When is the best time to visit Victoria Falls? This handy travel calendar gives you an overview of each season and what to expect. Need more detailed advice? Chat with one of our experienced safari consultants. We design custom trips to Victoria Falls to suit any budget. Enquire Now to ask about our special offers.

• The height of summer and the rainy season
• Often dramatic thunderstorms in the afternoons, especially on hot days
• The Zambezi River is low in December, but it steadily swells and becomes more spectacular as the rainwater arrives from further upstream
• The weather is hot and humid, well over 30 °C in the daytime
• White-water rafting season usually closes around February due to high water levels
• Livingstone Island and Devil's Pool often close in January/February with high water levels

• Peak high water season: Zambezi River is in flood, and the Falls are at their most magnificent
• Visibility from some lookouts can be limited by the abundance of spray and mist
• The rafting season is normally closed because of high water levels
• Livingstone Island and Devil's Pool on the edge of the falls are closed
• Days are warm and pleasant at 25-30 °C
• Spectacular views from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides
• Expect to get wet! Beware of slippery rocks and pathways.
• Rainbows are common
• Best time for a helicopter flight over the falls for a breathtaking bird's-eye view of Mosi-oa-Tunya - 'The Smoke That Thunders'

• Peak season at Victoria Falls
• Lower water levels and less spray give you excellent visibility of the falls
• Livingstone Island and the rafting season open as soon as the water drops to a safe level
• Although it is wintertime, you can expect warm and sunny days - 20-28 °C
• Both sides of the falls are great to visit
• There might still be enough spray to create beautiful rainbows
• Game viewing in nearby Chobe National Park, Hwange and other game reserves is at its best

• End of the dry season when the falls are at their lowest level
• Excellent visibility from the Zimbabwe side
• Falls may dry up almost completely on the Zambian side, leaving just a dry rock wall
• Peak white-water river rafting season
• Livingstone Island and the famed Devil's Pool at the edge of the falls are open (Zambia side)
• Very hot weather, averaging 30-35 °C, or even peaking at over 40 °C
• In September and October, before the first rains arrive, game viewing is fantastic along Chobe River and surrounds
• The rains arrive in late October/November, transforming the dry, dusty landscape into a lush, green oasis

Enquire now for more expert advice on the ideal time to go to get the best out of multiple destinations. Victoria Falls combines very well with Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, or with Hwange National Park, Lake Kariba and Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, and of course with the ever-popular Cape Town and Kruger Park in South Africa.

Keep in mind every year is different and slight variations may occur. Water levels will depend on rainfall, and the rains may start early or late.

Read more about Victoria Falls in our Victoria Falls Travel Guide.

See our recommended tours to Victoria Falls.

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