Comparison · Victoria Falls vs Zanzibar · Zimbabwe / Tanzania
Victoria Falls vs Zanzibar
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Victoria Falls for Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a short break; choose Zanzibar for Stone Town, Beaches, lower day-to-day costs and beaches. Zanzibar is generally less expensive, and the two are about 1,954 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 1,954 km
- Less expensive
- Zanzibar
- Best time for Victoria Falls
- May–August
- Best time for Zanzibar
- January–February and June–September
Side by side
| Victoria Falls | Zanzibar | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Zimbabwe | Tanzania |
| Known for | Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and White-water rafting | Stone Town, Beaches and Spices |
| Best time to visit | May–August | January–February and June–September |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 7 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $180–$350 | $120–$250 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | October, 34°C (93°F) | January, 32°C (90°F) |
| Coldest month | June, 25°C (77°F) | June, 28°C (82°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 2 | 3 |
| Day trips in our guide | 3 | 5 |
| Beaches | — | Nungwi |
| Airports | VFA, LVI | ZNZ |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Victoria Falls for…
Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a short break. 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…
Choose Zanzibar for…
Stone Town, Beaches, lower day-to-day costs and beaches. Zanzibar's main island, Unguja, lies about 35 km off the Tanzanian mainland and combines Stone Town — a UNESCO-listed Swahili trading town of coral-stone houses, carved wooden doors and narrow lanes — with a coastline of white-sand beaches and coral reefs…
Top sights compared
| # | Victoria Falls | Zanzibar |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria Falls rainforest (Zimbabwe side) | Stone Town |
| 2 | Victoria Falls Bridge | Forodhani Gardens night market |
| 3 | Zambezi sunset cruise | Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) |
| 4 | Helicopter 'Flight of Angels' | Former slave market and Christ Church |
| 5 | White-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge | Darajani Market |
Food compared
| Victoria Falls | Zanzibar |
|---|---|
| Sadza with relish | Zanzibar pizza |
| Kapenta | Urojo |
| Zambezi bream | Pilau |
| Mopane worms | Biryani |
Which is cheaper?
Zanzibar is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $120–$250 per person there, against $180–$350 in Victoria Falls (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Zanzibar on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 1,954 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 12 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Victoria Falls or Zanzibar cheaper?
Zanzibar is usually less expensive: about $120–$250 a day mid-range against $180–$350 (estimates).
+Is Victoria Falls or Zanzibar better for a first trip?
Pick Victoria Falls for Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall, Victoria Falls Bridge and a short break, or Zanzibar for Stone Town, Beaches, lower day-to-day costs and beaches.
+How far is Victoria Falls from Zanzibar?
About 1,954 km in a straight line.