January is a month of change at Victoria Falls. The river is climbing back from its low point, the Zambian side is filling in week by week, and Devil's Pool is usually in its last days or weeks of the season. Locally it is hot, humid and wet, with storms most afternoons. Rates are among the lowest of the year and the falls are rarely crowded.
Water level and spray
The Zambezi's flood starts far upstream in Angola and north-western Zambia, so the water you see in January fell as rain weeks earlier. Early in the month the flow is still modest. By the end it has usually doubled or more, though it is a long way from the peak in March and April.
From Zimbabwe, the main falls and Devil's Cataract are full and photogenic, with enough spray to dampen you on the viewpoints nearest Main Falls but rarely enough to block the view. On the Zambian side, the stretch from Livingstone Island to the Eastern Cataract is the part to watch. In a normal year it goes from separate ribbons of water on dark basalt in early January to a broken curtain by the end. If you visit in the first fortnight, the Zimbabwean side is the better view; see Victoria Falls: Zambia or Zimbabwe for how to see both.
Weather
Expect highs of about 31°C, lows of about 20°C, and roughly 170 mm of rain over 15 or so days. Humidity usually sits around 75–80%, which makes 31°C feel heavier than the same reading in October. Mornings are often clear and bright. Cloud builds after midday, and a storm arrives in the afternoon or evening, sometimes hard enough to stop boats and flights for an hour. Full days of rain happen but are uncommon.
Dirt roads in the national parks get muddy, and some game drive routes close after heavy rain.
What's open
- Devil's Pool and Livingstone Island. The swim usually closes some time in January, but the date moves every year with the river. Some years it holds into early February; in others it shuts before New Year is over. When it closes, operators often switch to Angel's Pool for a few weeks, and the island tour itself continues. Book with a flexible plan and check the week before. More on the island in Livingstone Island.
- Rafting. January is usually the changeover month. The low-water run through rapids 1 to 21 often continues early in the month, then operators move to a shorter high-water trip starting further down the gorge as the river rises. The exact switch depends on the level, not the calendar.
- Lunar rainbow. There is usually not enough spray yet on the Zambian side. Occasionally one shows on the Zimbabwean side around the full moon late in the month, but do not plan around it.
- Flights, bungee, gorge swing, sunset cruises. All run as normal, weather permitting. Book flights early in your stay in case a storm cancels one.
Wildlife and birding
The bush is at its greenest and thickest, which makes game harder to spot. Animals no longer need the river, so they disperse inland, and elephant sightings along the upper Zambezi drop compared with the dry months. Hippos and crocodiles are still easy to find, and many antelope have young around now.
For birders, January is very good. Summer migrants such as woodland kingfishers, European bee-eaters and various cuckoos are present and calling, and many resident species are breeding in full colour. A morning on the upper river from a boat is the easiest way to see a lot in a short time. Rock pratincoles, which nest on rocks exposed above the falls in the dry season, usually leave once the water covers their sites.
Crowds and rates
After the busy festive fortnight ends, usually around 5–6 January, Livingstone goes quiet. Most lodges are on green-season or low-season rates from January to March, and some offer stay-longer deals. Activity operators have more space, so you can often book a day or two ahead. Restaurants and the falls themselves are calm.
What to pack
- A light rain jacket or compact umbrella for the afternoons.
- Quick-drying, breathable clothes. Cotton stays damp for a long time in this humidity.
- Sandals or shoes that can get wet.
- Plenty of insect repellent with DEET or picaridin. Mosquitoes are at their most active in the rains, so talk to a travel clinic about malaria tablets; our health and malaria guide has the background.
- A waterproof phone pouch if you plan to visit the Zimbabwean side near Main Falls.
Go if, skip if
Go if you want the last chance at Devil's Pool with low prices and few people, you are a birder, or you like dramatic skies and green landscapes. Early January gets you the end of the low-water season; late January gets you a falls that is noticeably fuller.
Skip if you want the classic full curtain on the Zambian side (wait for March to July), or if heat plus humidity wears you down. If you need guaranteed dry days for a wedding or a big photo shoot, January is a gamble.
Where to base yourself
On a wet afternoon you will spend more time at your lodge than you would in July, so the setting matters more. Staying on the river upstream of the falls means morning boat trips before the storms build; lodges such as Zambezi Dusk run guided boat safaris from their own bank. Our where to stay in Livingstone guide compares the areas.
For the whole year at a glance, see Victoria Falls weather by month and the best time to visit Victoria Falls. The month before is Victoria Falls in December; the month after is Victoria Falls in February.
