Helicopter Flight over Victoria Falls with Hotel Pickup

Victoria Falls from the air

Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders, is a single curtain of water about 1,700 metres wide that drops up to 108 metres into a narrow basalt chasm. From the ground you see it in sections; from a helicopter you see the entire face at once, with the spray column rising high above the rainforest and, on sunny days, rainbows forming in the mist.

Your pilot flies loops over the falls in both directions, so whether you sit on the left or the right side you get clear views and photographs. Is a Victoria Falls helicopter flight worth it? For many travellers it is the single image that explains the scale of the falls, the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and the way the river disappears into the earth.

The upper Zambezi River and its islands

Above the falls the Zambezi is wide and calm, spreading into channels between wooded islands. From the air you see how the river flows peacefully across the plateau before suddenly plunging over the edge, one of the most striking contrasts on the continent.

The Zambezi runs for more than 2,500 kilometres from northwest Zambia to the Indian Ocean, and the falls lie roughly halfway along its course. Both flights include views along this upper stretch, where hippos and crocodiles live among the reeds and islands, and where you can see the towns of Victoria Falls and Livingstone on either side of the river. Look out for the tiny boats on the water and the line where the calm river suddenly turns white.

Batoka Gorge

Below the falls the river turns into a series of sharp zigzag gorges known as the Batoka Gorge. Each bend marks a former position of the falls: over thousands of years the water has cut back along fault lines in the basalt, leaving a chain of narrow canyons with cliffs more than 100 metres high.

On the 25-minute flight the helicopter follows the gorge downstream, giving you views of the rapids, the arched Victoria Falls Bridge spanning the second gorge and the green bush clinging to the cliffs. It is a Batoka Gorge helicopter view that few ground tours can match, and a favourite for photographers, especially when the low sun lights up the walls of the canyon.

Zambezi National Park

Zambezi National Park stretches for about 40 kilometres along the southern bank of the river upstream of Victoria Falls town. It was declared a national park in 1979 and protects riverine forest, teak woodland and grassland where elephants, buffalo, giraffes, sable antelope, kudu and zebra roam.

The longer flight returns low over the park, and the pilot points out herds of elephants walking to the water or hippos in the shallows. From the air the animals are easy to spot against the open grass, which makes this part of the flight a quick safari of its own and a great addition to any Victoria Falls itinerary. Keep your camera ready: the best sightings often last only a few seconds.

Planning your flight

Flights leave from a helipad a short drive from Victoria Falls town, every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 16:30. Morning flights often have the clearest air, while afternoon flights catch warmer light on the spray. The best time to visit Victoria Falls for aerial views is from about June to October, when the spray is lower and the face of the falls is visible; from March to May the river is at its peak and the spray cloud is enormous.

Government park fees and a fuel surcharge are paid in cash at check-in, so bring cash in small notes. Luggage and large bags are not allowed on board. The pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included, so the whole experience fits easily into a morning or afternoon.