10 of the Best Adventure Activities at Victoria Falls (with videos)

What are the best adventure activities at Victoria Falls? With so many adventurous things to do at Victoria Falls, it can be tough to choose. But, the good news is there is bound to be something that excites you because there are so many options.

There are activities at Victoria Falls for all tastes and types - from the mildly adventurous traveler to the raging adrenalin junkie. That's why it's known as the Adventure Capital of Africa! 

Adventure Activities at Victoria Falls - bungee bridge

10 Best Adventure Activities at Victoria Falls:

1. Bungee Jumping at Victoria Falls
2. White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River
3. Helicopter & Microlight Flights over Victoria Falls - Flight of Angels
4. High Wire Activities - Zipline, Gorge Swing & Flying Fox
5. Devil's Pool - Swim on the edge of Victoria Falls
6. Tandem Skydiving at Victoria Falls
7. Zambezi River Canoeing Trips at Victoria Falls 
8. Victoria Falls Canopy Tours 
9. Abseiling at Victoria Falls 
10. Zambezi River Sunset Boat Cruises above Victoria Falls

• More Victoria Falls Activities

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To simplify things and save you time on planning, we've got two short Victoria Falls tour packages. The affordable Victoria Falls Budget Tour (Zimbabwe) and Victoria Falls Adventure Tour (Zambia). Both budget-friendly trips include a fantastic mix of exciting adventure activities at Victoria Falls. A helicopter flight over Vic Falls, a Zambezi canoe trip, Chobe safari (in Botswana), and more. 

Not sure? Take a look at the best adventure activities at Victoria Falls...

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1. Bungee Jumping at Victoria Falls

Top of the Victoria Falls adventure activity list: bungee from Victoria Falls Bridge. Then freefall 111m, with Victoria Falls nearby in the background. If anything is going to kick-start your adrenalin then it’s this bungee jump, one of the highest in the world! 

Watch a bungee jump in action (fast forward to 2:20 for the leap)!

About 50 000 people safely jump off Victoria Falls bridge every year. The safety record is 99.9% with one non-fatal accident in 2012.

Bridge Swing off Victoria Falls Bridge

For a similar mega-rush to the bungee jump, but facing the right way up and secured in a harness, try the Bridge Swing. Then there's the tandem bungee swing (bridge swing) into the gorge for double the fun.

Victoria Falls bungee jumping

2. White Water Rafting on the Zambezi River @Victoria Falls

One of the best places in the world for white water rafting, this is one of the not-to-be-missed adventure activities at Victoria Falls.

The British Canoe Union has ranked the Zambezi at Victoria Falls as Grade 5 river rafting with:

"extremely difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas".

Whitewater rafting down the Zambezi is definitely an adrenaline-inducing experience! Imagine hurtling down the 8m drop at the Stairway to Heaven rapid or down the three waves of Oblivion... not to mention the most infamous Commercial Suicide rapid rated 5 to 6 in difficulty.

Zambezi River Rafting at Victoria Falls

Choose from half-day to full- or multi-day rafting trips down the Zambezi River. You'll be navigating some of the best rapids in the world in the famous Batoka Gorge! 

The best time to go white water rafting at Victoria Falls is between July and February when the water levels are low. Whitewater rafting operations close shop around April to May depending on the rains.

3. Helicopter Flights over Victoria Falls - The Flight of Angels

An exhilarating helicopter or microlight flight offers the best views of the famous Victoria Falls. The views of the Smoke that Thunders (Mosi-oa-Tunya) and surroundings are spectacular! You'll see in the video below (skip to 5 minutes, to watch from take-off).

The thrilling flight over Victoria Falls gives you a bird’s eye view of the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Peering into a 108-meter deep chasm is sure to give you perspective on this huge natural wonder. You can also take helicopter flights upstream to do some game viewing from above.

“The Flight of Angels” gets its name from David Livingstone's description of the Victoria Falls waterfall when he first saw it. He called it a scene so lovely that it must have been "gazed upon by angels in their flight".

Victoria Falls helicopter flight

Microlight Flights over Victoria Falls

You can also do the Flight of the Angels at Victoria Falls in a microlight. This is a slower-paced trip with the wind blowing through your hair. Yet, micro lighting over Victoria Falls is said to be more thrilling, because of the open cockpit, smaller size, and less powerful engine.

4. High Wire Activities - Zipline, Gorge Swing & Flying Fox @ Victoria Falls

Take it a notch down with the hire wire activities at Victoria Falls. The tamest option, the Flying Fox zipline ride, is a good place to start.

Slide across the 200 meter-wide gorge about 120 meters above the floor or the gorge. For this daring cable slide, you are attached to a high-wire in a face-down position (like you're flying) or sitting in a harness. Although the Flying Fox is less hair-raising than the other high wire activities it still pumps up your adrenaline levels and delivers stunning views.

To take the fear factor up a notch try the longer zipline ride which runs 425m across the gorge, starting out at about 120 meters above the floor of the gorge. They say you reach speeds of up to 106 km's on the Zip Line Ride, as it runs downhill at an angle!

5. Devil's Pool -  Swim on the edge of Victoria Falls

Splash in a rock pool (Devil's Pool) on the very edge of Victoria Falls! This exciting and unique Victoria Falls activity is definitely one of the best.

You can take a guided trip to Devil's Pool from the Zambian side of Victoria Falls (see Livingstone tour departures). This is one of the best spots for marveling at Victoria Falls waterfall. Plus, splashing in the pool is a thrilling and invigorating way to admire the natural wonder.

The Devil's Pool activity is only done during the dry season (from about September to December) and/or when water levels are low enough for swimming. 

You take a boat to Livingstone Island (Zambia) above Vic Falls and from there you walk over rocks and swim to get to Devil's Pool. Once at the pool on the precipice you need to jump in from the rocks above it. The guides help keep you safe and can hold onto your legs as you lie over the rocky wall on the edge, peering into the misty gorge below. The drop from Devil's Pool is over 100 meters, so this activity isn't for the faint-hearted! 

6. Tandem Skydiving at Victoria Falls

The king of adrenalin activities at Victoria Falls. Forget the fear-triggering 100 meters of the bungee, zip line, and bridge swing. With skydiving, we are talking 10 000 meters! 

Take off from the Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe and fly over Victoria Falls in a small plane. On the way up you get to admire the breathtaking views of Devils Cataract, the Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls from above.

Then the plane circles back and then you (and your instructor) jump out, some 10 000 meters above ground level. Freefall at around 200kph until your parachute opens and you drift back down to the drop zone in Zambezi National Park.

7. Zambezi River Canoeing Trips at Victoria Falls

There are a few good operators offering canoeing or kayaking trips on the Upper Zambezi, above Victoria Falls. You can also try more challenging riverboarding, jet boating, and rafting options below the falls.

The Zambezi River Canoeing and Kayaking Trips are ideal for taking in the wild scenery and spotting hippos, birds, and other wildlife. You can opt for an easy, slow paddle for the whole family or crank it up with the white water options for the fit daredevil! Ask us for more info about the choices available.

8. Victoria Falls Canopy Tours

This one is perfect for families in search of a milder adventure for kids and seniors. Explore a network of nine elevated slides and a bridge walkway suspended between platforms in the forest canopy. The canopy tour is great for soaking up views of the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls Bridge & the spray of Vic Falls.

Victoria Falls rainforest activity by Flowcomm

Slide distances range from 40 to 85 meters and heights vary. The Victoria Falls Canopy Tour takes about two and a half hours. 

9. Abseiling at Victoria Falls

One of the softer adventure activities at Victoria Falls, also known as rappelling. Abseil 53m down Batoka Gorge! And take in the spectacular views of the Eastern Cataract of Vic Falls, with the Victoria Falls bridge in the distance and boiling pot rapids below.

10. Low-key Adventure: Zambezi River Sunset Boat Cruises above Victoria Falls

One of the best things to do at Victoria Falls is a Zambezi River Sunset Cruise. If you’ve seen photos of the sunset boat cruise then you’ll know why this activity is a real gem. The setting is magnificent and the sunsets are spectacular. 

Zambezi River boat cruise at Victoria Falls

The Zambezi boat cruise is a great way to unwind and relax, after skyrocketing your adrenaline levels on the more extreme activities. After an action-packed day, you get to sit back and sip on sundowners. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the banks and in the shallows of the Zambezi.

You can also join a smaller speedboat trip for a more intimate Zambezi River Sunset Cruise.

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These Top 10 Adventure Activities at Victoria Falls are by no means the only worthwhile things to do at Victoria Falls, the list definitely goes on... 

A few more Victoria Falls Activities...

Visit Victoria Falls Waterfall:

Don't forget to visit the impressive Victoria Falls waterfall. It's a must. Go witness (and feel) the spray up close and hear the thundering waters as they plummet into the narrow gorge below. 

Victoria Falls waterfall

Horse-riding Safaris at Victoria Falls:

A horseriding safari at Victoria Falls is another memorable adventure, especially for nature lovers. Riding a horse through the African bush on a safari at Victoria Falls is an unobtrusive way of game viewing. It also enables you to get to know the wild surroundings better.

Wildlife Safaris at Victoria Falls & Chobe Day Trips:

You can embark on game viewing drives in Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe or Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia. Night game drives are also offered in some of the private game reserves near Victoria Falls. Heading into the bush at night in an open 4x4 in search of nocturnal animals is a thrilling wildlife experience! 

Victoria Falls is however not a classical wildlife safari destination. The game parks at Victoria Falls are relatively small and not as wild and diverse as more famous game viewing destinations in the region. We recommend Zimbabwe's leading game reserve, Hwange National Park, for an authentic wildlife experience. Or head to the world-renowned Chobe National Park in neighboring Botswana. Chobe Day Tours are very popular and our short Budget Victoria Falls Safaris include day trips to Chobe Park.

Chobe lion safari from Vic Falls by Steven dosRemedios

Cultural Activities at Victoria Falls:

Cultural experiences on the Zambian side include Mukuni’s village and the Maramba market in Livingstone. In Zimbabwe, boma dinners with live dancing, story-telling, and musical performances make for memorable cultural experiences.

Please note: we advise travelers to avoid animal interactions. These unethical activities (walking with lions and riding elephants) have negative impacts on conservation. See The Essential Safari Anti-Bucket List - Things to Avoid & Helpful Alternatives for tips and guidance. 

With so many amazing activities at Victoria Falls, it is no wonder that this natural wonder is considered the Adventure Capital of Africa! 

Zambezi River canoe trip, Victoria Falls

Short Victoria Falls Package Deals - budget travel options

Our two short Victoria Falls budget tours are ideal for enjoying Victoria Falls adventure activities. The Victoria Falls Budget Tour (Zimbabwe) and Victoria Falls Adventure Tour (Zambia) include both laid-back and adrenaline-pumping activities:

• Zambezi River Sunset Cruise
• Cultural boma dinner & village tour
• Chobe National Park Safari
• Half-day Zambezi Canoeing Trip
• Victoria Falls Helicopter Flight of Angels

If you have more time, extend your Victoria Falls trip to make it a Hwange & Victoria Falls Safari. For more options see the Victoria Falls Budget Safaris & Tours with African Budget Safaris or speak to one of our travel experts.

Victoria Falls activities by Steve Jurvetson

Travel Tip: Book a budget-friendly Tailor-made Victoria Falls Safari

Tailor-made African Safaris have become an affordable option these days! We can create a bespoke private tour for you and your travel companion/s to suit your needs and wants.

Here's how tailor-made tours work:

• You tell us what you want and we do all the legwork. We use our in-depth knowledge and established relationships to design the best budget tour for you, short or long. 
• Our team can put together an itinerary with the activities and type of accommodation that you want. Be it for two, a small family, or a large group of travelers.
• Booking through us doesn't cost you a dime extra! We have longstanding partnerships with trusted tour operators and lodges that give us a commission so our advice is free.
• The travel experts at ABS have experience with tailoring tours for older travelers, honeymooning couples, you name it... all kinds of people from across the planet.

Talk to one of our African travel experts to arrange a tailor-made Victoria Falls Tour that's ideal for you.

Trustpilot review of Victoria Falls Safari by James Hopper