Overview–zambia

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park has two parts: the Victoria Falls World Heritage National Monument Site and Mosi-oa-Tunya Game Park. Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning ‘the smoke that thunders’, is an apt description of Victoria Falls, which is the world’s greatest curtain of falling water. The small game park is home to Zambia’s only white rhinos and tracking them on foot is an exciting addition to a safari.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to see Victoria Falls in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is from June to August. January and February are good months too. The water flow is at its peak in early May. At this time there is too much spray to see the falls. The best months are when the waterfall is spectacular with heavy flow, but not too much spray to obstruct visibility.

Wildlife viewing in Mosi-oa-Tunya Game Park isn’t influenced very much by the seasons. Elephants regularly move in and out of the park, as they can swim across the river. Their concentration in the park is highest in the dry months, from July to September.

May to October –Dry Season

June to August is the best time to visit Victoria Falls
Wildlife is easy to spot as vegetation is thinning out
It is usually sunny
There is less chance of catching malaria
May to August is cooler and the humidity is lower
Victoria Falls can get crowded
It is dusty and the sky is hazy
There is too much spray to see the waterfall in April and May

November to April –Wet Season

January and February are great months to see Victoria Falls
The landscape is lush and green
Newborn animals are present
Migratory birds can be seen – bird watching is at its best
The waterfall has little flow from October to December
The heat and humidity can become unbearable

Scenery

The park is situated along the bank of the upper Zambezi – one of Africa’s most impressive rivers – and it incorporates the world-famous Victoria Falls. The drive along the river offers stunning views of this mighty waterway, especially in the early morning, when a thick carpet of mist hangs above the water. When leaving the waterfront, the riverine forest gives way to mopane woodland and open grassland.

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Rates

From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: June to August (Best time to see the waterfall)

High Season

From: July to October (Busy and high-season rates apply)

Size

From: 66km² / 25mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park offers an easy opportunity to get close to many common animals that can be found in other parks and reserves around the country. You’ll see plenty of elephants in and outside the park in the Dry season, but the most compelling reason to visit this wildlife sanctuary is to track white rhinos on foot, a spine-tingling experience that may well become one of your trip highlights.

Wildlife Highlights

The small park doesn’t support any large predators (except for crocodiles). While this limits the variety of good sightings on a game drive, it also frees you up to focus more on less sought-after animals. Troops of vervet monkeys and chacma baboons provide endless entertainment. This is the best place to get up close to giraffes, which are not present in most other Zambian parks.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

As the park is small and contained, it is easy to see the animals at any time of the year. Elephants are seen in their biggest numbers from July to September but prefer Zambezi National Park across the river in the Wet season (November to April). The best time to see Victoria Falls is January and February and June to August.

General Wheather

The climate in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is hot, and the park experiences a Wet and Dry season. Being in the tropical zone, average temperatures tend to be rather uniform throughout the year. There is, however, an increase in the temperature during October, before the rains begin. It can get cold at night from May to August.

Dry Season –May to October

There is very little rain in the Dry season. The bush gets drier as the season advances. It is hot in the daytime, but cool at night.

May – This marks the commencement of the Dry season. The bush is still lush, and there is a lot of water around, but rainfall has become minimal.
June & July – The rain has stopped. June and July are the coolest months in the year – daytime temperatures are around 25°C/77°F. It is cold at night with average temperatures of about 9°C/48°F. Warm clothing for early morning drives is essential.
August & September – The bush is very dry as there is no rain. It is getting warmer as well. September’s daytime temperature is about 32°C/90°F. Mornings are getting warmer too.
October – Temperatures keep escalating and average 34°C/93°F. They can get much higher though, becoming unbearable in the daytime. The best time of day is in the morning, with temperatures around 21°C/70°F. The first rain usually falls at the end of this month causing temperatures to decrease.

Wet Season –November to April

This season maintains the heat and brings the rains. Afternoon showers are common, and so are impressive thunderstorms. The skies are clear, and the landscape is many shades of green.

November – If the rains haven’t already begun in late October, they should start in November. It comes as a relief because the bush is so dry. The average daytime temperature is 34°C/93°F, making conditions very hot. Rain mostly comes in afternoon thunderstorms.
December, January, February & March – These are the wettest months. It rains most days, but rarely all day. Daytime temperatures average 33°C/91°F, and at nighttime and in the early morning expect 17°C/63°F.
April – A great month for travel as the rain is winding down, but the land is lush and green.

Prons

Victoria Falls is one of Africa’s top attractions
Small game park with lots of animals 15 minutes from Livingstone
Self-drive or guided drives are available
An opportunity to see rhinos on foot

Cons

Very small park without large predators
Fenced wildlife area, lacking in wilderness appeal

How To Get There

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is located 4km/2.5 mi from Livingstone.

Most international visitors enter Zambia via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), located 14km/9 mi from the capital, Lusaka. You can also fly in or out of Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI), just outside of Livingstone and close to Victoria Falls.

Several lodges inside and outside the park offer game drives and walks. Self-driving in the park is an option too.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) or Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), and what tickets would cost.

www.skyscanner.com

Domestic Flights

Your tour operator is generally responsible for booking your charter flights between parks.

Proflight and Zambia Airways run scheduled domestic flights to Livingstone from Lusaka. Proflight offers connections to Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks too.

Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements

Please check our Getting There – Zambia page to learn more about passports, visas, COVID-19, and other entry requirements.