Visit a local village near Livingstone
Community-run visits near the falls offer a respectful look at rural Zambian daily life, often supporting local schools or cooperatives directly.
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Southern Africa
Things to do in Zambia
Half of Victoria Falls' thundering width, walking safaris pioneered in its own national parks, and a wildlife-dense Luangwa Valley that draws far fewer crowds than its neighbors.
Explore Zambia on the map →Budget$$
Best for7-10 days
CapitalLusaka
VisaE-visa or visa on arrival available for most nationalities including US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian passport holders, with a KAZA Univisa option covering both Zambia and Zimbabwe on one application.
CurrencyZambian kwacha (ZMW)
LanguagesEnglish (official); Bemba, Nyanja, and other local languages widely spoken
InternetGood in Livingstone and Lusaka, limited in remote safari camps
Typical lodging$40–$110/night
Driving sideLeft
Power & voltage230V / 50Hz (Type D/G plug)
Time zoneUTC+2
Emergency number991 (police) / 992 (ambulance)
Dialing code+260
★★★★★ Wildlife★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Photography
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled water recommended outside major cities. 10% at restaurants; guides and drivers appreciate a daily tip.
Zambia shares Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe, and the Zambian side offers closer, wetter access to the falls along with the ability to swim at the edge of the famous Devil's Pool during the dry season. South Luangwa National Park is widely credited as the birthplace of the modern walking safari, pioneered by conservationist Norman Carr in the 1950s, and remains one of the best places in Africa to experience wildlife on foot.
When to go
Dry season (peak)May–August
Cool, dry, and the best window for wildlife viewing as animals concentrate near rivers and waterholes.
Hot dry seasonSeptember–October
Hot and dry with the most concentrated wildlife viewing of the year, though temperatures can be intense.
Wet season (peak)December–March
Lush and green with newborn animals, but many camps close and roads become impassable in remote parks.
Transition periodApril, November
Shoulder months with changing conditions, April sees the falls at their most powerful post-rains.
20 things to do
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Culture & history
5
Visit the Livingstone Museum
Zambia's oldest and largest museum, covering the country's history from prehistoric artifacts through the colonial era and independence.
Watch a traditional Zambian cultural dance performance
Regional dance and drumming traditions are performed at cultural centers and some lodges around Livingstone, offering context on Zambia's diverse ethnic heritage.
Visit the Moto Moto Museum in Mbala
A lesser-visited but well-regarded ethnographic museum in Zambia's north, documenting the customs and material culture of the Bemba people.
Shop for Zambian copper crafts and curios in Lusaka
Zambia's copper mining history is reflected in local craft markets selling copper jewelry and carvings alongside other traditional crafts.
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Adventure & outdoors
5
Swim in Devil's Pool at the edge of Victoria Falls$20
A natural rock pool right at the lip of the falls, accessible only when water levels drop enough for safe guided swimming.
Bungee jump the Victoria Falls Bridge$20
A 111-metre jump from the bridge spanning the gorge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with the falls visible in the background.
White-water raft the Zambezi Gorge below Victoria Falls$20
Some of the world's most intense commercially rafted rapids, run just downstream of the falls through a dramatic basalt gorge.
Fish for tiger fish on the Zambezi River
A fierce, fast-fighting freshwater fish that draws dedicated anglers to the Zambezi's lower reaches, best during the warmer months.
Zip-line across the Batoka Gorge near Victoria Falls$20
A high-speed cable crossing over the gorge downstream of the falls, one of several adrenaline activities clustered around Livingstone.
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Nature & scenery
2
Walk to the edge of Victoria Falls from the Zambian side$20
Closer, wetter access than the Zimbabwean side, with the Knife-Edge Bridge putting visitors directly in the falls' spray.
Fly over Victoria Falls by helicopter or microlight$20
Known locally as the 'Flight of Angels,' an aerial view reveals the full mile-wide scale of the falls, best appreciated from above.
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Wildlife
7
Take a walking safari in South Luangwa National Park
The birthplace of the modern walking safari, offering close, guided wildlife tracking on foot rather than only from a vehicle.
Go on a canoe safari on the Lower Zambezi
Paddling quietly past hippos, elephants drinking at the water's edge, and abundant birdlife along one of Africa's great rivers.
Track leopards on a night drive in South Luangwa
The park's dense leopard population and open plains make night drives here among the most reliable leopard-sighting opportunities in Africa.
Explore the Lower Zambezi National Park by boat and vehicle
A less-visited park than South Luangwa, with elephants regularly seen swimming between river islands and strong tiger fishing.
Track wild dogs in Kafue National Park
Zambia's largest national park, less visited than South Luangwa, with a strong population of endangered African wild dogs.
Sunset cruise on the Upper Zambezi River
A relaxed boat cruise above the falls, with hippos, crocodiles, and elephants often visible along the riverbanks at golden hour.
Explore Kasanka National Park's bat migration
Home to the world's largest mammal migration by biomass, millions of straw-colored fruit bats gathering each year in a small patch of forest.
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Food & drink
1
Eat nshima, Zambia's staple maize dish
A thick maize porridge eaten with the hands alongside vegetables or meat relish, the everyday foundation of Zambian meals.
Common questions
▾Do I need a visa for Zambia?
Most nationalities, including US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian citizens, can get an e-visa or visa on arrival, and the KAZA Univisa lets you cover both Zambia and Zimbabwe with a single application if visiting both sides of Victoria Falls.
▾Zambia or Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, which is better?
The Zambian side offers closer, wetter views and the seasonal Devil's Pool swimming experience, while the Zimbabwean side gives a wider panoramic view of the full falls, many visitors cross for a day to see both.
▾What makes South Luangwa special for safaris?
It's widely credited as the birthplace of the modern walking safari, offering a genuinely different, slower, and more immersive wildlife experience than vehicle-only game drives.
▾Is Zambia more affordable than Botswana or Kenya for safaris?
Generally yes, particularly in South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi, where camps tend to be smaller-scale and somewhat less expensive than comparable Botswana operations.
▾When can I swim in Devil's Pool at Victoria Falls?
Roughly August through December, when water levels drop enough to make the natural rock pool at the very edge of the falls safe to access with a guide.
▾How much does it cost to see Victoria Falls?
The Zambia side charges international visitors around $20 to enter, notably cheaper than the $58 charged on the Zimbabwe side for the same waterfall. Many visitors cross the border and see both, which means paying both entry fees (and any applicable visa costs) since they're managed as two entirely separate national parks despite sharing the falls.
