#RolexInZimbabwe Touristing in Victoria Falls

Victoria (Vic) Falls town, Zimbabwe, is very much like Livingstone, Zambia, just smaller. The economy of the area is almost entirely tourist and conference-supported. I arrived there at the tail end of the winter season and the beginning of the busy summer period when they get the most clients. The sweet spot, in my opinion, before it becomes too busy and the sun becomes scorching hot.

My accommodation sent a vehicle to pick me up from the border. There are no boda boda motorcycles here so you’ll be using cabs to get around. Zimbabwe in general doesn’t seem to have a motorcycle culture to speak of. We might have all kinds of complaints about them back home but I often find myself missing their convenience when they are absent. Public transport didn’t seem to be present either, apart from the buses coming in and out of town.

My taxi guy identified me from a picture I had sent and we set off to the accommodation, a quick 10-minute ride. He was a former police officer who had quit to join the more lucrative transport business. We exchanged numbers and he’d be available to take me anywhere I needed to go. For quick reference, most distances within town are $5, anything a little further from town is $10 and the airport run is $30. I settled into my room, took a long hot shower, grabbed a bite and a beer and enjoyed my first night of sleep in a bed after 4 days.

Vic Falls is all about tourist activities. There’s not much else to do if you are not partaking in tourism. If you want more everyday activities, you are better off staying in Livingstone. For the party people, the nightlife happens at mainly 2 spots, Shoestrings Backpackers which caters to the tourist crowd, and Cotton Club which is mainly for the locals. Don’t overthink the name. I was told of Club 42, which caters for the downtown demographic, but I didn’t make it there.

When it comes to activities, there are very many options to choose from. If you are planning a trip there, talk to your accommodation choice and they will book for you all the activities you might want to participate in. You need to see the Victoria Falls, locally known as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya‘ which means the ‘Smoke that Thunders‘, in its full glory. Otherwise, why are you here? It truly is a marvel of nature and you should take the full curated walk with 16 viewpoints at the best spots. If you are balling, you should go to the Devil’s Spot, a naturally occurring infinity pool over the falls which is where you see all those people posting pictures at the edge of the waterfalls.

The sunset cruise will take you down the River Zambezi in the evening where you can see elephants and some other wildlife taking a sip of water. Highly recommended for couples, but go when you have eaten coz the food potions apana.

There’s a wildlife safari drive but if you have done one in East Africa, you can skip this one because we have more variety and quantity of animals. The more exciting option is the interaction with the wildlife where you get to walk with and pet the lions and cheetahs, or ride an elephant. These have been brought up around humans so there have been no reported incidents of them turning animal instinct carnivores on tourists before. Phewx. There was also something about a crocodile cage if you can overcome your black instincts for survival.

The adrenaline activities are plentiful too if you want to shock your system. From the bridge over the gorge, you can bungee jump, zipline or swing –which is like bungee jumping but you fall forward at a 45-degree angle instead of straight down. If you are scared, there’s an option to do it as a couple so you can pee on your partner out of fear, R Kelly would approve. There’s also water rafting and abseiling. I feel like I’m forgetting something but you get the idea, the options are many.

There are also air activities like helicopter rides or the microlight plane. The helicopter ride is great if you are a couple but the microlight, which only does one at a time, feels like the sweeter option because you feel the wind on your skin as you get an awesome ariel view of the falls, the two towns and the wildlife in the area. This is only available on the Zambia side but the service provider will help you get across the border easily if you are staying on the Zim side. As a side note, there are many helicopter ride service providers and customers and the sound of helicopters flying overhead is now a constant in the neighbourhood. You get used to it eventually.

And if you are balling on a budget, there are spots around where you can get good views and ambience. The Lookout Cafe has the best view hands down as it overlooks the river gorge corner with views of the bridge. They also have their own adrenaline activities in case the bridge is overbooked. Elephant Hill Resort is probably the best hotel in the area and has a golf course where it’s not uncommon to have wildlife grazing as folks play. It also has a rich history that includes being a cultural site, bombings during liberation wars, and use as a Hollywood set. Baines Restaurant has a good view of the Zambezi River before it plunges down the falls. MaKuwa-Kuwa has the best sunset views. Also recommended is the pork from The Three Monkeys, and all the food from Mama Africa which has the best ambience and a well-thought-out interior design full of lovely art. They also have a live band to serenade you most evenings. Most of these places require you to book ahead because of the demand but you can also just walk in. Call ahead to make sure they are not fully packed and you spend your cab money for nothing.

All in all, the Victoria Falls area is a great vacation spot and if you haven’t experienced it yet, highly recommended. It was time to get on with the tour and work though so off to Harare…