Walking from Zam to Zim at Victoria Falls
 

We are planning to go to VF in Nov., staying on the Zambia side. It seems that the waterfall will be minimal, but better on the Zim side.

From what I have read here, we can just walk (or drive) across a bridge to the Zim side? Pay $100? Don't need a visa?

It also seems that the temps will be above 100 deg. Putting it all together, I'm not sure it will be worth going there with the <i>sole purpose of seeing the falls</i>.

Any info and advice?((*))

You should be able to get a day pass- I think it is still $10, and go to Zim. Then you will need to pay to get into the park there- $20?, or someone else is current on charges.

Have a look at Google Earth so you can get an idea of what you will be looking at. They have a high resolution shot of VF. Also if you enable the Tracks4Africa layer, you can see where the border posts are, the road, bridge, and trails in the VF Park with view points.

as of November 2006 price for Zim side of Vic Falls entry is still $20.00 U.S.

Do you have to go completely across the bridge or just walk halfway to get a good view of the Falls?

Go all the way across. That way you can tell your family and friends that you went to Zim also.

I was in Zambia last October and the Zam side of the falls was almost completely dry. I took a day tour of the Zim side and walked back. If you go all that way and don't see the falls it seems a bit of a wasted trip in my opinion.

I was in Zambia in Oct05. The group I was with didn't want to go into Zim and I didn't want to go alone. This picture http://www.pbase.com/cjw/image/51493563 is the only falling water we saw (there was one other place that was just a trickle). Since we didn't go I don't know what Zim looked like but I've heard it was much better than Zam.

I was very underwhelmed and I wouldn't go out of my way to see it if you only get to see what I saw (the Zambia side).

Thanks for the responses.

luan - Google Earth is impressive.

RBCal - Did taking the day tour of the Zim side make it worth it? Are you saying that if we don't go to Zim, we shouldn't go at all? Or...........

sundowner- The picture looked impressive. ((*))

Yes, I would say if you don't go to the Zim side it is not worth going, at least during the dry season. Personally I wish I had only seen the falls as a day trip and had spent more time on safari in Botswana. The game viewing is far superior in Botswana and the falls can be seen in a couple hours. Be prepared to be shocked at how desperate people are in Zimbabwe.

RBCal - just one more Q.-

Is it worth going to if we <i>did</i> go to the Zim side, meaning that there was adequate water going over the falls to make it interesting? Thanks ((*))

Luan - the tip about Google Earth's Megaflyover was much appreciated. We have trawled around GE for weeks and been excited with just the standard satelite stuff - but somehow had missed the detail of Megaflyover!

Vic falls was good - AND the Selinda area and parts of Namibia (Soussevlei particularly) are brilliant! There is one spot where a herd of Gemsbok (Oryx) are running and the detail is so clear and close! AMAZING ! :)

Thembi

When you open Layers on the left side of the GE Window, Do you have the Tracks4Africa checked in featured content? There are several different options available. Too many really, and they can sure clutter things without a little management.

Jed,
We went to Victoria Falls last October and stayed on the Zambia side. There was almost no water then and we decided to hire a car and go to Zimbabwe for a day. It was well worth the time/money; thundering water, very beautiful and a nice hike through the park there. Plus we had a marvelous lunch at colonial Victoria Falls hotel.

We were actually angry at our TA for not suggesting we stay in Vic Falls. He said the agency hadn't booked people into Zimbabwe for some time. But he never mentioned the tiny trickle on the Zambia side, or gave us the option, even with cavets about poltics and money hassels. (That said, not sure I would stay in Zimbabwe at this point what with the deepening Mugabe turmoil. But one day in Vic Falls seems safe enough. We hired our driver through our hotel, the Royal Livingston. I believe it cost us about $50, plus the visa fee, park entry ($20 as noted) and lunch (expensive, plus you have to pay American cash). Do be aware the the locals are much more agressive on the Zim side because of their dire straits, and the lady ticket taker at the falls appeared, tragically, to have full-blown AIDS, a fact of life in Southern AFrica. Bottom line: I'd say don't miss the Zim side.

Luangwablondes- Yes, have ticked the Mega flyover box after you previous posting. :)
You right about too many layers. I try to keep the view pretty basic unless I'm looking for something in particular.
Thought I had explored that GE menu thouroughly, but now I'm not so sure....

Thanks to all for the responses.

I spoke to my TA and he was unenthusiastic about VF and crossing over to Zam. So with great reluctance, we are looking into shifting those days to Namibia. ((*))

Jed~aren't you the customer? Shouldn't your TA do what YOU want no matter how unenthusiastic he/she is? It's YOUR trip, not your TA's and you should do what you want, or find another TA.

Hi Jed
You shouldn't miss out on the Falls if you're going all that way. General rule of thumb: Zim side is better Aug-Jan when river is low and Zam side is better Feb-Jul when river is high. Either way you can pick the best option for where you want to stay and go over to the other country if you want to see the Falls from that side. The Falls is only a half day or so visit. Visa fees obviously apply when travelling to another country as well as transport costs. Whichever side you stay/go to it is probably best to allow around $100 for transport, visa fees, entrance fees etc. to visit the other side. Might be a bit less or might be a bit more.

Jed, I'm with Matt. Unless your TA is going with you and paying for your trip, do what YOU want to do.

Thanks for that Treehugger. We're going to the Zam side in early July. I would have preferred the Zim side, as I've been to the Zam side, but my parents weren't happy going there given the current situation, and since they're paying, what they say goes :) I had thought that we'd probably be too late in the season for the Zam side to be that good, and was considering planning a day trip over to Zim when we were there, so it's very good to know that my parents will see the falls looking good even if I can't persuade them to go to Zim.

Again, thanks for the responses.

We are 2 couples, and going to VF was mostly my desire. The other couple was unenthusiastic about it, and my wife lost interest when she heard that the waterflow was low. And none of us <i>really</i> want to go to Zim.

So I was kind of outvoted. The advice from the TA was just the death blow.

My greatest regret is that when my grandchildren will ask me if I ever went to VF, I will just take a deep sigh and hang my head in shame. :'(

However, as I mentioned above, I am looking into Namibia. If that doesn't work out, we may still go to VF.