Victoria Falls is one of the world’s largest waterfalls (Mosi-oa-Tunya or “the smoke that thunders”) located on the border between Zimbabwe (contains 75% of the falls) and Zambia. February to July is the best time to visit Victoria Falls to see them at full-volume (peak in March-April). Zimbabwe side falls are rarely dry, but the flow can be limited to just a few areas in the low season (October to early November). If visitors are also interested in combining the Victoria Falls trip with a good safari adventure, I recommend visiting in June and July.
How I Booked Flights to South Africa
I used 190K Qatar Avios (2 passengers) to book a Qatar business class connecting flight via Doha from Chicago to Windhoek (WDH). See the example award booking in the image below.
United Airlines has nonstop flights from Newark to Johannesburg and Cape town, which can be booked with the Star Alliance Partner Awards as needed.
Flight to Victoria Falls
There are several nonstop flights from Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT) to Victoria Falls Airport (VFA). South African flights can be booked using points with Star Alliance Partner Airlines like United and Aeroplan. We took a Eurowings flight from Windhoek to Victoria Falls airport.
Victoria Falls Accommodation
It is easy to find several reasonably priced accommodations in the town of Victoria Falls (beware of lots of mosquitoes). We reserved a taxi with a personal driver who took us to see Victoria Falls and also arranged a boat ride for a reasonable price. The national park entry fee for international visitors is $30 USD. Flying over Victoria Falls (~$189 per person) is the most exciting activity and I highly recommend all the visitors to enjoy this experience.
Victoria Falls Scenery
From Zimbabwe side, you can easily cross the border via Victoria Falls Bridge to the Zambian side by paying a single entry/multiple entry visa fee.
Summary
Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. I highly recommend visiting the falls during your Africa trip as it can be combined with animal safaris. Award booking flights to Africa is the best way to save money which can be used to pay for accommodation.