2 Days In Victoria Falls : Itinerary For A First Time Visit

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This post was crafted with care and occasional typos by Colleen (and not AI)

Our Africa Overland Adventure started in Victoria Falls. We didn’t want to start that journey feeling tired, so we booked three extra nights in a guesthouse before the overland tour started.

Allowing extra time was a great choice. Whilst we ended up with 4 days here, you don’t need this long as you can see and do a great deal in less. So we’ve put together an action packed 2 days in Victoria Falls for you and included our most favourite activities.

If like us you’re starting your African journey at Victoria Falls then allow a few extra days to explore; you won’t be disappointed.

2 Days In Victoria Falls

Not everyone who visits Victoria Falls is starting an overland tour but this post is aimed at folks who only have a few days to spare.

There are a great many wildlife safaris and day trips that you can take from Victoria Falls (including Chobe) but our 2 day itinerary is all about the town. This is a busy 2 days but you’re going to see a great deal, including :

Top Tip : The local name for the falls and the National Park is Mosi-oa-Tunya; the smoke that thunders.

Our Victoria Falls Itinerary

We didn’t want to feel too rushed after a long flight but equally we didn’t want to miss out. UNESCO say that Mosi-oa-Tunya or Victoria Falls is the world’s greatest sheet of falling water. We knew that we’d probably never get an opportunity to visit this wonder of the world again, so the falls were front and centre in our itinerary.

Tours aren’t cheap but we decided to just do everything and trust us, these adventures are amazing.

Day 1 in Victoria Falls

1. Sunrise On Bamba Train

You’ll be up with the lark; if you’re going on Safari from Victoria Falls, you’ll get used to these pre-dawn awakenings. And this mornings train ride will be worth the effort, as you ride the Bamba Train into the National Park and across the famous Victoria Falls Bridge. And hopefully get to watch your first African sunrise.

As you journey through the National Park, lookout for elephants and buffalo and of the smoke that thunders; the mighty Victoria Falls.

The tour offers a pickup or take your own taxi (do check prices beforehand and compare). You’ll have a short registration as you arrive and in no time you’re off. There is a guide on board the train and refreshments are provided partway through.

The Bamba Train is a relaxing tour and watching the sunrise seemed the best way to kick off our first day in Africa.

2. Breakfast at Marula Cafe

The sunset tour ends around 7.30am. If you’ve not had breakfast, head to Marula Cafe in the centre of town. We visited this little restaurant a few times during our stay and the food was excellent and the menu pretty extensive; with gluten free and vegetarian options.

3. Walking The Falls

You don’t need a guide to walk around the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls but for the small cost we’d thoroughly recommend you do.

We were collected from the restaurant, provided with wet weather ponchos, and the guide peppered the walk with so many interesting facts, history and anecdotes that the falls came alive for us. And he took us to the best viewing points and told us about the local wildlife. Unless you’re on a super tight budget, we’d recommend taking this option.

Top Tip : Tours do not include the entrance fee to the National Park and bear in mind that you pay this each time you enter. Visit on two occasions on the same day and you pay twice. The entrance fee is 50$ per person so do consider this when planning your time at the falls.

4. Lunch at Three Monkeys

Ask the guide to drop you back at Three Monkeys Restaurant. This is a great place with a huge menu. Definitely worth a stop when in town.

5. Helicopter Flight Over The Falls

The helicopter flight over the falls was a last minute choice for us. It’s not inexpensive but equally it’s reasonable for a helicopter flight. We knew that our days at Victoria Falls would not be cheap and ultimately we decided the helicopter flight would be worth it.

You’re collected from your hotel or lunch spot; you need to state in advance where you want to be collected. Once you arrive, expect a little wait as you’re checked in. A few things worth noting :

Once your group is sorted (you go by overall weight for the helicopter) you’re given a safety briefing, told where you will sit during the flight and you wait for your flight. The flight is short, but everyone gets a window view of the falls and after our morning hike it was wonderful to see where we had walked from above.

Once you land, they’ll show you a video of your flight, before taking you back to Victoria Falls. We asked to be dropped at Elephant Galleries Walk (not the market).

6. Elephant’s Walk Artist Village

There are a surprising number of art galleries and craft shops in Victoria Falls and a large number of these are in Elephant’s Walk Artist Village.

There is also a market near here but we recommend heading straight to Elephant’s Walk. Even if you’re not buying, the art installations are worth exploring.

7. Dinner at The River Brewing Company

From the Elephant Walk you’re perfectly placed for a few great eateries. If you love the idea of craft beer then head to The River Brewing Company. This is definitely more of a gastro-pub than restaurant but the burgers are great and there are gluten free options. And it’s a minute from Elephant Walk so the ideal location.

8. Evening Performance of Simunye

The beauty of eating at the River Brewing Company is that you’re just a minutes walk from tonight’s performance of Simunye : The Spirit Of Africa.

We had no idea what to expect but we love the idea of community theatre (like Phare Circus in Siem Reap). We arrived 15 minutes before the show and headed to the Cafe at the rear of Elephant’s Walk.

The show starts in the waiting area and the cast bring you into the auditorium. Take your seat and be prepared to be blown away by the talent and artistry of this incredible performance.

You can take photos after the show ( they’ll tell you when) and you can meet the cast at the end too. I can’t praise this show enough. It’s an hour long but it’s over far too quickly!

Top Tip : Pre arrange for your taxi to collect you from Elephant Walk and tell them you’re seeing the show.

Day 2 in Victoria Falls

1. Ethical Elephant Encounter

We had breakfast at our accommodation and arranged for transport to collect us for our morning with the Elephants.

There are a few wildlife encounters possible in Victoria Falls but I’m always nervous about visiting animals in captivity. I’m a strong believer that wild animals should be in the wild. So I did a lot of research before signing up for the Elephant Encounter.

Wild Horizons is devoted to eco-tourism and dedicated to conserving the natural environment around the Zambezi River to the National Park. Everything they do revolves around protecting and growing.

Their Elephant Encounter allows you to spend time with the elephants on their terms. The Sanctuary is home to rescued animals and all walks are guided. Whilst you get to be up close with the elephants, they are not there to perform. Instead, you get to interact with them whilst learning about conservation efforts and elephant behaviour.

We knew we would see elephants in Chobe but we’d so loved our days with the elephants in Mondulkiri in Cambodia that we decided to go for it. You can tell from the reviews that this tour was a great decision.

Top Tip : Make sure you are booking the right tour. To avoid any confusion go direct to Wild Horizons and book direct as there are a few other less ethical centres offering tours.

2. Lunch at the Lookout Cafe

You need to book The Lookout Cafe in advance; it took us three attempts to get a table! When you book, ask if you can have a table on the edge of the terrace, overlooking the falls because the views are spectacular.

The food is excellent, but oh my the views are amazing. We lingered over lunch, had drinks on the lower terrace and soaked up the views, whilst watching the crazy (brave) souls zip-lining across the gorge. This has to be one of the greatest spots for lunch!

3. Later afternoon Zambezi Sunset Cruise

There are a few options for a Sunset Cruise but we recommend the cruise we took below. Some are much more expensive but basically offer you exactly the same trip. Also whilst you can opt for a dinner cruise you get the same views as we had and we felt our trip offered better value for money.

We were collected from our hotel and driven to the boarding pier on the Zambezi. There is quite a queue at the jetty but you are very quickly directed to your boat. Once aboard everyone heads up the stairs to the top deck but stay downstairs. We grabbed the table at the back of the boat and had the best seats in the house, right on the water.

Top Tip : There are a lot of people taking this tour. Do make a note of your coach and fellow passengers and take a photo of the vehicle registration plate as there will be a lot of the same looking coaches when you leave!

Drinks were included, and we enjoyed a few glasses of a very nice white wine spritzer as we sailed. Snacks were also provided but do tell them about allergies or preferences when you book.

For two hours we cruised along, getting close enough to see the falls spray and sailing into Zambian waters whilst watching elephants bath and hippos watching us. The sun dropped and turned the sky red and we relaxed into our seats and decided that no matter what happened for the rest of our African adventure we were happy. Maybe it was the wine spritzer but we’d watched the sun set over the Zambezi River and all was good in our world.

Top Tip : We’ve always called the river the Zambeezi (with the be sounding like a buzzy bee) but it’s pronounced Zambazi (like the Bay of Biscay).

4. Dinner at Dusty road township experience

There were two choices for dinner tonight; The Boma Dinner & Drum Show or Dusty Road Township Experience. We knew we were going to Gold in Cape Town which is similar to Boma, so we opted for Dusty Road. We made a great choice.

Top Tip : You must book Dusty Road Township Experience in advance and if you have any food allergies then tell them when you book. I was blown away by how fabulous my gluten free choices where when we visited.

As you enter you’ll be greeted and given a guided tour of the restaurant which has been decorated in quirky but beautiful style. We were shown local produce and traditional Zimbabwean ingredients and we tried a few local delicacies.

The food is amazing and plentiful. The team are kind and generous and Sarah makes an effort to spend time talking with all the diners. This was a glorious evening, very relaxed and comfortable and I just wish I’d had room in my rucksack for Sarah’s cook book.

This was the perfect end to our DIY Victoria Falls adventure and we were ready to start our Overland Adventure.

Top Tip : You’ll need a taxi and we pre-booked the return ride for 2 hours later after dinner. We ended up using the same taxi for our entire stay. Our accommodation recommended the driver and he gave us his Whatsapp and he was always waiting for us whenever we needed a lift. Ask your accommodation to do the same.

Where to Stay In Victoria Falls

When we looked for accommodation initially we felt that it was better to be close to the town centre so that we could walk but in the end we took a taxi everywhere so location was less important.

We walked into town once. It was a few kilometres and we walked back at dusk which was not a good idea! I was terrified as we were walking in a National Park, where animals move freely; I think we ran the last 500 metres.

Don’t be like us. Do not wander out at dusk. Elephant and buffalo are a common sight in Victoria Falls and one guide told us that buffalo are born angry and stay the same their entire life.

Top Tip : There is a lot of talk about safety in Victoria Falls and you can’t help but notice the razor wire and electric fences BUT before you think the worst, do remember that some of this is about animal safety too.

2 Days In Victoria Falls : Is it Worth It Adding The Extra Days?

I cannot stress how much we loved our days in Victoria Falls. This was our introduction to Africa and our first visit to the continent (apart from Morocco and Tunisia). And we loved it.

The tours we’ve chosen for your 2 days aren’t inexpensive but Victoria Falls wasn’t a budget location. We decided that we had to just set a budget and go for it. But I shopped around as prices vary wildly and the tours we picked offered the best value.

Definitely book tours ahead to be sure of getting a seat on the date and time that you want and then just let the magic that is Africa unfold.

Victoria Falls was the start of our Africa Overland Adventure. We wouldn’t have changed our time here and little did we know that these days were simple the entrée for the most amazing adventures from Victoria Falls to Cape Town yet to come!