Victoria Falls Helicopter Flight

A Victoria Falls helicopter flight, known locally as the Flight of Angels, is the only way to take in the whole of the falls at once: the river wide and island-studded above the lip, the single crack in the earth where it drops, and the zig-zag gorges below. It is short, simple and, for many travellers, the highlight of their stay.

What you see

Flights circle the falls in figures of eight so both sides of the aircraft get the view. The shorter flight covers the falls and the first gorges; the longer option follows the Zambezi upstream over the national parks, where elephants, hippos and buffaloes are often visible. In high water the spray column rises far above the helicopter and rainbows hang in it.

Best time for the flight

Any time of year works, but the experience changes with the water. From March to July the spray is enormous and the falls are at their most dramatic. In the dry months the gorges and rock formations are clearer. Morning flights usually have the calmest air and clearest light.

Booking tips

Flights leave from helipads a short drive from both Victoria Falls town and Livingstone, and hotel transfers are normally included. Seats are allocated by weight for balance, so you cannot always choose a window; ask for the front seat when you book. Wear dark clothing to cut reflections on the glass.

Where it fits

A flight takes about an hour including transfers, so it fits easily into the afternoon of a three-day Victoria Falls break. Read The Smoke That Thunders for what the falls are like from the ground.

Read our Victoria Falls guide and check the month-by-month water levels before you book.

Seasons, age limits and operating days are set by the operators and can change; check them when you book.