Victoria Falls in the Green Season: Why February to May Is the Best Time You're Not Considering
Most travel advice for Victoria Falls points you toward June through October. Dry season. Lower water. Better visibility. Devil's Pool access. Rafting season.
And sure, those months are great. But they're not the best.
I've been during both seasons, and the green season — February through May, when the rains have swollen the Zambezi to its maximum — is the Victoria Falls experience that made me rebook my ticket for a second visit. Here's why.
The Water Volume Is Staggering
During peak flow, approximately 500 million liters of water per minute plunge over the 1.7km-wide basalt lip. Five hundred million. Per minute. The spray plume rises over 300 meters and can be seen from 50km away. The sound doesn't echo — it fills every space around you like pressure.
In the dry season, some sections of the falls slow to a trickle, and the eastern end can dry up almost completely. During green season, every meter of the 1.7km curtain is a solid wall of white water.
The Rainforest Walk — the 2km path with 16 viewpoints along the gorge rim on the Zimbabwe side — becomes something almost hallucinatory. The spray is so intense that some viewpoints are essentially standing under a waterfall. Danger Point, roughly halfway along, gets hit hardest. You won't see the falls from every angle (the spray is too thick at some viewpoints), but what you will see — glimpses of the cascade through walls of mist, with triple rainbows catching in every direction — is more dramatic than any dry-season photo.
Entry is $50 USD for international visitors. Open 6AM-6PM. Get there at opening. By midday, between the crowds and the spray, visibility drops further.
The Weather Isn't What You Think
Yes, it's rainy season. But "rainy" in Victoria Falls doesn't mean constant downpour. It means afternoon thunderstorms — usually 2-3 hours of dramatic sky, then it clears. Mornings are typically sunny and warm (25-32°C). The landscape is impossibly green, which contrasts beautifully with the red earth and blue sky.
The humidity is higher than the dry season, and malaria risk peaks (November through April), so prophylaxis is non-negotiable. Consult your doctor about Malarone or Doxycycline, use 30%+ DEET every evening, and sleep under treated nets. Hotels provide them.
But the temperature? It's warm. It's lush. And the dramatic cloud formations behind the spray plume make for better photos than a flat blue sky.
What's Open and What's Not
Let me be honest about the trade-offs.
Not available February-May:
Devil's Pool (Zambia side) — water is too high, it's closed until mid-August
White-water rafting — the Zambezi's Grade 5 rapids through Batoka Gorge are submerged. Rafting season is September to December
Some of the closer viewpoints on the Zambia side are impassable due to spray
Available and better than ever:
The Rainforest Walk at full power — this is its peak moment
The Flight of Angels helicopter tour ($190-250 USD) — the aerial view of the full spray plume is more spectacular than dry season. Book morning for less haze
Zambezi River sunset cruise ($55-75 USD) — the river is higher and wider, elephant and hippo activity along the banks continues
Chobe National Park day trips ($150-200 USD) — green season means baby animals and migrating birds. The 120,000+ elephant population is still there
The Victoria Falls Bridge activities — bungee jump ($160), zip line ($50), and bridge swing ($95) operate year-round
The Festivals and Events
The Vic Falls Carnival typically falls in late December/early January, but the energy carries into February. The town has a festival atmosphere as the water starts building toward its peak.
March brings the last of the tourist high season before the shoulder period. Hotels drop prices 20-40% compared to July-August peak. A $200/night hotel in July might be $130 in March.
April is shoulder season territory. Fewer crowds at every attraction. Shorter queues at the falls entrance. More availability on sunset cruises and helicopter flights.
May is when the water starts to recede, but it's still massive. The spray begins to thin just enough that you can see more of the falls' structure through the mist. Some people say this is the sweet spot — maximum drama with slightly better visibility.
The Green Season Budget Advantage
Victoria Falls town operates on USD, and prices for activities stay mostly fixed year-round. But accommodation drops noticeably.
Category
Peak Season (Jul-Oct)
Green Season (Feb-May)
Mid-range hotel
$150-250/night
$90-160/night
Luxury lodge
$350-600/night
$200-400/night
Flight of Angels
$190-250
$190-250 (same)
Sunset cruise
$55-75
$55-75 (same)
Falls entry
$50
$50 (same)
The activity prices don't change, but your hotel bill does. And you'll spend less time in queues, which means more time actually experiencing things.
What to Pack That Nobody Mentions
A waterproof phone pouch. Not optional. Your phone will be destroyed at the Rainforest Walk viewpoints without one.
A proper dry bag for your daypack. Everything inside your bag will get wet.
Two pairs of shoes — one that can get soaked (for the falls), one that stays dry (for evenings). Shoes with good grip on wet rock. Not flip-flops. The rocks at the viewpoints are lethal when slippery, and the barriers are minimal.
Quick-dry clothing. Cotton takes hours to dry in humidity. Synthetics or merino wool.
DEET insect repellent (30%+). Rain poncho — not for the falls (it won't help) but for the afternoon thunderstorms in town.
A waterproof passport holder if you're planning to cross to Zambia.
A Sample Green Season Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive VFA airport, transfer to hotel ($25 taxi). Sunset drinks at The Lookout Café on Batoka Gorge edge. Dinner at Mama Africa ($12-20).
Day 2: 6AM Rainforest Walk (the full spray experience). Afternoon helicopter Flight of Angels. Evening sunset cruise on the Zambezi.
Day 3: Cross to Zambia using KAZA UniVisa ($50, get it at the airport on Day 1). Zambia-side viewpoints ($20 entry). The Knife-Edge Bridge in peak spray is absolutely wild. Dinner at Zest, Royal Livingstone Hotel ($20-35).
Day 4: Chobe National Park day trip. Depart 7AM, return 6PM. $150-200 all-inclusive. Baby elephants in the green season. Another unforgettable African trek is climbing Kilimanjaro, best done January to March.
Day 5: Bungee jump or bridge activities. Afternoon at leisure. The Boma dinner & drum show ($45) — the signature Victoria Falls evening.
The Verdict
Dry season gives you Devil's Pool, rafting, and clear views.
For first-person accounts, read our three-day narrative at Victoria Falls. Green season gives you the raw, overwhelming, drenching, rainbow-exploding, 500-million-liters-per-minute version of Victoria Falls.
I've done both. And when people ask me which trip changed me, I don't hesitate.
It was March. It was soaking wet. And it was the most powerful natural thing I've ever witnessed.
Bring the dry bag. Bring the DEET. And don't be afraid of a little rain. For the complete trip planning checklist, check our 19 Victoria Falls tips guide.
