Victoria Falls International Airport: where to stay, areas and…

The Victoria Falls International Airport is 18 km south of the town of the same name, on the Zimbabwean side of the falls: it should not be confused with the airport of Livingstone, in Zambia, which serves the opposite bank of the river about 70 km away by road, with an international border to cross. Those landing at Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe, essentially choose between two kinds of stay: the town centre, 1-2 km from the falls and reachable largely on foot, or the lodges on the Zambezi river just outside town, more isolated and designed for those seeking nature and an all-inclusive resort rather than restaurants and shops within reach.

Centre of Victoria Falls

City centre · About 18-20 km and 25-30 minutes by taxi from the airport; once in town, the falls are 1.4-2.1 km on foot or a few minutes by car from the hotels in this area.

Best for: Those who want the falls, the shops and the restaurants of the town within walking distance or a few minutes away.

Pros

The falls, Elephant's Walk and the bridge over the Victoria Falls Bridge within walking distance or a short stroll
Supermarkets, bureaux de change and tour agency desks clustered on the same main street

Cons

The same 25-30 minute transfer from the airport as any other part of town
On the central streets, insistent offers of souvenirs and street currency exchange are common

Recommended hotels in this area

Cresta Sprayview Victoria Falls: On the corner of Livingstone Way and Reinhard Road, 1.4 km from the falls and a short walk from Elephant's Walk; fully renovated in 2013, with an outdoor pool and a poolside bar.
Batonka Guest Lodge: On Reynard Road, 2.1 km from the falls and on the quieter edge of the centre; 27 rooms in colonial style, a pool and a mongoose that reviewers say often wanders among the poolside chairs.

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Along the Zambezi and in the reserve

Neighbourhood · 25-27 km and about 25 minutes from the airport; from the river lodges the falls and the town centre are then another 5-15 minutes by car, with hotel shuttles at some properties.

Best for: Those looking for a resort on the river or inside a private reserve, with wildlife within view of the balcony, accepting a car or shuttle ride to town and the falls.

Pros

Riverfront or private reserve with wildlife observable from the property
Less traffic and street offers than the town centre

Cons

No independent shop or restaurant within walking distance: you depend on the property's restaurant
For the falls and the town centre you always need a car, a taxi or the hotel shuttle

Recommended hotels in this area

Elephant Hills Resort: On a hill 4 km upstream from the falls, with Zambezi views from the upper rooms; the area's only 18-hole golf course, home since 1991 to the Elephant Hills Open.
Azambezi River Lodge: The only hotel in Victoria Falls with its own jetty right on the riverbank, 5 km upstream from the falls, on the edge of Zambezi National Park; free shuttle to the town centre.
Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel: A boutique property of 16 suites inside a private reserve on Old Ursula Road, about 15 minutes from the falls; guided walks among the reserve's wildlife included in the stay.

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