Livingstone, Zambia: town guide and how to get there

Is Livingstone a good base?

Yes, if you want the Zambian side of the falls. Livingstone is to Zambia what Victoria Falls town is to Zimbabwe, and Wikivoyage calls it the tourist capital of Zambia¹.

The town is a city in Zambia’s Southern Province, 10 km north of the Zambezi River². Victoria Falls town sits across the border³ in Zimbabwe, over the bridge.

Reasons to base yourself here:

• Flights: flying to the Zambian side usually costs less⁴ than flying to the Zimbabwean side, and cheaper flights from South Africa³ often come here.
• Devil’s Pool: the infinity pool on the lip of the falls is on the Zambian side⁵.
• Calmer shopping: curio vendors are fewer and less aggressive than in neighbouring Zimbabwe¹.

The catch is distance. The town is 8 to 10 km¹ from the falls, so you’ll ride rather than walk.

How do you get to Livingstone?

You can fly straight into Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport², about 6 km from the town centre⁶, or cross over from Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe.

Route	What to know
Fly in	Links to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Mbombela and Nairobi2; FlySafair flies between Livingstone and Johannesburg1
From Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe	Over the Victoria Falls Bridge on foot, then a blue taxi into town1
From Kasane, Botswana	The Kazungula border post is the best road route from Kasane3; a transfer takes 1.5 to 2 hours, including the Kazungula border crossing7
Bus from Windhoek, Namibia	Intercape runs three times a week and stops on the Zambian side, not in Victoria Falls town3
By road from Lusaka	The T1 connects Livingstone with Kalomo, Choma and Lusaka2

From the airport it’s about 25 km to the Zambian side of the falls⁶, so arrange a taxi or transfer before you land.

Crossing from Victoria Falls town

The Victoria Falls Bridge is the border: a bridge over the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Livingstone⁸. The crossing runs like this:

1. 1

   Clear the Zimbabwe border post

   The Victoria Falls Border Post has been open 24 hours a day since November 2025.

2. 2

   Cross the Victoria Falls Bridge

   The bridge over the Zambezi River is the border. Buses stop at the border post, and you cross on foot or by taxi.

3. 3

   Take a blue taxi into Livingstone

   If you walk across, you then need one of the blue taxis to reach Livingstone town.

Getting around Livingstone

Taxis do most of the work, and a ride between town and the falls usually costs US$10 each way¹ (checked October 2026).

• Official taxis are blue with a red number plate¹.
• The ride-hailing app Yango works in Livingstone, but you pay in cash¹.
• Walking the 8 km to the falls is not generally recommended for tourists¹.

Things to do in Livingstone

Livingstone’s sights split into two groups: the falls and the river south of town, and the museums in town.

• Victoria Falls, Zambian side: the park next to the falls here is Mosi-oa-Tunya⁵, and Wikivoyage says it has the only white rhinos in Zambia¹. For the Zimbabwe side, read up on visiting the Victoria Falls rainforest.
• Devil’s Pool and Livingstone Island: seasonal trips out to the lip of the falls; see how Devil’s Pool trips work.
• Livingstone Museum: the largest and oldest museum in Zambia, founded in 1934 as the David Livingstone Memorial Museum, with an extensive collection of David Livingstone memorabilia⁹. Details are on the Livingstone Museum page.
• Maramba Cultural Museum: traditional dancing, singing and costumes².
• Railway Museum: the Railway Museum of the Mulobezi Railway².
• Victoria Falls Bridge: a steel arch with a view of the falls from its centre³, carrying both road and rail¹⁰. See bridge tours and bungee jumping.
• Victoria Falls Waterfront: in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, 3 km upstream from the falls¹¹. Its operator, Safari Par Excellence, calls itself the pioneer of adventure activities in Livingstone¹².

When the river trips run

Devil’s Pool and rafting depend on the water level, so check the month before you book.

Activity	Usual season	Watch for
Devil’s Pool	mid-August to late December13	Tongabezi’s guide to the usual window
Livingstone Island	Open 11 to 12 months of the year14	Closed when the Zambezi is too high13
White-water rafting	Fully back in operation by July15	December is the last month of good low-water rafting15

Money, shops and markets

Sort out cash before you need it, because the ATMs in town won’t give you dollars.

• Changing money: Wikivoyage recommends the government bureau, because of currency touts¹.
• Supermarkets: Super Spar in the Falls Park shopping mall, and Shoprite at Mosi-oa-Tunya Square and on Kapondo Street¹.
• Curio markets: the two markets sell much the same range of goods at similar prices¹, so one visit is enough.

Where to stay in Livingstone

Livingstone covers every budget. Wikivoyage’s bands for the town are under US$20 a night for budget, US$20–200 mid-range and over US$200¹ to splurge.

Stay	Setting	Rates found
Royal Livingstone	Inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park16, on the banks of the Zambezi River17	From US$545 per room per night18; $668–904 per person sharing19
Avani Victoria Falls Resort	Inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park20	From $540 per unit, B&B, 1 October to 22 December 202621; from USD 1,100 for two adults in a Superior Pool View Room20
The David Livingstone Safari Lodge	Four-star riverside lodge, 6 miles upstream of the falls22	US$360 per person sharing, half board, 1 May–30 Nov 2026 (checked October 2026); US$325, 1–31 Dec 202622

The two Avani figures are far apart. The lower one is a booking agent’s guideline, and the higher one comes from the hotel group’s own release about its refreshed rooms.

At the Royal Livingstone, stays are bed and breakfast, and all activities cost extra¹⁷. A 15-minute walk takes you to a private gate to the falls, and guests pay the US$20¹⁷ entry once for unlimited visits.

Other places to sleep in and around town:

• Jollyboys Backpackers: the first hostel in Zambia, opened in 1996, at 34 Kanyanta Road²³.
• The Nkhosi Livingstone Lodge and Spa: calls itself an indigenous-owned boutique lodge and spa inside Mukuni Village, which it calls one of Zambia’s oldest and most storied communities²⁴.
• Victoria Falls Waterfront campsite: Safari Par Excellence describes it as spacious and shaded, with BBQ facilities and a pool, suited to self-drive and overland vehicles¹².

For hotels and lodges on both sides of the river, see the where to stay page. For dorm beds, compare budget backpackers in Vic Falls.

Where to eat in Livingstone

Two places are worth a look in town:

• Olga’s: Wikivoyage describes it as an inexpensive Italian restaurant behind the Catholic church, serving authentic pizza and pasta¹.
• Chanters: the same guide says it serves the best pepper steak in town¹.

Questions people ask