Comparison · Johannesburg vs Victoria Falls · South Africa / Zimbabwe
Johannesburg vs Victoria Falls
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mark Hillary, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Choose Johannesburg for Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife; choose Victoria Falls for Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a milder winter. Johannesburg is generally less expensive, and the two are about 948 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 948 km
- Less expensive
- Johannesburg
- Best time for Johannesburg
- April–May and September–October
- Best time for Victoria Falls
- May–August
Side by side
| Johannesburg | Victoria Falls | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Africa | Zimbabwe |
| Known for | Apartheid Museum, Soweto and Constitution Hill | Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and White-water rafting |
| Best time to visit | April–May and September–October | May–August |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $100–$200 | $180–$350 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | January, 26°C (79°F) | October, 34°C (93°F) |
| Coldest month | June, 16°C (61°F) | June, 25°C (77°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 2 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 3 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | JNB, HLA | VFA, LVI |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Johannesburg for…
Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Johannesburg grew out of the 1886 Witwatersrand gold rush and is now South Africa's largest city, sprawling across the Highveld at about 1,750 metres. Its essential sights are about history: the Apartheid Museum, the prison complex at Constitution Hill and…
Choose Victoria Falls for…
Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a milder winter. The small Zimbabwean town of Victoria Falls sits a 10-minute walk from one of the world's largest waterfalls, where the Zambezi River drops about 108 metres into a gorge along a front some 1.7 km wide. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, 'the smoke that…
Top sights compared
| # | Johannesburg | Victoria Falls |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apartheid Museum | Victoria Falls rainforest (Zimbabwe side) |
| 2 | Constitution Hill | Victoria Falls Bridge |
| 3 | Vilakazi Street and Mandela House | Zambezi sunset cruise |
| 4 | Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum | Helicopter 'Flight of Angels' |
| 5 | Soweto by bicycle or with a local guide | White-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge |
Food compared
| Johannesburg | Victoria Falls |
|---|---|
| Braai | Sadza with relish |
| Boerewors roll | Kapenta |
| Pap and chakalaka | Zambezi bream |
| Kota | Mopane worms |
Which is cheaper?
Johannesburg is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $100–$200 per person there, against $180–$350 in Victoria Falls (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Johannesburg on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 948 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 8 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Johannesburg or Victoria Falls cheaper?
Johannesburg is usually less expensive: about $100–$200 a day mid-range against $180–$350 (estimates).
+Is Johannesburg or Victoria Falls better for a first trip?
Pick Johannesburg for Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife, or Victoria Falls for Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a milder winter.
+How far is Johannesburg from Victoria Falls?
About 948 km in a straight line.