Vic Falls 2023 — Zim vs Zam after the floods

February at Victoria Falls is peak water. 2023 was exceptional.

The Zambezi River flows from its source in northwestern Zambia southward through Zambia and along the Zambia-Zimbabwe border before dropping 108 metres at Victoria Falls. Peak flow occurs from April to May, following the rainy season upstream. February is in the build-up phase — water levels are rising fast but have not yet reached the April maximum.

In February 2023, the Zambezi was running at approximately 8,000 cubic metres per second — notably above the long-term February average of around 5,000 m3/s. The previous two rainy seasons had been wetter than normal across the Zambezi catchment, and the cumulative effect was apparent. The spray plume from the Falls was visible from thirty kilometres away. The rainforest on the Zimbabwe side was saturated, and the path to several viewpoints was temporarily closed due to dangerous water levels on the rock surface.

We spent three days in February 2023: two nights in Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe, and one night in Livingstone, Zambia. The comparison between the two sides during this high-water period was more pronounced than at any other time we have visited.

The Zimbabwe side in high water: the mist problem

The Zimbabwe side offers most of the main Falls viewpoints: Devil’s Cataract, the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls, Danger Point, and the Knife Edge Bridge. In normal water conditions (August to November), all of these are accessible and offer direct views of the various sections of the Falls curtain.

In February 2023 with elevated Zambezi flow, approximately half the Zimbabwe viewpoints were inaccessible due to spray. The mist at Main Falls viewpoint was heavy enough that you could not see the Falls from the viewing platform — the spray was horizontal and the sound was physical. Visitors were wearing full waterproof gear, provided by the guides, and still emerged completely wet from fifteen minutes at the platform.

This is not necessarily a bad experience. The scale of what you cannot see — the wall of white noise, the saturated air, the water pooling on the path — communicates the scale of Victoria Falls more effectively than any view from a dry lookout. But it is not the postcard image and visitors expecting to photograph the Falls clearly are disappointed.

Devil’s Cataract, which is at the western end of the Falls and lower than the main curtain, remained viewable in February 2023 with moderate spray. The rainforest walk along the Zimbabwe bank is the best-maintained section of the park and worth doing regardless of water level.

The Zambia side in high water: the Knife Edge advantage

The Zambia side offers fewer viewpoints than Zimbabwe but has the Knife Edge Bridge — a narrow walkway over the gorge below the Eastern Cataract that offers an upstream view toward the main Falls curtain. In high water, the Knife Edge is the best available panoramic view: you are looking into the Falls rather than standing below them, which reduces the spray problem significantly.

The Zambia side also includes access to Livingstone Island from August to December only — the island that sits at the lip of the Falls and from which Devil’s Pool is accessed. In February, Livingstone Island is underwater. This is a critical seasonal constraint: if swimming in Devil’s Pool is a primary motivation, February is wrong.

A guided tour of Victoria Falls covering both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides is the most efficient way to see what is accessible on a given day — a local guide will know the current conditions and route visitors accordingly.

The practical comparison

For photography: Zimbabwe side in August to November (dry season, clear views, less spray). Zambia Knife Edge Bridge at any time for upstream panorama.

For Devil’s Pool: Zambia side, August to December only. Non-negotiable seasonal constraint.

For accommodation: Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls town has a wider range at mid-price. Livingstone, Zambia is smaller and has skewed toward high-end lodges in recent years.

For wildlife: Chobe National Park day trip from either side requires crossing into Botswana — the logistics are similar from both Vic Falls town and Livingstone.

For the helicopter flight: Departs from both sides. The Zimbabwe-side helipad is marginally more convenient from Victoria Falls town. Operator quality on both sides is comparable; book with an established name (Batoka Sky or similar) rather than the cheapest option you find on arrival.

The single recommendation

If the trip has one day and one priority: go to the Zimbabwe side in the dry season (August to November) and include the helicopter flight. If the trip has three days and a high-water visit is the reality, include the Zambia Knife Edge for the panorama and accept that the Falls-at-full-force experience requires waterproof gear and a tolerance for not seeing clearly — which is, genuinely, its own form of extraordinary.

The Flight of Angels helicopter over Vic Falls is the one activity that functions equally well at any water level, because the view is from above rather than from the spray line.