We have been operating tours to Victoria Falls almost every week, since 1994. During this time we have taken thousands of clients to both the Zimbabwe and Zambia side of Victoria Falls. It is important for us (Livingstone Trails) to ensure that our clients are getting the best value for their money and that they are happy. Therefore we have spend a lot of time in deciding which side of Victoria Falls to visit - Zambia side, or Zimbabwe side. We have consulted our guides, drivers, looked at the questionnaires and comments of hundreds of clients who visited both sides, the financial aspects, visas, safety and much more to assist us in our decision. Finally (after months of research) the management and staff of Livingstone Trails all agreed that it would be much better for our clients, if we stay on the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls. Below are a number of key issues / points that might be interesting and of value for our clients.
(1) Viewing the waterfall:
Start & End: Johannesburg & Pretoria & (Nelspruit) LT 05 :: 7 Day Victoria Falls & Chobe national LT 08 :: 10 Day Kruger park & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 25 :: 10 Victoria Falls & Chobe & Kruger park LT 12 :: 11 Day Victoria Falls & Chobe & Kruger park LT 13 :: 11 Day Kruger park & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 15 :: 12 Day Okavango Delta & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 16 :: 16 Day Kruger & Okavango Delta & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 17 :: 16 Day Okavango Delta & Chobe & Victoria Falls & Kruger
Start: Victoria Falls End: Johannesburg & Pretoria LT 18 :: 2 Day Victoria Falls to Johannesburg LT 28 :: 5 Day Victoria Fall to Kruger park LT 19 :: 6 Day Victoria Falls to Kruger park
Start: Johannesburg & Pretoria End: Victoria Falls LT 20 :: 5 Day Victoria Falls & Chobe national park LT 21 :: 8 Day Kruger park & Victoria Falls LT 22 :: 9 Day Kruger park & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 23 :: 10 Day Okavango Delta & Chobe & Victoria Falls LT 24 :: 14 Day Kruger & Okavango Delta & Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls waterfall is a one of the seven natural wonders of the world as well as a heritage site, and is 1700 meters (1,1 mile wide). It is known to be the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The waterfall is 1300 meters on the Zimbabwean side (indicated by the red line), and only 400 meters on the Zambian side (indicated by the yellow line). This means that the waterfall is 3 times longer on the Zimbabwean side than that of the Zambian side. The main falls is also situated on the Zimbabwe side, and out of view for people looking at the waterfall from the Zambian side. In fact, most of the waterfall on the Zimbabwe side is out of view when looking at the waterfall from the Zambia side, while much of the Zambia side can be viewed from the Zimbabwean side. The waterfall on the Zambian side totally disappears during the dry season, leaving only a dry rock face to view for plus minus 4 months of every year. The Zimbabwean side of the waterfall has running water throughout the year. Seeing the waterfall must be one of the most amazing sights (a must see) that most people will see in their lifetime. We believe that if you are going to travel half way around the world to see the waterfall, then you should see the best of it.
(2) More game viewing opportunities when going to Zimbabwe on tour: We have to cross over the river with the ferry when going to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. This takes hours when everything is running 100% as it should, meaning that we have to leave Chobe national park very early in the morning. This means that we do not have any time in the morning to do any game viewing on the morning that we go to Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. We have much more time when we go to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, as the border crossing is much quicker, and the road to Victoria Falls better. This means that we have time to do an additional game drive inside Chobe national park on the day that we go to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. Livingstone Trails is the only budget tour company (to our knowledge) that includes two game drives inside Chobe national park. Hwange national park is one of the greatest national parks in southern Africa, and situated only one hour south of Victoria Falls. Clients can do a full day tour departing from Victoria Falls to this magnificent national park. A large variety of wildlife such as warthog, baboons, monkeys, elephant and buffalo are often seen in & around town.
(3) Political situation: Yes, we agree that Zimbabwe experienced it fair amount of political problems. That is exactly what it is - political. It does not affect us as travelers in Victoria Falls. The current political situation is stable, and a number of countries including Canada and the USA have lifted the travel warnings on Zimbabwe. Britain has eased the travel warnings to such an extend that travelers can visit the Victoria Falls (and other) areas in Zimbabwe. There is no political violence or unrest.
(4) Visas: The Zambia visa for British and USA passport holders is US$ 140 for a single entry, while other passport holders who require visas pay US$ 50. Most people who need a visa can get the visas at the border post when arriving in Zambia, but then you can only pay in US$, no US$ 1 notes and the notes must be printed after 2000.
The Zimbabwe visa for British and USA passport holders is US$ 50 for a single entry, while other passport holders who require visas pay US$ 30 to US$ 50. Most people who need a visa can get visas at the border post, payable in any major currency such as South African Rand, US$, Botswana Pula, Euro or British Pound.
(5) Safety: Zimbabwe is, and has always been one of the safest travel destinations in southern Africa. Our guides and clients feel much safer on the Zimbabwe side than on the Zambia side, where petty crime such as grabbing your daypack or camera is a daily occurrence in and around Livingstone town. We had more crime related incidents in six months on the Zambia side, than what we had in seven years on the Zimbabwe side.
(6) Optional activities: Many of the activities are more expensive on the Zambia side than on the Zimbabwe side. The Zambezi river offers the world's best one day white water rafting, and this is the most popular optional activity booked by clients. A full day rafting trip cost US$ 135 on the Zambia side, while on the Zimbabwe side it cost US$ 95.
Some activities, such as the "Walk with lions" is only operated on the Zimbabwe side. Clients can book this activity on the Zambia side, but then have to pay an additional visa for doing the activity on the Zimbabwe side.
(7) General: Over the past few months (since the Zimbabwe elections) we were operating our tours to the Zambia side of Victoria Falls, as many countries issued travel warnings, and no one was sure what was going to happen in Zimbabwe. Time has proven that things in Zimbabwe remained the same as ever, with no problems arising because of the elections.
During this time the majority of our of clients raised complaints and comments about the tour to the Zambia side. We have never received these complaints or comments when we were doing the tours to the Zimbabwe side (1994 up to elections earlier this year). The main complaints was time and the cost of things related.
In Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) we stay at the main campsite which is located in the main street of town, and within 10 minutes walk of everything. It is safe to walk day or night. In Zambia we stay at the Waterfront lodge, which is a beautiful campsite on the shores of the Zambezi river. The problem here is that Livingstone town is 10 kilometers from the campsite and the waterfall area. It is strongly advised that you do not walk due to safety issues. Therefore you must take a taxi every time that you go anywhere, and the taxis are not cheap.
Clients complain about the cost of basic things like cold drinks and beers served at bars at the Waterfront lodge and in town. According to past clients it is very expensive. The price of a phone call and internet in Zambia is also very expensive according to past clients.
Livingstone Trails has guides and other staff in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) every week, and we are also in contact with Shearwater Adventures in Zimbabwe. We will move the tours back to the Zambia side of the waterfall, if we see or hear that the current good situation in Zimbabwe changes.
Livingstone Trails is also more than happy to operate tailor made tours to the Zambia side of Victoria Falls, for groups with a minimum of 6 clients who prefer to go to the Zambia side of the waterfall.
