Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) is the most common entry point for international safari travellers to Zimbabwe. It is connected to Johannesburg (1h 40m), Nairobi (2h 30m), Addis Ababa (3h 40m), and seasonally to several European cities. From Victoria Falls, the question is how to reach the rest of Zimbabwe’s safari areas — and the answers vary considerably by destination.
By road: 190 kilometres on a good tar road. Approximately 2 hours to the main Hwange National Parks rest camp. Private lodges on the park’s northern boundary are closer — some are 90 minutes from the airport. This is the most common transfer method and the most economical.
By air: Charter flights from Victoria Falls Airport to Hwange National Park Airport (HWN) take approximately 30 minutes. Most private luxury lodges include this in their quoted rates or arrange it as a package add-on. Flying is particularly useful for guests who want to begin game viewing within an hour of leaving the airport.
By road: Not a practical option. The distance is approximately 600 kilometres on roads that deteriorate significantly after the Harare turn-off. This is a full day of driving through terrain that has no facilities.
By air: Charter flight Victoria Falls to Mana Pools (approximately 1.5 hours) or Victoria Falls to Harare, then onward to Mana Pools (add 1 hour). This is the standard access method and is included in most camp rates. Camp airstrips in Mana Pools are grass strips — weight restrictions apply (typically 75kg per person including luggage). Pack soft bags only.
By road: 460 kilometres via Bulawayo on a good tar road. Approximately 5 hours. We arrange comfortable road transfers with a vehicle stop in Bulawayo if desired.
By air: Victoria Falls to Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo (1 hour), then road transfer to Matobo Hills (1 hour). The flight is cheap and reduces travel time significantly for guests combining both destinations.
By road: 880 kilometres on Zimbabwe’s main road. Approximately 9–10 hours. Not recommended for most itineraries.
By air: Multiple daily flights on Air Zimbabwe and Fastjet (approximately 1 hour). Harare is the hub for connections to Mana Pools, Eastern Highlands, Great Zimbabwe, and Gonarezhou.
The town of Victoria Falls itself is compact and walkable for activity operators near the Falls. Transfers to and from the airport are typically included by operators for day activities. Ride-hailing does not exist — arrange transfers through your accommodation or operator in advance.
We manage all transfers for guests on our tours, handling the logistics of charter coordination, road pickups, and bush airstrip connections as part of every itinerary we design.
