Taxis are the main way visitors get around Livingstone. They have no meters, so you agree the fare before you get in. Most people combine taxis with lodge transfers and activity operators who collect you from where you are staying. Ride-hailing apps barely work here at the time of writing (late 2026), and there is no public transport aimed at visitors.
How Livingstone is laid out
Livingstone is spread out, and the distances are larger than they look on a map.
| From the town centre to | Distance | By car |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula airport | about 5 km | 10 minutes |
| Victoria Falls (Zambian entrance) | about 10–11 km | 15 minutes |
| Victoria Falls border post | about 10–11 km | 15 minutes |
| Riverside lodges on the Kazungula Road | about 10–40 km | 15–45 minutes |
| Kazungula border with Botswana | about 65–70 km | about an hour |
The town itself is a grid around Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, the main street, with the Livingstone Museum, banks and shops. Sisheke Road runs to the river. The falls are south of town. Lodges on the river are mostly upstream to the west, along the Kazungula Road.
Taxis
Finding one
Taxis wait at the airport, outside the larger hotels, at the falls entrance and along Mosi-oa-Tunya Road. The more reliable way is to ask your lodge or guesthouse for a driver they use, and keep his number. Many visitors end up using one driver for their whole stay.
Agreeing a fare
Agree the price, the currency and whether it is one way or return before you set off. Fares follow fuel prices, which have moved a lot in Zambia in recent years, so any figure you read online may be out of date. Ask your accommodation what a fair price is that week.
For a trip to the falls, agree a return fare with waiting time, or a pick-up time. Taxis are easy to find at the falls entrance during the day, less so late in the afternoon.
Pay in kwacha where you can. Many drivers take US dollars but will round in their favour.
Taxis into Zimbabwe
Most Livingstone taxis do not cross into Zimbabwe. Take one to the Zambian border post, walk over the bridge, and pick up a Zimbabwean taxi on the other side. The Victoria Falls border crossing guide explains how.
Activity pick-ups
Nearly every operator in Livingstone, from rafting to sunset cruises to Livingstone Island, includes a pick-up from town and the main lodges in the price. Check when you book, and confirm the time the evening before. If you are staying far upstream, ask whether there is a supplement.
Lodge transfers
Riverside lodges usually run their own vehicles. Some include transfers in the rate. Zambezi Dusk, for example, is on the Kazungula Road about 30 minutes from the falls, and includes airport transfers and activities organised from the lodge. If you are staying that far out, you will use taxis less, but it is a long walk to anything, so plan dinners in town in advance.
Minibuses
Shared minibuses run along the main roads and out towards the border and the townships. They are cheap and used by locals, but routes are not posted, they stop when full, and they are not designed for tourists with luggage. Fine for a short hop in daylight if you are confident; not the way to get to the airport.
Car hire
A few rental companies operate in Livingstone, some with airport meet-and-greet. Zambia drives on the left. A hire car is useful if you want to explore beyond town, drive to Kazungula or go further afield, but less so for the falls and town, where parking and police checks make taxis simpler.
If you do drive:
- Carry your licence, the rental papers and two warning triangles.
- Expect police checkpoints. Be polite, have your papers ready and ask for a receipt if you are fined.
- Do not drive at night. Unlit vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and animals all use the roads.
- Watch for elephants on the road between town and the falls, and on the Kazungula Road. Stop and wait; do not drive past close to them.
Walking and cycling
Central Livingstone is walkable in daylight. Walking along Mosi-oa-Tunya Road between the museum, the banks and the cafés is fine, and you will be offered curios on the way.
Walking to the falls or between town and the riverside lodges is a different matter. The roads are long, have no pavements in places, and wildlife moves through the area, especially near the national park. After dark, take a taxi even for short distances. The Livingstone safety guide has more on this.
Bicycles can be hired in town, and some guided cycle tours visit nearby villages. Riding on the main roads in traffic is less pleasant.
Planning your days
Group activities by area. Do the falls and Livingstone Island on the same morning, since both start from the falls; do town, the museum and the markets together; and keep evenings near where you sleep. The three-day Livingstone itinerary is laid out with this in mind, and where to stay in Livingstone compares town and riverside bases.
