What to Pack for Victoria Falls (By Season and Activity)

what to pack for Victoria Falls is tricky. You have to pack warm clothes even if you are visiting the site in the dry season, as the evenings might be chilly. 

Besides that, each of the activities at the Falls requires different outfits. You want to ensure you have all the required clothes without carrying a truckload of luggage. 

To help you, we’ve created a detailed guide to help you determine what to pack for Victoria Falls trip. This guide also indicates the appropriate outfits for different seasons and activities.

Let’s dive in. 

Recommended Packing List for Essentials

Clothes

• Breathable cotton t-shirts and long-sleeve shirts
• Windbreakers or waterproof jackets
• Fleece jackets for cool weather
• Some pairs of khaki trousers
• Shorts 
• Swimsuit
• Casual long dresses for evening wear (ladies)
• Jersey
• Black, dark green, and navy blue clothes for safaris
• Wide-brimmed hats and caps
• Scarf and bandana

Footwear

• Flip flops for hotel pools
• Sneakers and sandals
• Lightweight boots
• Hiking and anti-blister socks

Accessories

• Camera and binoculars
• Memory cards
• Sunglasses
• Power adapter and portable charger
•  Lip balm
• Hand sanitizer
• Reusable water bottle 
• Wet wipes
• Bathing soap for people with sensitive skin
• Day packs 
• Insect repellent cream
• Sunscreen (SPF50+)
• Anti-malaria tablets
• First aid kit, especially for families with kids

Documents and Cash

• Travel Insurance
• Passport and visas
• Yellow Fever and COVID-19 vaccine certificates
• Credit cards
• Local currency 

Understand the Climate and Season in Victoria Falls

Like many African destinations, Victoria Falls has two seasons — the dry season, which falls between May and October, and the raining season, usually between November and April. 

You would expect the dry season to be filled with hot, sunny days, but this isn’t always the case you must consider what to Pack for Victoria Falls. You can have a brief drizzle in the mornings and even experience cold nights during this season. In fact, the coldest month in Victoria Falls is July, which is in the middle of the dry season. 

Likewise, hot afternoons occur regularly in the rainy season.

As the weather in Victoria Falls is quite unpredictable, it’s best to pack for both hot and cold weather, irrespective of when you’re visiting. 

We compiled recent weather data to help you understand the climate in Victoria Falls across each month:

Month	Temperature	Weather
January	21°C – 29°C	Pleasant – Slightly warm weather
February	20°C – 29°C	Pleasant – Slightly warm weather
March	19°C – 30°C	Mild cool – Hot weather
April	17°C – 28°C	Slightly cool – Slightly warm weather
May	12°C – 28°C	Cool – Slightly warm weather
June	9°C – 26°C	Chilly – Mild sunny weather
July	9°C – 25°C	Chilly – Mild sunny weather
August	12°C – 28°C	Cool – Slightly warm weather
September	16°C – 32°C	Slightly cool – Scorching hot weather
October	20°C – 34°C	Pleasant – Scorching hot weather
November	21°C – 33°C	Pleasant – Scorching hot weather
December	21°C – 31°C	Pleasant – Scorching hot weather

Pack lightweight long-sleeved cotton shirts and cotton pants for hot weather. You’ll also need sunscreen to protect you from sunburns in the tropical weather. 

Wearing a wet bandana around your neck could help your body fight the heat. So, don’t forget to fit some bandanas into your luggage.

 Rain jackets, jerseys, woolen hats, gloves, and khaki pants are great for touring Victoria Falls in cold weather.

Packing Guide for Specific Activities

1. Victoria Falls Tour:

 Pack a T-shirt and trousers for your stroll across the Falls. For footwear, stick to sneakers in cold weather and sandals for warmer temperates. You’ll also need a raincoat to prevent your clothes from getting drenched by the water spilling from the Falls. 

Ladies who want to feel feminine can opt for a dress and rain jacket. Just make sure the dress is long enough to protect your skin from bugs. 

2. Victoria Falls Bridge Tour: 

All the clothes we’ve recommended for the waterfall tour are applicable here. But you’ll need to lose the rain jacket, especially if the weather is scorching hot. 

3. Swimming in Devil’s Pool

A swimsuit, a kimono, and sandals are the perfect outfit for a dip in Devil’s Pool.

 But you’ll also need to bring a tank top and shorts for your walk to the pool. 

4. White Water Rafting

Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls, Even if the weather is hot, it’s best to dress warm for white water rafting. The coolness of the water is bound to relieve whatever heat you’re feeling. 

Choose a wetsuit for the top layer of your outfit. For your bottom layer, go for nylon or polyester clothing. These materials will keep you warm even when they get wet.

 Make sure your shorts have zippered pockets, so you can keep your credit cards in them.  

A pair of wetshoes or sandals is an excellent idea for rafting footwear. You can also add sunglasses and a baseball cap to your outfit.

5. Helicopter Flight

Wear lightweight cotton shirts and tailored pants for your helicopter tour of Victoria Falls. You can also bring a light sweater or jacket, in case the weather becomes cooler at high altitudes, its very important to know what to Pack for Victoria Falls. 

A pair of closed-toe shoes is necessary, Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls, as you’ll need to walk over uneven terrain while boarding the helicopter. We also recommend that you pack sunglasses for this trip. You need them to protect your eyes from the sun and the wind.

6. Wildlife Viewing or Safari

You need neutral-colored clothing like black, navy blue, or dark green for your safaris. Bright-colored outfits, such as white or yellow, will attract the attention of animals. You should also stay away from brown clothes, as they tend to be magnets for bugs and other insects. 

A long-sleeved shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, trousers, and comfortable walking boots are a must for safaris. Don’t forget to dab lots of sunscreen before venturing outside. You should also have your camera handy, so you don’t miss capturing beautiful animal sightings, understanding what to Pack for Victoria Falls is very important.

7. Sunset Cruise

A T-shirt or a lightweight cotton shirt and pants are fine for a sunset cruise. Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls, If the weather gets chilly during the cruise, you’ll need a windbreaker jacket or warm sweater.

8. Bungee Jumping 

Pack fitted athletic wear and running shoes. Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls, Avoid loose clothes, as they could hang onto the bungee cord and cause an injury. 

9. Ziplining

Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls, The best outfits for ziplining are long shirts and pants or leggings. Wearing a crop top or pair of shorts is a bad idea, because they’ll ride up your skin when your harness is tightened around your body.

If you are ziplining on a hot morning, choose moisture-wicking materials like wool or polyester. These materials will help you stay cool during the activity. 

Closed-toe shoes are a must for ziplining. Make sure they are cinched tight on your feet so they don’t fall off. 

10. Boma Dinner

The dress code at Boma Dinner is casual. So, a shirt, pants, and dressy shoes will work fine for the event. Its very important to consider what to pack for Victoria Falls.

What Luggage to Pack for Victoria Falls.

If you plan to spend several days around Victoria Falls, you’ll need a decent amount of outfits to enjoy your time. Nevertheless, you can’t afford to haul your load around in heavy suitcases. 

If your bags are too heavy, they might flout your airline’s luggage restrictions. The permissible luggage size per bag in most airlines is 20kg or 23kg. The maximum dimension for each bag is 62cm long × 25cm wide × 30cm high. You can take as many bags as you want as long as they fit these specifications.

So, what luggage should you use?

• A carry-on luggage for solo travelers or one each for couples. 
• Families with kids would need kids’ luggage, alongside the standard suitcase for adults. 
• Backpackers should consider the essentials in the list and make enough allowance in their backpacks. 
• A daypack for carrying essential tourist bits like cameras, chargers, and sunscreen.
• A money belt for carrying credit cards and cash.

Packing Hacks

This section covers tips that will help you manage the space in your luggage:

• Compress your clothes into zippable packing cubes.
• Roll your clothes into a cylindrical format.
• Wear your heaviest clothes on your way to the airport.
• Place the heaviest items in your luggage at the bottom. This will make it easier to zip up the luggage. 
• Use the laundry service at your hotel. Wash and repeat outfits that are appropriate for a variety of activities.

This video contains more helpful packing hacks:

Additional Tips to Note

• Camouflage is prohibited in Victoria Falls. So, avoid packing them in your luggage. 
• The dress code in Victoria Falls is casual. You can even wear a cotton shirt and harem pants to the restaurant at your hotel.
• The US Dollar is widely accepted in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. You’ll only need the Zimbabwean dollar if you want to buy goods in a local supermarket. 
• If you’d like to visit neighboring countries like Zambia and Botswana during your trip, you can exchange your dollars for local currency inside the country. 
• Get a Visa or MasterCard debit card before you go to Victoria Falls. You might be unable to use your American Express credit card at the Falls.
• Before you travel to Victoria Falls, it’s important to get comprehensive travel insurance that covers hiking, zip lining, white water rafting, and any other activities you’ve planned for your trip.
• You’ll also need medical insurance, in case you need to be medically evacuated.
• If you’re a US or Nigerian citizen, you can apply for a visa on arrival at a Zimbabwean airport. Tourists from East African countries like Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania can visit Victoria Falls for 1 – 3 months without a visa. 
• Visitors from Arabian countries like Iran and the UAE must apply for an electronic visa before the trip. 
• You need to get a yellow fever certificate if you’ve visited risk zones. Although the yellow fever virus is rare in Zambia and Zimbabwe, it occurs frequently in many African countries. The majority of South American countries are also high-risk zones for yellow fever. 

Thinking of Booking a Hotel?

Once you’ve packed your luggage and acquired the necessary documents, you might be thinking of where to stay during your trip. 

Discover the best hotels and lodges in Victoria Falls.

February 28, 2024