From Cape Town to Victoria Falls, the simplest option at the time of writing (late 2026) is a direct flight of about three hours. Airlink flies direct to Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe, and Livingstone on the Zambian side has had direct Cape Town services from Kenya Airways and Proflight Zambia. On days without a direct flight, you connect in Johannesburg. The distance is about 1,900 km as the crow flies, and driving it is a multi-day expedition.
Direct flights
Direct flights between Cape Town and the falls have been patchy over the years, with routes launched, cut and relaunched. In 2026 the picture improved.
Cape Town to Victoria Falls (VFA). Airlink started a direct service in 2026, and flight schedules list it as a daily morning departure arriving around lunchtime. Kenya Airways has also been listed on the route.
Cape Town to Livingstone (LVI). Kenya Airways has run a service linking Cape Town, Livingstone and Nairobi on a few days a week, and Proflight Zambia lists Cape Town among its Livingstone destinations. These are less frequent than the Johannesburg flights and can change by season.
Check the airlines' own sites rather than flight-comparison listings, which sometimes show routes that have been suspended or are only flown in certain months.
Via Johannesburg
If the direct flight does not suit your dates or is full, there are several flights a day from Cape Town to Johannesburg, and onward flights from O.R. Tambo to both falls airports. Total journey time is usually five to seven hours.
Book both legs on one ticket if you can. It protects you if the Cape Town flight is delayed, and your bags go through. On separate tickets, a domestic arrival at O.R. Tambo means walking from the domestic to the international terminal, checking in again and going through emigration. Allow three hours at least. The Johannesburg to Victoria Falls guide covers the onward flights and airlines.
Which side to fly into
The direct flight to Victoria Falls Airport is the most reliable at the time of writing, which makes it tempting even if you are staying in Zambia. Before booking it, add up the extras:
- A Zimbabwe visa, or the KAZA UniVisa for both countries, if your passport needs one.
- About an hour by road from Victoria Falls Airport to the bridge and through two border posts, more if there is a queue.
- A transfer that costs more than a short run from Livingstone airport.
If you are staying on the Zambian side, a direct flight to Livingstone, or a connection via Johannesburg to Livingstone, is often simpler overall. If you are staying in Victoria Falls town, fly to Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls: Zambia or Zimbabwe helps decide which side to base yourself on.
Combining Cape Town and the falls
Cape Town and Victoria Falls are a common pairing, and the seasons work in your favour. Cape Town's wet, cool months run from about May to August, which is when the Zambezi is high and the falls are at their most dramatic. From September to April, Cape Town is at its best and the falls are lower but clearer, with Devil's Pool usually open from around mid-August.
Three or four nights at the falls is enough for most people. Go to the falls first if you are flying in from overseas via Johannesburg and out of Cape Town, or the reverse; an open-jaw ticket on the long-haul flight saves a domestic leg. The Cape Town and Victoria Falls itinerary lays out a full trip.
Practical points
- Passport pages. Leaving South Africa, entering Zambia or Zimbabwe, and crossing between the two can use several pages quickly. Have at least three blank pages.
- Cash. Bring US dollars in small, clean notes for visa fees and tips. South African rand are not much use in Livingstone.
- Bags. Regional jets have small overhead lockers. Soft bags pack better if you are moving on by light aircraft to a safari camp afterwards.
- Malaria. Cape Town has none; the falls area does. Speak to a travel clinic before you go. See health and malaria at Victoria Falls.
Arriving
At either airport you clear immigration and customs in a small terminal, which is usually quick unless two flights land together. Transfers are short. On the Zambian side, lodges upstream along the river, including Zambezi Dusk, usually meet guests at the airport as part of the stay.
Driving: why most people don't
The road distance from Cape Town to Victoria Falls is well over 2,500 km, through either Namibia and the Caprivi Strip or Johannesburg and Botswana. It is a route for overlanders with a week or more, a well-prepared vehicle and an interest in Namibia or Botswana along the way. If you are flying into Cape Town on holiday, it is not a sensible way to reach the falls.
