Helicopter Scenic Flight over Victoria Falls: 24-25 Minutes

Fly over the falls and spot elephants, hippos and giraffes from the air

A 24–25 minute helicopter flight from Victoria Falls takes you over the falls themselves, then down the Batoka Gorge and along the upper Zambezi River through Zambezi National Park, where you watch for elephants, hippos, buffalo, giraffes and crocodiles from the air. Hotel pickup is included, and a safety briefing happens at the helipad before you take off.

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter flight over Victoria Falls

• Driver picks you up from hotel
• Drive 7-10 minutes to helipad
• Spot buffalo and elephants en route
• Attend safety briefing at helipad
• Fly 1 minute to Victoria Falls
• Orbit over Victoria Falls for 24-25 minutes
• Fly over Batoka Gorge and Zambezi River
• View wildlife in Zambezi National Park
• Return flight to helipad

The Experience

Your driver picks you up from your hotel 15 minutes before your flight time and drives 7–10 minutes to the helipad in Zambezi National Park. The drive itself is a preview: buffalo and elephants are frequently spotted along the route. Once at the helipad, an attendant walks you through a safety briefing, then you board the helicopter with bubble windows that wrap around so nothing is blocked by the fuselage.

The flight itself is about a minute from the helipad to Victoria Falls, then the rest of the time orbits over the falls themselves—the spray, the gorge walls, the sheer scale of the water. From there you head back toward the helipad by flying over Long Island on the upper Zambezi and into Zambezi National Park. This stretch is where the game viewing happens: the river banks and the park grasslands below are home to elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, giraffes, kudu and other species. The helicopter's altitude and the bubble windows give you sightlines you would not get from the ground.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• safety briefing at the helipad.
• 24–25 minute helicopter flight with a live English-speaking guide.
• bubble window seating for unobstructed views of Victoria Falls, Batoka Gorge, the Zambezi River and Zambezi National Park.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Chikopokopo Helicopters

Is this one for you?The bubble windows and the route over both the falls and the upper Zambezi mean you see the landscape from every direction without a frame in the way—something a standard helicopter tour with fixed windows does not offer.

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Top questions

How long is the actual helicopter flight?

The flight lasts 24–25 minutes total, with roughly one minute of that spent flying from the helipad to Victoria Falls and the remainder orbiting the falls and flying back over the Zambezi River and Zambezi National Park.

What animals might I see from the helicopter?

Elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, giraffes and kudu are commonly spotted along the upper Zambezi River and in Zambezi National Park during the return flight, though sightings depend on the time of day and season.

Does the price include getting to the helipad?

Yes, hotel pickup is included; your driver collects you 15 minutes before your flight time and drives you to the helipad in Zambezi National Park, a journey of 7–10 minutes.

What happens before I get on the helicopter?

After arriving at the helipad, an attendant gives you a safety briefing to prepare you for the flight before you board.

Are the helicopter windows clear enough to photograph?

The helicopter has bubble windows designed to give unobstructed views in all directions, so photography is possible without the frame of a traditional window frame blocking your shots.