Victoria Falls itinerary

Victoria Falls 3-day itinerary 

Experience the best of Victoria Falls in just 3 days 

Day 1 - Victoria Falls. 

Entering Zimbabwe requires a passport valid for at least 6 months, an approved visa (or an e-Visa/Visa on Arrival), and a completed customs declaration. If you decide to apply for the e-Visa before arriving, allow up to 3 weeks for the process. Visa on Arrival is very fast, though. If you plan to stay in Botswana for two days for a safari, you must get a double-entry visa. When we arrived, American passport holders were only allowed a single entry.

If you arrive in the morning, you will still have the afternoon to explore the famous Victoria Falls. In 2026, the entry fee was $58. We arrived in May, which is considered the high-water season. Although this is the largest waterfall in the world, between March and July, there is little to no visibility because of the mist. We were able to get an impression of the falls from Lookout #2, with multiple rainbows visible. However, the walk along the ridge, which is less than 2 km (1 mile), offered almost no visibility. Be prepared to get completely wet. The mist from the falls is so powerful that it feels like standing under a summer thunderstorm. A raincoat is a must. Bring one with you or rent one at the entrance. 

Day 2 - Safari in Chobe National Park. 

For our second day, we took a 2-day budget safari to Chobe National Park in Botswana. Americans and Europeans do not need a visa to enter Botswana. Our tour included a boat cruise on the Chobe River in the morning and a game drive through the national park in the afternoon until sunset. Chobe NP is known for its large herds of elephants, buffaloes, and hippos, which converge along the Chobe Riverfront during the dry season. The dry season had just started in May, so we were not able to see all these animals gathering along the river yet. Most buffaloes were still inland. Nevertheless, we saw several hippos enjoying the water and sleepy crocodiles resting on the shore. During the peak dry season, though, it must be spectacular to watch hundreds of elephants and buffaloes gathering by the river.

The game drive was very fun, and the guides/drivers were extremely informative. Our guide explained that, in Chobe, predators have not learned to attack people inside the 4x4s. Because of that, the vehicles are completely open, allowing 360-degree visibility. Since all the drivers communicate with each other, it is easier to spot animals during the drives. The drivers know each other well and are very respectful about sharing space to see the most wanted animals, such as lions. During sunset, we were almost at touching distance from lionesses while watching them drink from the river. At night, we camped inside the park and slept under the stars. The camps are very safe, although sometimes hyenas show up after everyone is asleep. 

Day 3. Second safari day and cruise in Victoria Falls. 

In the morning, we did another game drive. This time, we went farther inland, away from the river, and we were able to see some buffaloes. Then, we followed vultures circling above one spot. When we arrived, a dozen vultures were fighting with jackals over food.

We returned to Victoria Falls around lunchtime, and in the afternoon, we took a 2-hour sunset cruise on the river. The cruise included an open bar and some snacks. However, we found the cruise in Chobe much more interesting. When we booked this cruise, we did not realize that, for the same price, it was also possible to do a 2-hour game drive in Zambezi National Park. We regretted not choosing the game drive, especially since this national park also has zebras. We would recommend skipping the cruise and doing the game drive instead.

Victoria Falls 4-day itinerary 

Add an extra day to the 3-day itinerary. 

Day 4 - A few options

Option 1:
If you have an extra day, you can spend two nights in Chobe NP, which allows you to visit more remote parts of the park. This increases the chances of seeing leopards.

Option 2:
Skip Chobe NP and visit Hwange National Park instead. We think that one night is not enough for this park. The drive to the park is about 4 hours on a very rough road. The distance is not too far, but the road forces you to drive very slowly. You also pass through an industrial mining zone, which is not particularly scenic compared to other areas. However, Hwange NP is less commercial, and you will see very few other cars.

For a structured safari table comparing six different safari packages over one, two, and three days, click here

Know before you go 

Best period to visit 

• The rainy season in Zimbabwe typically spans from November to March.

• The river water level is high from March to August.

• October is the hottest month of the year, with temperatures reaching 40 °C (100 °F).

• The dry season is the best time for spotting animals, but temperatures can be very high. 

August and September might be the best options.

Why spend a night in the National park? 

Besides the obvious reasons, such as the opportunity to see animals during sunset and the beautiful sky, one of the reasons is that the majority of tourists visit Chobe for just one day. Since they separate people according to the type of tour, if you are lucky, you might have the 4x4 to yourself. We had the 4x4 to ourselves, while the one-day tour tourists were packed into the 4x4. 

Places to stay

N1 Hotel & Campsite Victoria Falls. Imbatible location. Budget-friendly. 

Places to eat

Zulu Bistro Bar and GOAT at Mama Africa offer Zimbabwe's rich culinary heritage food.

Active Sushi offer asian cusine inside the N1 hotel, cheap and convenient. 

Tours

Victoria Falls Serious Fun Tours and Travel. We booked all the tours and transportation with Marvel. We contact them directly, through WhatsApp (+263 712282390). They offer discounts if you book multiple tours with them, and give us a one-way free ride to the airport. We had no problem communicating with them during our stay.