Feedback on Victoria Falls visit please
 

We will be visiting Victoria Falls as part of a longer Southern Africa trip in April. We will be there for two nights, staying at the Ilala Lodge. Our plan is as follows:

Day 1
- Arrive in Victoria Falls from JNB
- Sunset cruise on the Zambezi on board the Ra-Ikane

Day 2
- Helicopter tour first thing in the morning (Is the 30 minute tour significantly better than the 15 minute tour, justifying the higher price?)
- Morning visit to the Zimbabwean side of the falls (Several suggested that this could be done in a couple of hours. Please confirm.)
- Walk across the Victoria Falls Bridge.
- Afternoon visit of Zambian side (How much time?)
- Tea or drinks at the Royal Livingstone Hotel
- View of lunar rainbow on the Zambian side (What are the evening hours? Would we need to be on a tour?)
- Walk back across bridge and view lunar rainbow on the Zimbabwean side (What are the hours? A tour necessary?)

Day 3
- Morning departure for Chobe

Please confirm whether or not this is doable, weather permitting. If there's time, we may want to visit the craft markets. We're not interested in the adrenaline activities.

Thanks.

We did a sunset cruise and thought it was only so-so, all we did was go back and forth for the tire time. No animal sitings on shores. We did just drinks and appetizers. A dinner package was available for more money. I'll have to check the make of company we used.

You need to check into the needed visas that are needed to go back and for between Zambia and Zimbabwe 2 times.

Thanks Debit. We are planning on getting a double-entry visa for Zimbabwe and a day trip visa for Zambia. If the Kaza visa gets reinstated, we'll get that.

Are you flying to Kasane? We did, from Vic Falls and the plane flew right over the Falls. I liked Livingstone..markets and museum.

My wife and I were there for only 1 night at the very end of March. The falls were so misty we really couldn't get very close, but that didn't bother me regarding the overall experience. We also stayed at the Ilala Lodge and we booked a sunset cruise through their tour desk. For my wife and me it was the highlight of our short stay. Though we saw hippos and a tree-hanging python, we most enjoyed the waterfowl that skimmed the river as the sun lowered....that and the numerous replacement Zambesi beers that appeared before me as I'd finish one (there were only 2 couples on our boat, drinks were included and the wait service was outstanding). Definitely a great memory.

Ekscrunchy, we are flying into Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, where we will be staying for two nights. From there we will be transferred by land to Chobe Under Canvas, where we will spend three nights. From there we will fly from Kasane back to JNB.

Sdb2, was your cruise on the Ra-Ikane? Did you like the Ilala?

Sorry, TP, I have no idea of the boat's name. Yes, I liked the Ilala and have often recommended it to those not wanting to break the bank.

Sdb2, thanks again.

Any additional feedback on itinerary? Doable?

We stayed at Ilala in October 2012. We liked it very much, and enjoyed the food as well. In fact, later in our trip, as part of a road transfer from Imbabala to Hwange, we stopped in Vic Falls for lunch at the Victoria Falls Hotel, and I was disappointed in their menu, compared to what we'd had at Ilala.

We walked to Vic Falls one morning and spent about 2 hours there. The water level wasn't terribly high, but that meant you could get closer without getting soaked. The views of the Falls are best from the Zimbabwean side. I think the only reason to see anything from the Zambian side would be to do the "Devil's Pool" experience. Just my opinion :-) I think the lunar rainbows only occur if there is a full moon?

There was an interesting crafts market sort of on the block "behind" the Ilala Hotel. It was really hot when we were there, and I have to admit, one of the nicest experiences we had was spending a couple hours in the pool @ Ilala. (and I am not normally the kind of traveler who does hotel swimming pools!)

Thanks uhoh. We will be there on a full moon - April 21 - lucky us! Appreciate your other advice.

Another quick note...I'm not sure what your expectations are, but Vic Falls surprised us by being such a small town. I guess I don't know what I expected...but it was smaller and more engaging on a personal level. Kind of like a "beach town" at home.

Thanks again uhoh. Honestly I don't really have much in the way of expectations of the town. Our primary reason to be there is to experience the falls.