoria Falls from the Zambian Side
AfricaTrip Reports

Victoria Falls from the Zambian Side

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 27, 2017January 26, 2017 5 Comments

Victoria Fallas Pano

Victoria Falls has been a part of my bucket list since I was amazed by Igaucu Falls in Brazil and I knew the moment we discovered the need to journey to South Africa, we would visit the falls.

We took a taxi from our guesthouse to the Falls, which is on the far north end of the city of Livingstone, hugging the Zimbabwean border.

Not wanting to return to the guesthouse, we had our bags with us and were hoping for a place to store them at the falls. Our taxi driver was helpful and upon arriving at the park entrance, flagged down a friend who worked there who agreed to let us keep our bags in the custodial closet between the two bathrooms. Not the safest place to store a laptop, but we had no other choice – and it all worked out fine in the end. No charge either.

Admission was $20 and cash only. Once tickets are purchased, you walk through a monkey-infested area, passing by many local handicraft shops, before coming to the main entrance in which your ticketed is validated. The trip was in October, just before rainy season, and so the falls were at a low level…but they were still impressive.

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It was raining a bit throughout our time there, but that made the hot day a bit more bearable. If you are an adventurous type, during the dry season you can wade across much of the falls (only from the Zambian side we were on) and get an even better view—

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Or go fishing—

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Warning: Beware of the Monkeys

You are warned not to carry food with you as you enter the park because monkeys smell it and will take it – sometimes even attacking you to get it. We only brought water bottles in, but at one point I set my camera bag down to snap a photo and seconds later a monkey had snatched it and was pawing through it. In cases like this, do not chase after the monkey or your possession will be gone. Calmly wait and if there is no food, the monkey will eventually drop it and leave. She did and good thing…there was a very expensive camera lens inside.

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CONCLUSION

Heidi is not really into things like this, so we only stayed about 90 minutes and did not bother to check out the falls from the Zimbabwean side the next day. I suppose that was not necessary – we had seen the mighty falls and I had captured some great pictures.

Even during the dry season, Victoria Falls is worth a visit – the falls are magnificent and scenery picturesque.

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One final note. The Falls literally straddle the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and we stamped out of Zambia just outside the park gate. A no-man’s-land exists for about 1km before you come to the Zimbabwe border.

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Read More of My Month in Africa Trip Report

Introduction: A Month in Africa
Review: Houston to Lagos in United Airlines 787 Business
Transit in Lagos: Bribing My Way Out
Review: Oasis Lounge Lagos (LOS)
Review: Gabfol Lounge Lagos (LOS)
Lagos to Johannesburg in South African Airways Economy Class
Setting Up Shop in Pretoria
How to Obtain a South African Police Report
A Safari in Kruger National Park
Review: Nkambeni Safari Camp
Driving Through Swaziland
Review: Mountain Inn Mbabane, Swaziland
Review: Johannesburg to Livingstone, Zambia in British Airways Comair Economy Class
Our Humble Abode in Zambia

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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5 Comments

  1. MeanMeosh Reply
    January 27, 2017 at 10:03 am

    Those monkeys you saw are baboons. Even more dangerous than your garden variety monkey – they have long teeth like a leopard. You were wise to leave it alone as it looked through your stuff. Those are also a problem down at the Cape of Good Hope. We were warned several times before getting out to either leave hand bags in the car, or keep them on your person at all times. You most certainly don’t want a date with a baboon’s teeth!

    • Matthew Reply
      January 27, 2017 at 11:34 am

      Definitely not! Glad he decided he did not need my camera lens!

  2. Mike Reply
    January 27, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    I can second that recommendation as I personally witnessed the baboons who basically own the parking area at the Cape of Good Hope ransack a vehicle which unfortunately left a window cracked. They know how to reach in and open the door, at which time they completely destroyed the interior and all contents. Oh they also ate the food inside.

    They are smarter than many of the tourists coming to the Cape.

  3. Nina Reply
    March 22, 2019 at 10:10 pm

    Hello! I went to Victoria Falls recently by myself and found your article extremely helpful! (especially the bit about getting to Botswana and doing the short Namibian / Impalila Island tour) I don’t think many people have done that tour before, and it’s nice to go off the beaten path (even if there isn’t much to see). I’ve been reading your other Africa posts and feel inspired to go back!

    • Matthew Reply
      March 22, 2019 at 11:48 pm

      Thanks Nina! I hope to go back as well.

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