Where to stay · Victoria Falls · Zimbabwe
Where to stay in Victoria Falls
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Victoria Falls town centre. Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way. Best alternatives — families: Upper Zambezi riverfront.
Key facts
- First visit
- Victoria Falls town centre
- Families
- Upper Zambezi riverfront
- Budget
- Victoria Falls town centre
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Victoria Falls town centre | Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way |
| Families | Upper Zambezi riverfront | Riverside lodges among trees upstream of the falls along Zambezi Drive |
| Couples | Victoria Falls Hotel and the bridge | Edwardian grandeur on the edge of the gorge, steps from the bridge |
| Budget | Victoria Falls town centre | Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way |
| Luxury | Victoria Falls Hotel and the bridge | Edwardian grandeur on the edge of the gorge, steps from the bridge |
| Solo travellers | Victoria Falls town centre | Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way |
| Shopping | Victoria Falls town centre | Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way |
| Quiet stays | Upper Zambezi riverfront | Riverside lodges among trees upstream of the falls along Zambezi Drive |
Victoria Falls neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, solo travellers and shopping
Victoria Falls town centre
The small town centre around Livingstone Way and Parkway Drive holds hotels and lodges, restaurants, banks and the booking offices of activity operators, as well as Elephant's Walk shopping village and the craft market. The rainforest entrance is about a 10–15 minute walk away, and most operators collect guests from their accommodation.
- Good
- Walk to the falls and restaurants; Wide range of prices; Activity offices on every corner
- Watch out
- Curio and money-changing touts; Wildlife can wander through after dark
- Nearby
- Elephant's Walk, Victoria Falls rainforest, Craft market
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and first-timers
Victoria Falls Hotel and the bridge
The 1904 Victoria Falls Hotel stands in gardens above the Batoka Gorge with a framed view of the bridge and the spray of the falls, and a footpath leads down to the bridge and the rainforest entrance. Staying here or in the neighbouring lodges puts you closest to the falls themselves.
- Good
- Closest to the falls; Historic setting and views; Walk to the bridge activities
- Watch out
- Expensive; Limited choice of places to stay
- Nearby
- Victoria Falls Bridge, Victoria Falls rainforest, Stanley's Terrace
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and families
Upper Zambezi riverfront
Upstream of the town, lodges and camps line the Zambezi between the Big Tree and the edge of Zambezi National Park, with decks over the water where elephants and hippos are often seen. It is quieter than town, and sunset cruises leave from jetties along this stretch.
- Good
- River views and wildlife; Peaceful; Close to cruise jetties
- Watch out
- Transport needed for town and the falls; Night walking unsafe because of wildlife
- Nearby
- Big Tree, Zambezi National Park, Cruise jetties
$$$ · Best for families, couples and quiet stays
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge area
A few kilometres south-west of the centre, a group of lodges on high ground overlooks a floodlit waterhole on the boundary of Zambezi National Park, where elephants, buffalo and antelope come to drink. It is home to The Boma restaurant and its drum show, and shuttles run into town.
- Good
- Wildlife viewing from the lodge; Calm, bush setting; Shuttles to town
- Watch out
- Not walkable to the falls; Fewer independent restaurants
- Nearby
- The Boma, Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls town centre
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and culture
Livingstone (Zambia)
About 10 km from the falls on the Zambian side, Livingstone is a bigger, busier town than Victoria Falls, with tin-roofed colonial buildings on Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, the Livingstone Museum and a choice of backpacker lodges and mid-range hotels. Its airport has its own international flights.
- Good
- More local character; Good-value lodges; Base for Devil's Pool and the Zambian side
- Watch out
- Taxi needed for the falls; Border crossing to reach the Zimbabwean side
- Nearby
- Livingstone Museum, Mukuni Park market, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and quiet stays
Livingstone riverfront (Zambia)
Between Livingstone and the falls, and further upstream, lodges and hotels line the Zambian bank of the Zambezi, some inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park where zebra and giraffe graze the lawns. Several have private access to Livingstone Island for Devil's Pool trips.
- Good
- Beautiful river settings; Close to the Zambian side of the falls; Wildlife on the grounds
- Watch out
- Expensive; Isolated without transport
- Nearby
- Livingstone Island, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Knife-Edge Bridge
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Falls town centre | $$ | Elephant's Walk, Victoria Falls rainforest, Craft market |
| Victoria Falls Hotel and the bridge | $$$$ | Victoria Falls Bridge, Victoria Falls rainforest, Stanley's Terrace |
| Upper Zambezi riverfront | $$$ | Big Tree, Zambezi National Park, Cruise jetties |
| Victoria Falls Safari Lodge area | $$$ | The Boma, Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls town centre |
| Livingstone (Zambia) | $$ | Livingstone Museum, Mukuni Park market, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park |
| Livingstone riverfront (Zambia) | $$$$ | Livingstone Island, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Knife-Edge Bridge |
Getting to your hotel
Victoria Falls International Airport is about 20 km south of town, roughly 20–25 minutes by taxi or lodge transfer. On the Zambian side, Livingstone's Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport is about 5 km from Livingstone town and about 30 minutes from Victoria Falls town, plus the border crossing.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Victoria Falls for first-time visitors?
Victoria Falls town centre. The small town centre around Livingstone Way and Parkway Drive holds hotels and lodges, restaurants, banks and the booking offices of activity operators, as well as Elephant's Walk shopping village and the craft market.
+Where should families stay in Victoria Falls?
Upper Zambezi riverfront: River views and wildlife.
+Which area of Victoria Falls is best for a budget stay?
Victoria Falls town centre ($$): Compact grid of lodges, activity offices and craft shops along Livingstone Way.