Where is Victoria Falls? Location, size and history

Where

Zambezi River, Zambia and Zimbabwe border

Town on the Zimbabwe side, Matabeleland North

Height

108 m

Height of the drop, per ZimParks

Width

1,708 m

One of the world's largest waterfalls

Nearest town

Victoria Falls, right next to the falls

Livingstone, Zambia, across the border

Which country is Victoria Falls in?

Victoria Falls is in two countries at once. The waterfall sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe¹, and each side has its own national park to view it from.

The town of Victoria Falls lies at the western tip of Zimbabwe, on the Zambezi River⁵. It’s also a few kilometres from Botswana and Namibia⁵, so four countries are within easy reach of your hotel.

Zimbabwe side

Victoria Falls National Park is the main viewing area

• In northwestern Zimbabwe
• Park covers about 23.4 km²
• Most of town within 3 km of the falls

Zambian side

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a national park in Zambia

• Devil's Pool, an infinity pool on the lip
• Boiling Pot, about 150 m across, by steep footpath
• Livingstone town, across the border

Historically, far more visitors have gone to the Zimbabwean side⁶, because its visitor facilities are more developed. To see both sides in one go, a guided tour of the falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia takes you across the border.

Distances from the falls

Victoria Falls town sits right beside the falls but far from Zimbabwe’s other cities. Here’s how the main places line up from town.

Victoria Falls connects to the rest of Zimbabwe by the A8 road and by railway³. The overnight train from Bulawayo runs once a week⁴ (checked October 2026). Flying into Bulawayo or Harare means a further domestic flight or a road transfer of 5 to 10 hours⁸.

Livingstone, on the Zambian side, has its own airport; Zinga Backpackers there offers free pick-up from Livingstone airport on request⁹. For the lie of the land, open the map of the falls and town area, and for the Zimbabwe base itself, read the Victoria Falls town guide.

How big is Victoria Falls?

Victoria Falls is 108 metres high and stretches across 1,708 metres². Wikipedia says that width and height together make the world’s largest sheet of falling water¹. Wikivoyage puts the falls at twice as tall as Niagara Falls¹¹; see how Victoria Falls and Niagara line up for more.

The basalt plateau the Zambezi pours over formed in the Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago¹. Downstream, the water entering the Second Gorge makes a sharp right turn and has carved a deep pool, the Boiling Pot¹, which you can see beneath the bridge¹¹.

What the falls are known for

Victoria Falls is famous first as a natural wonder: ZimParks calls it one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site². The town is also a regional centre for adventure tourism³.

Why people come:

• River and gorge adventures: jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungee jumping and mountain biking³.
• The Victoria Falls Bridge, a steel arch with a view of the falls from its centre⁴.
• The Big Tree, an ancient baobab estimated to be 2000 years old⁴.
• Game drives in Zambezi National Park, with a parks fee of $15.00 per person⁷ (checked October 2026).
• Devil’s Pool, an infinity pool on the lip of Victoria Falls, on the Zambian side¹.
• A day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana⁸, which many visitors add on.

Every activity has its own page in the guide to things to do in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and the guided day tours at Victoria Falls page lists the trips you can book.

Mosi-oa-Tunya and the falls’ other names

Mosi-oa-Tunya is the falls’ local name in Lozi, and it means “Thundering Smoke” or “Smoke that Rises”¹. In Tonga the name is Shungu Namutitima, “Boiling Water”¹. The southern Tonga, known as the Batoka or Tokalea¹, called the falls Shungu na mutitima.

Mosi-oa-Tunya is also a national park in Zambia¹⁵, on the far bank. The Royal Livingstone hotel sits inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park¹⁶, and so does the Victoria Falls Waterfront, 3 km upstream¹⁷ from the falls.

A short history

The town’s story is short. These are the dated moments, from David Livingstone’s first view of the falls to city status.

The people and the town today

Victoria Falls is a small city: the 2022 census counted 35,199 people³ in the town.

For the cultures of the wider region, the Jafuta Heritage Centre in town is a small museum on the cultural heritage of the Shona, Ndebele, Tonga and Lozi people¹¹. You can also join a traditional village tour from town.

When you arrive, tourist police may meet you¹¹. They’re there for visitors, but keep your wits about you around town.

Once you’ve settled in, browse the restaurants in town and across in Livingstone.