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City Guide · ZW
Railway-era town, craft market hub and adventure base in Matabeleland North
History & Heritage
Long before there was a town, the Nambya and Tonga peoples lived beside the Zambezi. The Tonga called the falls Shungu Namutitima, boiling water, and the name Mosi-oa-Tunya means the smoke that thunders. In the Nambya language the word Chinotimba describes the roar of the falls, and today it is the name of the township where most residents live. David Livingstone first saw the falls on 16 November 1855. Until the bridge was built, travellers crossed upstream at the Old Drift by dugout canoe or by a barge pulled on a steel cable.
The settlement began in 1901, when engineers were looking into hydroelectric power from the falls. The railway from Bulawayo arrived soon after, and the Victoria Falls Hotel opened in 1904 to house passengers on Cecil Rhodes's planned Cape to Cairo line. Rhodes reportedly asked for a bridge built where passing trains would catch the spray. George Andrew Hobson designed the steel arch, which was made in Darlington, England, and shipped through Beira. Built in about 14 months, it was officially opened on 12 September 1905 and linked Southern and Northern Rhodesia.
The town became a place for politics as well as tourism. In 1949 Roy Welensky held a meeting at the Victoria Falls Hotel about forming the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The 1963 Victoria Falls Conference, also held at the hotel, led to the federation being dissolved. In 1975, peace talks between the Rhodesian parties were held in a railway carriage parked on the bridge above the gorge and lasted nine and a half hours.
In 1989 UNESCO listed Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls as a World Heritage Site. The Elephant Walk shopping street opened in 1990, and by 2019 the town offered more than 200 adventure activities. A new international terminal at Victoria Falls Airport was commissioned in November 2016, with capacity for 1.5 million passengers a year. Victoria Falls was granted city status on 9 December 2020, and the 2022 census counted 35,199 residents.
Key Historical Places
An Edwardian hotel that opened in 1904 for railway passengers, at 1 Mallet Drive. Its terrace looks onto the Second Gorge and the bridge. Its first royal guests came in September 1904, King George VI's family visited in April 1947, and it hosted the 1949 and 1963 federation meetings.
A steel arch 198 m long and 128 m above the low-water mark, designed by George Andrew Hobson and opened on 12 September 1905. It is still the only rail link between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and in 1975 it was the setting for peace talks held in a train carriage.
A baobab on Zambezi Drive, about 2 km from town, 22.4 m in girth and 24 m tall. It was a landmark, meeting place and campsite for pioneers heading to the Old Drift crossing. It is protected by National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe and fenced against carving.
The oldest and largest township in Victoria Falls, about 2 km from the centre and home to most residents. Its name is the Nambya word for the roar of the falls. Guided tours visit old houses, taverns, the market and churches.
Timeline
Must-See Attractions
The Zimbabwean viewing trail along the falls, entered from the edge of town. The falls are 1,708 m wide and drop 108 m. One fee covers one entry, and leaving means paying again.
2026 tariffs (reported 13 Feb 2026): US$58 at the main gate, US$174 at the VIP gate, US$116 for moonlight viewing. Children aged 6–12 pay 50% and under-6s are free (victoriafalls-guide.net).
The 1905 steel arch over the Batoka Gorge, built for the Cape to Cairo railway. Shearwater's guided bridge tour takes visitors down onto catwalks beneath the deck, and the bridge also has a museum and a 111 m bungee jump.
Shearwater bridge tour: departures at 10:00 and 14:30, about 2.5 hours, bring your passport (Shearwater site, tour sheet uploaded June 2025).
The town's grand Edwardian hotel, opened in 1904, with views of the Second Gorge and the bridge from Stanley's Terrace. Afternoon tea is open to non-residents.
A collective of galleries and studios: Prime Art Gallery (Dominic Benhura and John Mahove sculpture), Ndau Collection jewellery, the Jafuta Heritage Centre and artists at work on site. Behind it is a large open-air craft and curio market with wood and stone carvings.
Open daily 08:00–17:00 (victoriafalls-guide.net, undated)
A giant baobab on Zambezi Drive in Victoria Falls National Park, about 2 km from town, where pioneers once met and camped before crossing at the Old Drift.
On the lip of the Batoka Gorge, 120 m above the Zambezi, visitors can watch or try the gorge swing, zip line and flying fox, with views of the bridge and the mist from the falls.
Accommodation
Old Drift Lodge, Victoria Falls Exceptional 4.9/5 lodge in Victoria Falls. From USD 700/night. Property Details Type: Lodge Guest Rating: 4.9/5 (Google, 169 reviews) Price Range: USD 700 – USD 1,367 per night Amenities Private plunge pool, Open-air shower, Air conditioning, Airport transfers included, Town shuttle included, All meals and drinks included, Game drives, River...
Waterfalls Lodge, Victoria Falls Exceptional 4.9/5 lodge in Victoria Falls. 60 rooms. From USD 165/night. Property Details Type: Lodge Guest Rating: 4.9/5 (Google, 92 reviews) Price Range: USD 165 per night Rooms: 60 Amenities Air-conditioning, ceiling fans, en-suite bathrooms, tea/coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi, restaurant, swimming pools, spa, gardens, free shuttle to town and Falls Contact...
Restaurants & Dining
Owned by Wild Horizons and perched on the edge of the Batoka Gorge, facing the bridge and the spray. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner, with occasional Full Moon Dinners. Nominated by the World Culinary Awards as Best Landmark Restaurant in Africa.
Running since 1992, the evening includes traditional dancing, storytelling, a fortune teller, face painting and interactive drumming. It served 80,404 guests in 2025, its best year so far. Open 19:00–22:00, and booking ahead is advised.
The hotel's terrace, looking onto the bridge, serves silver-service afternoon tea with scones and cucumber sandwiches, plus tea, champagne or cocktails. Non-residents are welcome.
An award-winning garden restaurant named after the Cassia fistula trees in front of the hotel. It serves breakfast, lunch and al fresco dinner within earshot of the falls.
Activities & Experiences
A two-hour guided walk through the oldest township: old houses, taverns, the local market, churches and, when the school allows, songs from children at Chinotimba Primary.
A two-hour cruise on the upper Zambezi above the falls, all year round. Hippo, crocodile, elephant and many birds may be seen.
Go beneath the 1905 bridge on its catwalks while a guide tells the story of how it was built.
A 111 m bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge into the Batoka Gorge.
Watch silversmiths use lost-wax casting and meet artists at work, then bargain at the open-air curio market behind the village.
High-wire activities over the Batoka Gorge next to the Lookout Cafe.
Events & Entertainment
Three days ending on New Year's Eve: a vintage steam-train party to a secret bush venue, a colour party, then an all-night New Year's Eve festival for about 8,000 people. It began as Falls Fest in 2009 and took its current name in 2011.
A full marathon, half marathon, relay, races for athletes with disabilities and a family fun run. The course crosses the Victoria Falls Bridge and runs through parts of the national park. More than 5,000 runners from over 40 countries took part in 2026.
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