Lunar Rainbow Tour at Victoria Falls

A lunar rainbow at Victoria Falls is a rainbow made by moonlight rather than sunlight. On clear nights around the full moon, the vast column of spray catches the light and throws a pale, silvery arch across the gorge. Few places on Earth produce one so reliably, and the rainforest opens for special evening visits to see it.

How lunar rainbows form

The physics is the same as a daytime rainbow: light is bent and split by water droplets. Moonlight is much fainter, so to the eye the bow looks white or silver; a long-exposure photograph shows its colours. It needs three things: a bright moon low enough in the sky, clear weather and plenty of spray.

When to see one

Evening visits run on the nights around each full moon, typically the full-moon night and the nights either side. The bow is strongest in high water from about March to July, when the spray is heaviest. In the lowest water months it may be faint or absent. Check the moon calendar before you fix your dates, or ask us to: see our seasonal guide.

Photographing the moonbow

Bring a tripod and a camera that can take exposures of several seconds. Protect your lens from the spray between shots and expect your equipment to get wet. Phones with a night mode can capture something, but a tripod makes all the difference.

Plan it

Lunar rainbow tours run from the Zimbabwe side's rainforest entrance and are limited in numbers. Book ahead and stay within walking distance at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Our field note on the moonbow has more.

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.