Victoria Falls is situated on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The area around the waterfall has a subtropical climate with two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season.

The dry season is from around April to mid-November. The season offers mild temperatures, while both the sky and the air are fresh and clear. The coolest time of the year is from May to August, when the nights in particular can feel a little chilly. It does not rain a lot between June and August. From September to November, it is hot, and humidity is generally low.

The dry season is from around mid-November to March. There is relatively little rain, but when it does rain, it is usually heavy showers or thunderstorms. There is a small risk of flooding caused by the rain.

The tables below show how the flow of water at the falls changes throughout the year, as well as provides weather statistics showing the temperatures and rainfall at Victoria Falls.

It goes without saying that you need to bring your passport with you.

When entering Zambia, your passport must be valid for 6 months past the duration of your stay.
You must also be in possession of a return ticket or an onward ticket to another country.

As a British citizen, you will be issued with a visa on your arrival in Zambia. It is a procedure that takes place at the airport at the same time as showing your passport. The customs officer fills in the form, and it doesn’t take long.

To give you the best possible tour plan, we will in some cases reserve flights to the city of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe instead of Livingstone in Zambia. If so, please be aware that you will need a visa for Zimbabwe. In this case we recommend a KAZA Univisa (purchased on arrival). It costs USD 50 and grants you permission to cross the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe for up to 30 days. Many hope to see the Victoria Falls from both sides, which you can do with a KAZA Univisa.

The visa regulations can be checked on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.

Prior to your departure, you can download our App here to find your travel documents and the contact details for TourCompass and our local partners.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

We recommend that you contact a medical specialist, your GP or an authorised vaccination clinic for information about vaccinations. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another country where yellow fever is present. Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. Your vaccination certificate should therefore always be carried with you in your hand luggage when you travel.

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate click here.

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

The local currency in Zambia is called the kwacha (ZMW).

We recommend that you use payment cards, as they are accepted everywhere. If you prefer cash, payment can be made with USD almost everywhere.

It is often possible to exchange from USD to ZMW at the hotels, as well as at cash machines, where you can withdraw ZMW. The hotels accept payment in pound sterling, South African rand and euro, but prefer USD or credit cards (VISA, Mastercard and AmEx).

Tips

Restaurants and hotels generally add a service fee of 10 per cent to the bill. Tips are not normally expected in Zambia. If you have received extraordinary treatment during your stay and wish to show your appreciation, it is perfectly OK to give a tip. Both USD and BWP are accepted.

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences into account when it comes to food, however it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

The standard voltage is 230 V and 3-pin plugs are used.

In the hotel descriptions on our website, you can see whether Wi-Fi is available at the hotels. Please note that the connection may be unstable.

Make sure you pack all your important and indispensable things in your hand luggage. This applies to items such as passports, visas, vaccination cards, travel documents, insurance documents, credit cards, money, computers, mobile phones and cameras, as well as information about your health and vital medicines.

We recommend that you pack light clothes for the safaris and that you avoid bright colours where possible. Bring long trousers and long sleeved shirts that protect against mosquitoes after sunset and, if necessary, against the sun during the day. Avoid bare feet and legs in the evening due to the mosquitoes.

Remember to bring a small torch and extra batteries in case of the occasional power cut.

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to smaller quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Please note that our tours are not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

We use many different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked baggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

If domestic flights are used in your programme, please note that your permitted baggage may be different from your overseas flight. It is usually always possible to buy extra luggage locally.

Please note that it is not permitted to bring hard-case suitcases for check-in on domestic flights. Your suitcase should be made of a soft material that is easier to pack. Nor are you permitted to bring trolleys as hand luggage on local domestic flights.

If you are flying via O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, please be aware that checked baggage must have at least one flat side and must not have long, loose straps (such as a backpack). If you are travelling with a round sports bag or a backpack with long straps, you should make use of the baggage wrapping service at the airport before checking in your luggage.

In the event that you’re flying on from Johannesburg to another destination in South Africa or in southern Africa in general, please note that in Johannesburg you may be required to collect your luggage from the baggage carousel, carry it through customs yourself and hand it in at the check-in counter again at either the domestic or international terminal, depending on your final destination.

Feel free to ask the airline staff at the airport at check-in whether your luggage can be checked in all the way to your final destination.

If your baggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the baggage reclaim area to report your missing baggage.

It is important that you have your baggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the baggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed baggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

Immigration:

On your arrival at your end destination, you have to go through immigration, You will be issued with a visa on entry, and you may need to show your return ticket Your passport, visa (if applicable) and any other entry documents are checked here. You may also be asked questions about your travel plans in the country and possibly where you are staying. In some places, both your photo and fingerprints are taken.

Customs:
After having collected your luggage on the luggage conveyors, you have to go through customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can proceed through “Nothing to declare”, but if you have something to declare, it is important that you go through “Declare”.

Remember, it is your responsibility to check the country’s customs regulations.

When you come out into the arrivals hall at the airport, you will be met by a guide/driver holding up a TourCompass sign with your name on it, who will make sure you get safely to your hotel.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Normal check-in is typically from 2 pm, and you cannot therefore count on getting your room earlier. If you’d like to check in early, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

When you check in, the receptionist will generally register your credit card and may reserve an amount. This is not an additional fee, but customary at hotels to ensure payment of any consumption from the minibar and the like. When you check out, the amount will be automatically released if you have not made use of this.

It is very normal for hotels to take a copy of your passport. In some places, this is a requirement of the local authorities.

Check-out is normally by 10 am. If you’re not travelling until the afternoon or evening, you can have your luggage stored until it’s time to leave. If you would like a late check-out instead, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, blocked roads or otherwise, it may be necessary to change the order of sightseeing tours and attractions in your itinerary.

We have a 24-hour emergency hotline so that you can always get in touch with us should anything unforeseen occur during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

Our livelihood depends on satisfied guests, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279 704 135