Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: A powerful celebration of love

What makes your heart race, what makes your cheeks flush, and your palms sweat, what takes your breath away? It could be love – or it could be a wildly romantic safari! With the month of romance coming up, there’s no better time to explore one of the most exciting and most accessible adventure destinations in the world. Victoria Falls, with its breathtaking views, unspoiled rainforest, many activities and additional attractions, is also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. Situated on the western tip of Zimbabwe along the great Zambezi River, the Falls are the largest sheet of falling water on Earth in full flood.

Known in the local Tonga language as Mosi oa Tunya – “The Smoke that Thunders,” Victoria Falls attracts the dreamers, the naturalists, the historians, the thrill-seekers, the bucket-listers, the adventurers and the romantics in all of us. Here, lovestruck couples have been inspired to propose marriage, celebrate weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries, and revel in a romantic getaway. The Victoria Falls are impressive. And the sheer force and allure of the Falls provide a powerful backdrop for intimate occasions or lively gatherings.

Top 7 romantic experiences in Victoria Falls

1. Embark on a journey back in time aboard a Bushtracks Steam Safari. This unique dining experience on an early 20th Century restored steam train is a perfect marriage of charming nostalgia and modern fine dining. Enjoy sunset cocktails on the historic Victoria Falls Bridge before indulging in a five-course meal.

2. Take your love affair to new heights on a spectacular Wild Horizons’ Flight of Angels helicopter excursion. David Livingstone famously wrote on seeing the Victoria Falls for the first time in 1855 that “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. And now it’s your turn… Choose from a 12-minute flip over the Victoria Falls for amazing viewing, photographic and filming opportunities or explore a little further on a 25-minute flight that takes you beyond the Falls along the Zambezi River and National Park.

3. Celebrate with family and friends after your wedding or mark a special anniversary with Pure Africa’s Exclusive Victoria Falls & Riverside Picnic Experience… this plush offering promises a signature Mojito welcome drink, peaceful setting, luxurious loungers and cushions, a premium picnic lunch, full premium bar and return boat transfers.

4. The magic of the Zambezi River comes alive on a Sunset or Dinner Cruise. Embark on a few hours of hedonistic bliss in the splendour of the setting sun – enjoy cocktails and canapés or a four-course dinner as hippos grunt happily and birds return to roost.

5. No love story is complete without a little moonlight and nature lovers will delight in the rarity of a lunar rainbow over the full moon phase. The Victoria Falls Rainforest re-opens in the evening for special tours to witness the magic – weather and spray permitting! Victoria Falls is one of the few places on earth where this natural phenomenon occurs and where it can be witnessed with ease, especially over the optimal months of June, July and August.

6. The Wild Horizons Elephant Sanctuary and Art of Africa have teamed up to create an eco-conscious and unique elephant experience, brought to life by your own creative flair in the African bush. This unique activity, perfect for couples or groups, includes an insightful presentation on the Wild Horizons Elephant Sanctuary and Orphanage. Then it’s down to a waterhole where, under the shade of an enormous Mopane tree, you will find a chair and easel, ready for your creations. Your inspiration? The beautiful sanctuary elephants and your guide a private tutor who will take you through the motions to transform your sketch paper into a work of art. Round off the perfect morning with a two-course buffet lunch.

7. Wild Horizons’ Tandem Gorge Swing is a fling too far for some, but a much longed-for thrill for many! Together, you can feel the most alive you’ve ever felt as you leap into the air, in tandem, into the Batoka Gorge, freefalling for 70 metres before an almighty swing 120 metres above the Zambezi River. Although the jump lasts just 3 seconds, the feeling of exhilaration and achievement will blow your minds, the memory remain with you for a lifetime.

Most romantic places to stay in Victoria Falls

Matetsi Victoria Falls

At Matetsi Victoria Falls, romance takes centre stage, with glittering river views, private plunge pools, and star-lit dinners. But one of the main attractions is the pure peace and quiet; away from the hustle and bustle of the Falls, but close enough for easy visits, Matetsi is perfectly set within the Matetsi Private Game Reserve. With 15km of exclusive river frontage and 136,000 acres of pristine bush, this heavenly escape ensuring a combination of action-packed adventure with alone time in your luxury riverside suite. Combine Matetsi with Zambia and Cape Town for a 14-day Ultimate African Honeymoon.

Tsowa Safari Island

How does your own exclusive island sound? Step away from the busy world and into one fringed by a beautiful forest, soft sands and century-old baobabs. Fall asleep to the calls of hyena and lions and wake to golden green light as it pours through the trees and forest vines in the early morning. The days are as full or spacious as you like – together with your love, share life-changing experiences on game drives and walks, canoeing safaris, birding, sundowner river cruises, island walks, visits to Victoria Falls and day trips to Chobe NP – or cherish private moments where the scene is always set for romance – sleep under canvas, relax on the fire pit deck suspended over the Zambezi river, watch sunset reflections and animals coming down to drink from your own, secluded space.

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Victoria Falls River Lodge

Luxury, seclusion and intimacy, enhanced by uninterrupted views of the Zambezi River and riverine forest… this is what awaits you at one of the most out-of-the-way Victoria Falls lodges in Zambezi National Park. It comprises two lavish properties – the River Lodge, great for families, and Island Lodge, our favourite for romance and an intimate haven set on stilts on the private Kandahar Island. Only accessible by boat, Victoria Falls Island Lodge is nestled among giant ilala palms, Natal mahogany and African ebony trees. Enjoy personal butler service, star-bed sleepouts under the night sky, game drives and guided nature walks in Zambezi National Park, private boat cruises and kayaking on the river, plus treatments in the spa. Bliss.

There’s nothing more wonderful than sharing one of the world’s most awe-inspiring sights with your significant other, but there’s so much more to Victoria Falls than its spectacular showing. From leisurely dining and thrilling wildlife encounters to heart-stopping views and adrenalin highs, Victoria Falls remains a popular destination for honeymooners and romantics year after year.

Beck Edwards is Director at Off 2 Africa. Off 2 Africa is an intrepid, larger than life inbound Destination Management Company into Southern Africa.

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