National park
Zambezi National Park
Riverine park on Victoria Falls' doorstep: 40 km of Zambezi frontage and the separate Chamabonda Vlei drive, with fishing camps and platforms.
534 km² · 2 gates · 3 campsites · Run by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks)
About the park
Zambezi National Park joins Victoria Falls National Park (together about 56,000 ha) and runs upstream from town along 40 km of the Zambezi, with Zambezian and mopane woodland inland. It has two separate self-drive areas: the river drive, through the main gate about 5 km from town along Park Way Drive, with fishing and picnic spots on the bank; and the Chamabonda Vlei, a grassy floodplain with pans and overnight viewing platforms, reached through its own gate south of town. Elephant, buffalo, sable, kudu, giraffe and zebra are the regulars, lion and leopard are present but harder to find, and more than 400 bird species have been recorded, from African skimmer to Goliath heron. It makes an easy half-day or full-day outing from Victoria Falls, and bush camps, fishing camps and lodges let you stay the night. The road network is small, and gates shut at 18:00.
Highlights
- The river drive along the Zambezi above the Falls
- Chamabonda Vlei and a night on one of its viewing platforms
- Tigerfish and bream fishing from the bank or a fishing camp
- Sundowners by the river a few kilometres from town
Good to know
- About 56,000 ha with Victoria Falls NP; 40 km of Zambezi frontage
- Main gate about 4.8 km from town via Park Way Drive; separate Chamabonda gate
- Gates 06:00–18:00
- Fishing lodges, bush camps, ordinary camping and Chamabonda platforms
- Over 75 fish species in the river
Wildlife you may see
- African elephant
- Buffalo
- Sable antelope
- Greater kudu
- Giraffe
- Plains zebra
- Impala
- Lion
- Leopard
- African skimmer
- Goliath heron
- Tigerfish
Sightings are never guaranteed.
When to go
Open: 06:00–18:00
Best time: Dry season, roughly May to November, when game comes to the river
Gates
- Chamabonda Entrance GateOpen: 06:00–18:00Per person per day (2026): day visitors US$5 local, US$14 SADC, US$18 international; staying guests US$3/7/10. Vehicle US$10/day foreign plates (US$3 if staying), US$5 local. Chamabonda platforms US$25 local / US$35 international per person per night.Separate entrance south of Victoria Falls town for the Chamabonda Vlei drive and its viewing platforms.
- Zambezi National Park main gateOpen: 06:00–18:00Per person per day (2026): day visitors US$5 local, US$14 SADC, US$18 international; staying guests US$3/7/10. Vehicle US$10/day foreign plates (US$3 if staying), US$5 local.About 4.8 km from Victoria Falls town along Park Way Drive (Zambezi Drive). Pay and check in here before driving the river road.
Gate times change with the seasons: check with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) before you travel.
Campsites
- Chundu CampsiteBush camp4.5US$35 pp/night
- Kandahar CampBush camp4.6US$35 pp/night
- Sian Simba Exclusive CampsiteLodge camping4.5
Park fees
| citizen | US$5 per person day |
| citizen (any) | US$5 per vehicle day |
| regional | US$14 per person day |
| international | US$18 per person day |
| international (any) | US$10 per vehicle day |
2026 land day rate per person; overnight guests US$3 local, US$7 SADC, US$10 international; river users US$5/12/12. Vehicle US$10/day foreign plates (US$3 if staying), US$5 local.
Places to see
- Chamabondo Vlei Platform 1picnic spotViewing platform over the Chamabondo vlei, a seasonal marsh in the wilder southern part of Zambezi National Park.
- Leon's Picnic Sitepicnic spotThe first official picnic stop on the Zambezi River Drive, on the bank looking out over river islands.
- Mosi-oa-Tunya riverside picnic sitespicnic spotA string of numbered picnic sites on the Zambezi bank in the game section of Mosi-oa-Tunya, upstream of Livingstone.
- Zambezi River Drive Picnic Site 25picnic spotThe last numbered riverside picnic site at the western end of the Zambezi River Drive.