Victoria Guide
Evangeline Mellon
Surrounded by the Salish Sea, the culture of Victoria has a lighthearted tempo to it, you are on an island after all. Between exploring the harbor and its wonderful restaurants and history, to getting outside for sea kayaking and whale watching, the time was the perfect blend of the outdoors and city.
Upon arrival, depending on if you plan to explore more of the island, a rental car could be considered. If you are planning on exploring Victoria itself and plan to stay near the Inner Harbor, then there is no need for a car.
You can book transportation into the city with YYJ Airport transfer and the service will bring you from the airport to most hotels in Victoria. Once in the center, most of everything is within walking distance. There are also local taxis for longer distances. (Note: Uber is not available.)
What I loved about my time in Victoria was being so close to nature. One way to experience it is on a guided Oak Bay kayaking tour that takes you out onto the sea. We got to see so much wildlife up close from bald eagles to seals all while learning about the important eco-system that supports this part of Victoria. Book the tour here.
I loved popping into this museum for a couple of hours and exploring the natural history room. The Royal BC Museum does a great job of exploring the local ecosystems and explaining the importance of conservation.
Who would have thought there was a castle in the heart of Victoria? I did the self-guided tour through the well-preserved castle and enjoyed exploring the neighborhood afterward. This part of Victoria is stunning and great for an afternoon stroll.
I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, and cancelations, etc.). I use it frequently for my travels to stay protected.
While I know you probably want to start making plans to visit Victoria Falls right away, I would strongly suggest taking the time to research your trip first. This way, you can be sure to see and do everything that you want to do and have a trip that you will remember for a lifetime. One of the best ways to do that is to read this detailed guide to Victoria Falls.
In this guide to Victoria Falls, I am going to provide you will all of the information that you need to plan a successful trip to see this beautiful wonder of the world. I cover the best times to visit and the best ways to get there so that you can maximize what you are able to see and do on your trip.
I also outline all of the top things to see and do while you are there and where the best places to stay and eat are. With the information in my guide to Victoria Falls in hand, you can be confident that your trip to see the Falls will be a trip that you remember for a lifetime.
Before you start making any travel plans, you will want to make sure to take care of all of the passport, VISA, and immunization requirements for your trip. In addition, you will want to make sure you have a clear understanding of what languages they speak in Zimbabwe and what currency they use so that you can plan any translation needs you might have for your trip and exchange currency before your trip if necessary. I have included some of this key information in my guide to Victoria Falls below for you to review as you start to make your travel plans.
In order to assist you in navigating the legal requirements for visiting Zimbabwe, I have included a link to my Zimbabwe Passport, VISA, Customs, and Immunization Requirements Guide for you to review below. This guide will give you all of the information that you will need to meet the VISA, passport, customs, and immunizations requirements and recommendations for visiting Zimbabwe.
I have also outlined all of the vaccination requirements and recommendations for travel to Zimbabwe in the guide below. You will want to be sure to review this section of the guide thoroughly to ensure your health is protected during your visit.
One of the best ways to view Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side is to visit the Victoria Falls National Park and walk the Victoria Falls footpath. In addition to offering a variety of different viewpoints of the falls from which to take photographs, the park is also home to the Dr. David Livingstone Statue.
Be aware, while large predators are rarely spotted inside Victoria Falls National Park, this is a wildlife park and wild animals do live there. Some of these animals can be dangerous to humans, so avoid being in the park before sunrise or after sunset. For information on which viewpoints to stop at during your visit, please refer to the map I have included in my guide to Victoria Falls below.
Livingstone was renowned for his explorations of Africa. Throughout his career, he made several trips to the continent to work as a missionary, explore the unknown interior of the continent, and most famously search for the source of the Nile River.
During one of his expeditions, he heard a roaring thunder in the distance and saw what he thought were plumes of smoke rising into the air. As he got closer, he became one of the first Westerners to ever set eyes on what he would later name Victoria Falls.
While seeing Victoria Falls from the foot trail within Victoria Falls National Park is undoubtedly the best way to experience and photograph the falls, there are many other adventures available for you to enjoy near the falls as well.
One such adventure that I recommend every traveler experience is a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. You will be left speechless by the beauty of the river and the abundance of the incredible wildlife that lives both in and around it. There is a great chance you will see hippos or crocodiles in the river as you meander your way down this iconic river.
The nearby Stanley Livingstone Private Game Reserve offers private safaris that give you a great chance of seeing the critically endangered southern black rhino. Unlike the national parks in Southern Africa, the private game reserves are privately owned and maintained. This creates additional conservation lands to help protect the beautiful wildlife.
If you would like more information, I would suggest checking out the Stanley Livingstone Private Game Reserve website. For those who would like to book a tour, there is a great Stanley Livingstone Private Game Reserve safari tour option available on Viator.com.
For travelers who are looking for a little bit more adventure than just seeing Victoria Falls, there are many incredible adventure travel opportunities that you can try in the area. One of the most popular of these activities is to take a whitewater rafting tour down the Zambezi River.
If you are interested in booking a whitewater rafting tour during your stay in the Victoria Falls area, please be sure to check out my Recommended Tours and Excursions section of this guide to Victoria Falls below.
The second bungee location is the Wild Horizons Lookout Cafe Bungee Jump, in which you jump 364 feet from a platform on the side of the river gorge. Like the bridge jump, it is a truly breathtaking landscape in which to enjoy the sport!
Why see Victoria Falls from just one side when you can easily see it from both sides? This natural wonder of the world is unique because it sits on the natural border between the countries of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
While the views of Victoria Falls from the ground are spectacular, seeing this natural wonder of the world from the air is a whole different level of beauty. It is very hard to really appreciate the scale and the power of Victoria Falls unless you can see the Falls in their entirety.
The only way to do that is to get up in a helicopter and fly over it. For those travelers who are up for the adventure, you will be happy to know that there are helicopter tours available that will fly you over Victoria Falls.
In fact, on some tours, they also fly over the rest of Victoria Falls National Park, so you also have the opportunity to spot elephants, giraffes, and other wildlife from the air. It is a spectacular experience that you will never forget. For more information on Victoria Falls helicopter tours, please see the Recommended Tours and Excursions section of my guide to Victoria Falls below.
If you are planning on visiting Victoria Falls, there are several different ways that you can get there, depending on what else you are planning to see and do during your trip. If you are coming to the area primarily to visit the falls, the easiest way to get to Victoria Falls is to fly into the Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), which is located just outside of the city.
You can also fly directly into the area by flying into the Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) on the Zambian side. For those who are planning on going on safari in Botswana and would like to take a side trip to visit the falls, you will probably be flying into the Kasane International Airport (BBK) in Botswana. You can then arrange a day tour to Victoria Falls from your lodge in Chobe National Park or the other wildlife parks and reserves in Botswana.
The same can be said for travelers who will be visiting Zimbabwe to go on safari in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. If you are planning on spending the majority of your time around Hwange, you may find it more convenient to fly into and out of the Hwange National Park Airport (HWN) and then arrange transportation to Victoria Falls for a day trip. For more information on where these parks and cities are located in relation to Victoria Falls, please see the map I have included in my guide to Victoria Falls below.
All you will need is your passport and a double\multiple entry VISA (which you will need to pay for at the border). Which side of the falls you choose to use as your base of operations will depend greatly on what else you plan on seeing and doing during your visit to the area.
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