Victoria Falls

Is Victoria Falls safe?

Yes for most visitors, with risks that are unusual for a town. Victoria Falls is small, with 35,215 people at the 2022 census. This page covers the town on the Zimbabwe side of the falls. Livingstone, across the bridge in Zambia, is the other base and shares the river, the wildlife and the malaria.

The UK Foreign Office calls crime in Zimbabwe moderate, and none of the robbery hotspots it names are here. Zimbabwe's homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary was 6.8 per 100,000 in 2022 (UNODC), higher than in Tanzania, but that is a national figure for a country of 15 million. What sets Victoria Falls apart is the setting. Elephants move through the bush around town, the Zambezi below the falls is a powerful river, and good hospital care is limited. We score it 57, a little below Zanzibar (60) and well above Johannesburg (40).

Wild animals in and around town

On the morning of 22 April 2026, an elephant came out of the bush and attacked a 65-year-old Japanese tourist who was walking alone on Big Tree Road, a route visitors use often near the Big Tree. ZimParks said he was seriously injured, and rangers went after what they called a "problem elephant". The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says animal attacks have injured and killed visitors in Zimbabwe and that walking and canoe safaris carry real risks.

Practical rules:

• Do not walk alone on roads at the edge of town, and keep to busy routes.
• Give elephants and buffalo a wide berth. If one blocks the path, back off and wait.
• Do not swim in the Zambezi, and keep away from the riverbank unless you are with a guide.
• Book game drives, river cruises and canoe trips with licensed operators. The FCDO suggests checking with the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe.

Rafting, the gorge and adventure activities

Rafting and other adventure activities draw many visitors to the falls. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's Zambia advice says adventure sports in the Victoria Falls area have caused serious accidents and deaths. In November 2025, Zambian police said an American tourist, aged 68, drowned when his raft capsized at Rapid 7. In January 2026, Zambian police identified the body of another American tourist, recovered from the gorge.

Choose established operators, insist on a safety briefing, wear the helmet and life jacket, and check that your travel insurance covers each activity by name. Stay behind the barriers at the viewpoints.

Crime and money

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says mugging, pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common in Zimbabwe's city centres, especially after dark, and that street lighting can be poor. The FCDO names no hotspots in Victoria Falls, but the same habits help: carry little, keep phones out of sight, and take a hotel taxi at night.

Money causes more trouble than theft. US dollar cash is short, foreign cards do not always work, and many businesses want cash. It is illegal to change money anywhere but a bank or licensed bureau, so ignore street offers. Bring small US dollar notes, because change is rarely available, and do not accept torn notes.

Roads and health

Zimbabwe's Transport Minister told parliament in September 2025 that nearly 2,000 people die on the roads each year, about 13 per 100,000, and WHO's estimate is far higher. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists deep potholes, vehicles without lights, stray livestock and pedestrians, and calls driving standards very poor. If you drive from Hwange or Bulawayo, arrive before dark; the FCDO advises against driving outside towns at night. Avoid the minibus "combis".

CDC recommends malaria tablets for all of Zimbabwe. The FCDO says healthcare can be very poor outside the major cities, with shortages of drugs and staff, and that private clinics often want large cash payments before they admit emergency cases, even if you are insured. Carry insurance that covers medical evacuation and enough cash for a first payment. The tourist hurt by the elephant was treated at a private hospital in town.

The rainy season runs from November to April and can flood roads. See our Zimbabwe page for Hwange and the rest of the country.

How we scored it

Violent crime (70) is the strongest factor: no town data exist, but Zimbabwe's national rate is moderate and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary reports no crime hotspots here. Health (45) and traffic (45) are the weakest, because of malaria, cash-first clinics and deadly roads between towns. Wildlife and river risks sit in natural hazards (60). Night safety (55) follows our method outside Europe: the FCDO's warning about poorly lit streets sets the band, and Gallup's 40% for Zimbabwe puts it at the bottom. Confidence is low because there is no local crime or road data.