If you have been reading my posts (and here it is again if you haven’t!), you know that Dan and I took a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River when we visited Victoria Falls.  I found this tour to be extremely enjoyable, suitable for all ages and really a “must-do” when visiting Victoria Falls!  The above picture was taken from the Sunset Cruise.  The cloud/smoke in the background is water coming off the Falls!!

No need to book ahead of time.  All accommodations in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from hostels to the fanciest hotels, offer this tour, and you can generally book it the same day.  It costs about $60 US a person.  Wild Horizons, who did our transfer from the Livingstone Airport to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, seems to organize the Zambezi Sunset Cruise in Zimbabwe.

We purchased our tickets around noon for the Sunset Cruise later that evening.  Around 4:00 p.m. a Wild Horizons tour bus picked us and several other tourists up to head to the “port.”  The bus stopped at several other hotels to pick up guests.  When we arrived at the “port,” which is not much more than a boat landing, we filed down to the dock and boarded one of several boats waiting in the water.  Some boats are nicer than others, and which one you get is really based on luck.

We were lucky enough to get a seat on the top deck of one of the double decker boats!  We shared a table with the nicest Spanish couple!

Once on the boat, a server came around to take beverage orders.  Unlimited liquor, local beer, wine, water, juices and soda were available throughout the duration of the tour…well, until the boat runs out of a particular beverage.  Take note if you really want to to try something.  We had several drinks without a problem, and they only drink that they seemed to run out of was liquor.

Once under way, the servers brought around a shared appetizer tray.  The food was not great.

The boat set out about an hour before sunset.  We first rode up the Zambezi toward Victoria Falls, and then turned around about half-way through.  Below is me with a Zambezi Beer on the Zambezi River!

Along the way, the servers and captain are on the lookout for wildlife and point out animals throughout the tour.  Our first spotting were hippos!  So exciting!  We got so close!!

Our next spotting were elephants feeding on the river bank!  This was SO INCREDIBLE, and we were lucky enough to spot two other groups of elephants during the cruise.

Our final sightings were vultures and a crocodile!

It was really exciting to see these animals in the wild, especially since we had not yet done our safari!

Around sunset, everyone’s attention goes from animals to the gorgeous sunset! Note – this is when the booze starts running low!

We arrived back to the dock around 7, where we boarded the same bus and were taken back to our hotel, arriving around 7:15.

If you cannot tell, I really loved this Sunset Cruise and thought it was a worthwhile excursion!  I recommend it to anyone visiting Victoria Falls, and especially those not doing a safari!

Final Thoughts

Animal sightings are not guaranteed and it really comes down to luck!  You are more likely to see animals during the dry period, as when its dry, more animals come to the river to drink around sunset when the temperatures cool down.  During wet season, when we were there, they can find water elsewhere.

I would not recommend this tour in the rain.

The tour is appropriate for those of any age, including children and those with limited mobility.