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Experience

A Sunset Cycle to the Falls Bridge

A guided bicycle ride through Victoria Falls town, out along the river on Zambezi Drive and down to the old bridge over the gorge, arriving as the light goes.

At a glanceOn land
How longThree hoursAbout three hours, late afternoon into dusk
How hardModerateEasy riding at an unhurried pace, on roads and tracks, with stops
SeasonYear-roundYear-round; the heat and the time of sunset shift through the year

The ride starts in town in the late afternoon, when the worst of the heat has gone out of the day. You set off through the township and the market, where the evening is getting going, and see the part of Victoria Falls that belongs to the people who live there: the stalls, the small shops, people on their way home from work.

Then out along Zambezi Drive, the road that follows the river out of town with the bush right up to the tarmac. This is where a bicycle gets interesting. Warthog on the verges, baboons, impala in the trees, and now and then elephant or buffalo, which is why the guide rides in front and knows exactly when to stop and wait. Nothing is promised, but it is a rare ride where you might have to give way to an elephant.

Partway along you stop at a viewpoint over the Zambezi for a drink and something to eat, and a local beer if you want one. The river is wide and slow here, and the light is starting to go.

The last stretch runs down to the Victoria Falls Bridge, the steel arch across the gorge that has carried the railway since 1905. You ride out onto it, over the line where Zimbabwe ends and Zambia begins, and stop to watch the sun go down, with the spray of the falls hanging upstream and the gorge dropping away beneath your wheels. It is a brief step into another country, and the border post on the way means your passport comes too.

Then back into town in the dusk. The pace is gentle and the guide keeps the group together, so this suits anyone who is comfortable on a bicycle, whether or not they ride at home. It is a good second look at the falls after the guided walk, and if the bridge gets under your skin, the bungee goes from the same span in daylight.

Good to know

  • The ride crosses briefly into Zambia on the bridge. Bring your passport; we confirm what the border asks for.
  • The pace is gentle, but it is three hours on a bicycle. Tell us if anyone has not ridden for a while.
  • Wildlife on Zambezi Drive is wild. The guide decides when to stop and when to wait, and the group follows.
  • Bring water, sunscreen and a light layer for the ride back after dark.
  • We confirm bicycles and helmets for your group, including smaller sizes for children.

Listed daily at 16:00 from the Victoria Falls Hotel, returning at about 19:00, with snacks and drinks at a river viewpoint and an optional stop for a local beer. The ride briefly enters Zambia on the Victoria Falls Bridge, so the passport and gate-pass position, bicycle and helmet provision, and lights for the ride back are to be confirmed. We confirm what applies to your dates in writing before you pay anything.

You stop on the bridge, one foot on the ground, and the spray over the falls turns pink.

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Questions we are actually asked

How fit do we need to be?
Not very. The pace is gentle, with stops along the way, and the guide rides at the speed of the group. It helps to be comfortable on a bicycle on a road with a little traffic, and to have ridden at least once in recent memory.
Do we need passports?
Take them. The ride ends on the Victoria Falls Bridge, which crosses into Zambia, and the Zimbabwean border post is on the way. We confirm what is needed for your passports before the day.
Is it safe to cycle near elephants?
The guide knows the road and the animals, and the rule is simple: when an elephant or buffalo is near the road, the group stops and waits for it to move on. You follow the guide, keep your distance, and nobody gets off the bicycle for a closer photograph.
What happens after sunset?
You ride back into town in the dusk and arrive at about the hour most people are thinking of dinner. It fits neatly before a late meal in town, which we are happy to book.

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