July is the month most experienced visitors would pick for a first look at Victoria Falls. The water is still high, the spray has dropped enough to see the falls properly from both sides, and the weather is dry and sunny every day. It is also the coldest month of the year, with nights near 7°C, and one of the busiest, as northern and southern hemisphere holidays overlap.
Water level and spray
The river is still well above its yearly average but falling. In a normal year the whole width of the falls is under water in July, though the eastern end of the Zambian side starts to break up into separate streams by the end of the month. The rainforest path on the Zambian side gives clear views across the gorge for most of its length; at the Knife-Edge Bridge you get a damp misting rather than a drenching, unless the wind turns.
From Zimbabwe, July gives the classic photograph: a full Main Falls, rainbows in the gorge in the morning, and enough spray for atmosphere without blotting out the view. For many photographers this is the best month on that side.
Weather
Expect highs of about 26°C and lows of about 7°C. It almost never rains. Humidity is low, usually around 40–45%, and the sky is clear blue. The low comes just before dawn, so an early boat or open game vehicle can feel close to freezing with the wind. By 10:00 it is warm, and by midday it is T-shirt weather. Evenings by the river cool fast once the sun goes, at about 18:00.
What's open
- Livingstone Island. Tours are usually running by July. Angel's Pool often operates in July and August before Devil's Pool opens, giving a similar swim at the lip but in a more sheltered spot. Devil's Pool itself normally opens around mid-August. All of these depend on the water each year. More on the trip in Livingstone Island.
- Rafting. Operators are usually back on the river, typically on a high-water trip at first, moving towards the longer low-water run as the level falls in late July and August.
- Lunar rainbow. Still possible around the full moon, though the spray on the Zambian side is thinner than in May and June. The Zimbabwean side usually has the better chance.
- Flights, bungee, gorge swing, zipline, jet boats. All running. Calm, cold mornings are best for flights.
- Safari day trips. Chobe, a short drive into Botswana, is good in July and getting better as the dry season goes on.
Wildlife and birding
The dry season is well under way. Pans away from the river are drying, so animals move towards the Zambezi. Elephant herds swim and wade to the islands upstream of the falls, especially in the afternoons. Buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck and baboons are common along the banks. In Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the grass is short enough to see game easily.
As the water drops, the first rocks above the falls appear, and rock pratincoles usually arrive to nest on them from about July. You can see them from boats on the upper river and from the Zambian side above the lip.
Crowds and rates
July is high season. South African school holidays usually run from late June to mid-July, and European and North American visitors arrive throughout the month. Lodges are on peak rates and the best ones book up months ahead. Helicopter flights, rafting and island tours fill early, sometimes a week or more ahead. The falls themselves get busy from mid-morning, so arrive at opening, about 06:00, for quieter paths.
What to pack
- A proper warm layer: fleece, light down jacket, beanie and gloves for early starts.
- Long trousers and closed shoes.
- A light poncho for the Zambian side, though you may not need it.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for the middle of the day.
- Insect repellent for evenings, and malaria advice from a travel clinic. Mosquito numbers are at their lowest, but malaria is present year-round.
Go if, skip if
Go if you want to see a full falls clearly, enjoy dry, sunny days, and want to add a safari. It is the safest choice for a first visit.
Skip if you want quiet, low prices, or Devil's Pool. If you feel the cold, remember that boats and game vehicles are open; July mornings are cold for longer than people expect.
Getting the timing right
Book accommodation and the activities you care about early. Go to the falls at opening, and spend the warm middle of the day on something like a visit to the Victoria Falls Bridge. Afternoons on the upper river are when the elephants come down, so a base on that stretch pays off in July. Lodges there tend to be small; Zambezi Dusk, for one, is a family-owned lodge about 30 minutes upstream of the falls.
See Victoria Falls weather by month and the best time to visit Victoria Falls for the full year, and the Victoria Falls and Chobe 5-day itinerary if you want to add a safari. Before July: Victoria Falls in June. After: Victoria Falls in August.
