Zimbabwe · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips on the Zambezi

24 tours  ·  from $45 a head

Sunset cruises, dinner boats, breakfast runs and canoe trips on the upper river all leave from the same few jetties. These 15 are priced per head and clear about boat size, duration and what is on the bar.

Victoria Falls: Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River - Boarding the Zambezi Breeze at Pure Africa Waterfront
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Zambezi River Cruises, Zambezi Sunset Cruises

Victoria Falls: Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River

1.Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 925 reviews · 3 hours · from $110Our pick

Spend three hours aboard the Zambezi Breeze from Pure Africa Waterfront, pairing a sunset cruise with a freshly prepared four-course or six-course dinner. Expect assigned seating, included alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, English-speaking service, and chances to see hippos, elephants, crocodiles, birds, and other wildlife. Hotel pickup is included within 5 kilometers of Victoria Falls Town.

“Wonderful food and drink. Lovely boat and attentive staff. Pick ups on time and admin and transfers seamless. Some wildlife to spot. A fabulous night out - felt really special. Highly recommend”

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Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River - Wildlife along the Zambezi National Park frontage
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Zambezi River Cruises, Zambezi Sunset Cruises

Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River

2.Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 518 reviews · from $92Top rated

Cruise the upper Zambezi River from Victoria Falls at about 5:00 pm for a three-hour dinner outing. Watch the sunset, spot hippos, crocodiles, and possibly elephants, and enjoy a four-course meal with an open bar. Hotel pickup is included from Zimbabwe-side lodges, but Zambian-side transport is not.

“Overall worth the price. Unlimited drinks, though all were rather cheap. We saw hippos and crocodiles during the cruise while hors d'oeuvres were being served, with the main course being served after sunset.”

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Victoria Falls: 2-Hour Luxury Zambezi River Sunset Cruise - Choosing between the Luxury and Signature Decks
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Victoria Falls: 2-Hour Luxury Zambezi River Sunset Cruise

3.2-Hour Luxury Zambezi River Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 303 reviews · 2 hours · from $69

Spend two hours cruising upstream on the Zambezi from Victoria Falls, with hotel pickup, drinks, canapés, and sunset views. Watch for hippos, crocodiles, elephants, birds, and other wildlife. Choose the refurbished Luxury Deck or upgrade to the Signature Deck for quieter seating, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a dedicated mixologist.

“It’s as good as the reviews say. The Zambezi is beautiful with the sun slowly setting. Signature deck highly recommended!”

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Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls - Cruising above Victoria Falls on the Mighty Zambezi
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Zambezi River Cruises, Zambezi Sunset Cruises

Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls

4.Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 162 reviews · from $90

Set out at 4:30 pm from Victoria Falls for a small-group dinner cruise on the Zambezi. You will cruise above Victoria Falls, watch the sunset, and enjoy a four-course meal with wine, beer, soft drinks, water, and coffee. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from Zimbabwe-side hotels. Wildlife sightings may include hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and birds.

“We had a huge problem with South African airways strike. Our flight was canceled and re-scheduled several times. It was a very difficult situation. The operator was extremely understanding and appreciated their effort to accommodate our neeRead more”

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Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River - Wildlife along the riverbank
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Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River

5.Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · from $92

Spend about two hours on the upper Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, watching the sunset from a comfortable boat while enjoying drinks and freshly prepared canapés. Keep your eyes on the shore for elephants, hippos, crocodiles, kudus, and birds. Hotel pickup is included from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, but park fees are extra.

“After Chobe safari and visiting Vic Falls, this was a good way to end my time at Vic Falls, crusing the Zambezi river. Although this is a cruise, we did see elephants, hippos crocodiles and the boat got as close as possible for a big boat. Nice boat. The crew did a choir act at the end which was a good move”

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Victoria Falls: Sunset Cruise and Dinner at The Eatery - Hotel pickup and arrival at the waterfront
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Victoria Falls: Sunset Cruise and Dinner at The Eatery

6.Sunset Cruise and Dinner at The Eatery

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 137 reviews · 4 hours · from $110

Spend four hours on the Zambezi Explorer, watching the sunset, spotting hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and birds, and enjoying drinks and canapés. Then sit down at The Eatery for a three-course dinner beside the river. Pickup is available from Victoria Falls hotels within 5 km, with English-speaking staff and wheelchair access.

“The boat was amazing and extremely comfortable and clean. The service was great and included all drinks and canapés. The dinner after the cruise was exceptional.”

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Victoria Falls: Zambezi River Relaxing Sunset Boat Cruise - The 10-minute transfer from Victoria Falls
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Victoria Falls: Zambezi River Relaxing Sunset Boat Cruise

7.Zambezi River Relaxing Sunset Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 124 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $70

Spend 2.5 hours on the upper Zambezi aboard the one-deck Wanuka Queen. From Victoria Falls, you’ll watch the sunset near the mist of the Falls, look for hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and birds, and enjoy snacks plus beer, wine, spirits, and soft drinks. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“excellent river cruise, great wildlife shots, refreshments, great staff”

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Livingstone: Zambezi River Sunset Cruise - Leaving Livingstone with a simple hotel pickup
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Livingstone: Zambezi River Sunset Cruise

8.Zambezi River Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 71 reviews · 2 hours · from $75

You’ll cruise upstream from Victoria Falls aboard the African Queen or African Princess for two hours. Expect sunset views, nature reserves, drinks, snacks, and English-speaking service. John has handled punctual pickups, while Alice has served warmly on board. Transfers from Livingstone hotels are included.

“Pick up was on time and John was very kind. The cruise itself was lovely we even saw hippos. Alice our waitress was very sweet, drinks and snacks were a very nice addition. It was all seamless.”

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Sundowner Cruise on Zambezi River (Zimbabwe) - The Zambezi is the star, not Victoria Falls
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Sundowner Cruise on Zambezi River (Zimbabwe)

9.Sundowner Cruise on Zambezi River (Zimbabwe)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 58 reviews · from $55

Join Wild Horizons for a two-hour sunset cruise on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls. You will receive hotel pickup, finger snacks, local drinks, and a chance to spot hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and birds. The boat does not visit Victoria Falls, but it offers an easy evening on the river with sunset views and a group size of up to 40 people.

“This was a relaxing cruise and we got the chance to see some animals and enjoy a beautiful sunset. However, it wasn’t clear when booking that you don’t actually see Victoria Falls during the cruise. Additionally, I would be careful booking thrRead more”

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Victoria Falls: Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River - Hotel pickup and the short ride to the river
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Victoria Falls: Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River

10.Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 57 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $59

Spend two hours on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, where guides point out hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and birds as sunset colors the water. Hotel pickup, drinks, wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, and light snacks are included. Guide Noaba has earned special praise for his stories and wildlife spotting.

“Our guide Noaba was excellent, really insightful and helpful. The food and service was also good and the views were amazing”

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Zambezi River Sunset Cruise, from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe - Two peaceful hours on the Zambezi
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Zambezi River Sunset Cruise, from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

11.Zambezi River Sunset Cruise, from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 48 reviews · from $66

Cruise the Zambezi River for about two hours aboard the Zambezi Explorer, with hotel pickup, an open bar, bottled water, and passing plates of snacks. Choose the standard boat or pay more for the upper deck. Expect sunset views, attentive service, and possible sightings of hippos, elephants, crocodiles, zebras, or monkeys, but not Victoria Falls itself.

“This was an amazing cruise for the money! They give you excellent drinks the whole time, service is remarkable, the decor of the cruise furniture fits Africa well. This is not a basic cruise, it is really a luxury cruise. You will not see the Falls, but you likely will see (we did) many hippos and elephants along the shore. This was the perfect start to our three-day trip to Victoria Falls.”

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Luxury Sunset Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Meal - A slow cruise through river islands and park country
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Luxury Sunset Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Meal

12.Luxury Sunset Dinner Cruise with 4-Course Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 46 reviews · 3 hours · from $140

You’ll board the luxury Zambezi Breeze or Zambezi Reflections in Victoria Falls for a three-hour sunset cruise. Expect a four-course dinner, included beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, and views of hippos, crocodiles, birds, river islands, and distant Victoria Falls, with hotel pickup and return.

“Très agréable dîner croisière.Beau bateau, jolies dressages des tables, très bon repas et le personnel est attentionné. Boissons à volonté. Nous avons observé des hippopotames et au loin les chutes Victoria. La croisière dure 3h.Attention repas tôt,horaires 17h-20h. Prévoir pull il faisait frais avec le vent sur le fleuve à la tombée de la nuit.”

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Standard Sunset Cruise - Wildlife Along the Riverbanks
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Standard Sunset Cruise

13.Standard Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $50

Spend about two hours on the Zambezi between Zimbabwe and Zambia, watching for hippos, elephants, crocodiles, antelope, buffalo, zebras, and river birds. Your captain shares river history while you enjoy unlimited drinks, light snacks, and sunset views. Pickup is offered, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“We went on a cloudy day but even without a true sunset, it was so lovely. We were with about 8 other people's, making it a 10 person group not counting the crew. There were plenty of space to sit and room to move around. The crew was so aRead more”

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Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River - Wildlife sightings from hippos to elephants
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Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River

14.Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · from $45Best value

Set out from Victoria Falls at 4:00 pm for a two-hour Zambezi River cruise. Sip beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, or water while snacking on canapes and watching for hippos, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, baboons, and birds. Hotel pickup is offered, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“Really enjoyable tour overall. I chose this option as it is by far the best value for money as I didn’t want to waste money on dinner…then was pleasantly surprised that we got a great variety of snacks anyways. We saw hippos, crocodiles, an eagle Read more”

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Birdwatching Cruise in Zambezi River with Breakfast - Getting onto the river from Victoria Falls
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Birdwatching Cruise in Zambezi River with Breakfast

15.Birdwatching Cruise in Zambezi River with Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 18 reviews · from $85

Meet at 6:30 am for a small-group cruise on the Zambezi with an experienced captain and bird guide. Watch for African pitta, Narina Trogon, and other species while marking sightings in a birding booklet. A continental breakfast of fruit, pastries, cheese, and biscuits is served onboard, with pickup from select hotels.

“Shuttle service, nice small group, great food! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We saw a variety of birds and wild life as indicated in description. Highly recommended for solo travelers, couples or friends.”

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New in Cruises & Boat Tours

★ 4.5Victoria Falls Safari with Lunch and Sunset CruiseFrom $19911 reviews
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