Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls
A small town surrounded by wild bush, Victoria Falls is usually packed to capacity with tourists visiting the Falls themselves and joining in the numerous adventure activities.
Getting There By Road
Victoria Falls is on the highway from Bulawayo to Livingstone, Zambia, just over the river. Unless you have a 4×4 and can take the cross-country route, drive from Harare via Bulawayo, a 2-day trip on rood tar roads. From the west, Victoria Falls lies on the main tar road to Kazangula on the Botswana’s border, also a 2-day drive.
By Rail
Victoria Falls is connected by rail with Harare, via Bulawayo. From Harare to Bulawayo is an overnight trip, and Bulawayo to Victoria Falls another. Part of the latter journey goes through the Hwange National Park, where you may see game. You may well find yourselfin one of the old Rhodesian Railways carriages that do the route, with polished brass and green leather seats.
If you want to splash out, take the Zambezi Special rail safari train, an elegant and luxurious old steam train, but not cheap, . Victoria Falls railway station is on Spencer Road, just south of Livingstone Way. By Bus Blue Arrow buses connect Victoria Falls with Bulawayo and Harare every Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday, as do Translux buses every Thursday and Sunday. Both routes can also connect with Johannesburg. For other connections contact Safari Par Excellence .The Victoria Falls bus station is just behind Livingstone Way, near the Spar supermarket.
By Air
Air Zimbabwe fly in to Victoria Falls from Harare, Bulawayo and Kariba every day, while Air Botswana runs services from Maun and Gaborone three days a week, and Air Zambia flies from Lusaka at least twice a week. Victoria Falls airport, Tell (113) 4552 or 4250, is about 20km from town and there are regular shuttle services. Taxis are a available.
Getting Around
Victoria Falls town is very small and everything bar the airport is within easy walking distance of Livingstone Way and Park Way. Mountain bikes can be hired from Bushtrackers, on Park Way, or hire a cheap but cheerful clunker from the guys who hang out by the side entrance to the municipal camp site. Check brakes, gears and tyres before you buy. Motor scooters can be hired from Scoot Hire, Tel 4402 in the Phumula Centre. The taxi rank is behind the Wimpy by the Total garage. To ring for a tax call Midnight.
Around the Town
The town has two main drags, Livingstone Way, which is a continuation of the main A8 highway between Bulawayo and Livingstone, and Park Way, which branches off Livingstone Way at the town’s huge municipal camp site, and where all the safari company offices and most of the shops are to be found. Livingstone Way is the road to the Falls, as well as to the bridge over the gorge, which marks the border with Zambia. Next to the post office and banks a small alleyway leads to the craft market, where carving in wood and stone are laid out for the benefit of tourists. Standards vary from the inept to the sublime and you are expected to bargain hard. Just before the main market is the entrance to the Snake Park. This is a tourist trap, but it is fun to watch the handlers pick up the venomous creatures, and to shiver as the cobras strike at you from behind glass, moving faster than the eye can follow and hitting the pane fang-first pock! Living stone Way and Park Way meet at a corner marked by a Wimpy burger outlet.
Turn down here and a few seconds’ walk will bring you to Sopers Arcade, directly opposite the side entrance to the municipal camp site. Along here is the office of Shearwater Safaris, one of the main activity operators, and Zambezi Productions, the film processing centre where all the photos and videos of the rafting and bungee jumping are processed, should you want a record of your adventure. Opposite is Naran’s Takeaway, one of the few places in the entire country where you can good vegetarian fast food. Kandahar Safaris, who organize canoe trips on the Upper Zambezi, are tucked into the corner on the same side as Naran’s. Upstairs is the Explorers Bar, the main hang-out for rafting guides and backpackers looking for student union bars in Africa. Several curio shops share the same floor, along with a pizza restaurant.
Along Livingstone Way from Sopers Arcade, past several bureaux de change and curio shops, is a wide pedestrian alleyway on the corner of which is the Phumula Centre, which houses the offices of Safari Par Excellence, the second of the two big adventure operators. Next door but one is a convenient pharmacy and, a little further on, a Spar supermarket. Keep walking down Park Way and you will come to the Pink Baobab Cafй, which serves health foods, juices and the like at outdoor tables. From here on are just a few suburban streets and then it’s the bush. As for the rest of Victoria Falls town, if you want more life you should head for Chinotimba Township, about ten minutes down Pioneer Road.
Chinotimba is a scruffy African town where Victoria Falls is scrubbed and squaky clean. It’s a cross roads for Zimbabweans, Zambians, Caprivians, Botswanans and even Angolans all travelling on business. There’s a good beer hall here, though single women should not visit this alone. As a trip, if you need to stock up on supplies, you will find much cheaper produce in the stores here than in the Spar supermarket in the white’ town. Ignore the repeated offers of marijuana or to change money, as they almost always lead to a trip off or a set up of some kind.
Recommended Excursions
Flight of angels Victoria Falls seen from the air is spectacular. A flight by light aircraft for 25 minutes or helicopter for 15minutse gives you a totally different perspective of the Falls from the view seen from the ground.
Game Drive
For 3 hours A drive through the Zambezi National Park.
Elephant Back Safari
Half-day excursion with a strong emphasis on an elephant experience rather than just an elephant ride.
Popular Searches
August 31st, 2009 3:46 am
[...] camp remain open and accessible by canoe. At this time of year, advance bookings may be made in Victoria Falls [...]
July 19th, 2010 6:30 pm
I think the best way to travel as a tourist is by hiring a limo company or car service, especially if you’re not familiar with the area. Plus, the ride in itself is an experience to enjoy with your party.