We visited the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe in October 2023 as part of our big Africa tour, specifically to see the falls.
Overview
We arrived from South Africa. Despite the extreme income inequality there, the moment you arrive here, you can immediately tell this is a poorer country. At passport control, they issue visas manually and write all your information by hand. No computers. The experience feels much more "Africa" compared to South Africa. There are more animals everywhere, roads full of goats and cows.
One of the strangest things was that despite being poorer than South Africa, it felt safer. This might not hold true deeper into the country, but the tourist areas at least feel secure. Apparently permanent income inequality erodes communities much more deeply than sheer poverty.
You can walk around the town of Victoria Falls comfortably in the evenings. Just watch out for the animals. Baboons roam the streets freely. Trains with old locomotives keep arriving in town, giving you the feeling of being transported to the 1950s. The hotels and cars are dated, but the people are very warm.
Food & Drink
Food and drink venues are a notch pricier than South Africa, since this area is more tourist-oriented. The beef sausages at breakfast here were excellent. Seems to be a regional specialty.
At a restaurant called Marula Cafe in the center, we had crocodile croquettes and ostrich fillet. Truly original flavors, we enjoyed them. They had "Zimbabwe wine" on the menu, which we excitedly ordered after confirming with the waiter. Turns out it was wine made in South Africa by a Zimbabwean. Didn't appreciate the deception for tourist-milking purposes, honestly.
Where to Stay
We stayed at Cresta Sprayview, a hotel spread across a large area. The rooms are a bit dated but the staff are very friendly.
One of the strangest things was hotel staff coming to set up mosquito nets in our room. Not sure where that custom comes from, but it felt very odd.
Tips & Advice
The area is close to the natural park on the Botswana side, so it hosts a lot of wildlife, so stay alert.