The border between Zambia and Zimbabwe is a place of immense natural power and historical significance, a 763-kilometer line dominated by two of southern Africa’s most defining features: the Zambezi River and Lake Kariba. Your crossing here is an encounter with one of the world’s greatest waterfalls and a colossal feat of engineering.
You have two primary crossing points. The most famous is at the Victoria Falls Bridge, which offers breathtaking views of the falls and the deep gorge below. This historic bridge, completed in 1905, carries road, rail, and foot traffic between the towns of Victoria Falls and Livingstone. The second major crossing is at the Kariba Dam wall, a massive structure that holds back the world’s largest man-made lake. A smaller, more remote crossing is located at Chirundu.
The Victoria Falls crossing is an experience in itself, with the spray from the falls often visible from the bridge. The border procedures are well-practiced due to the high volume of tourists. The Kariba crossing is equally impressive, allowing you to drive across the top of the colossal dam wall.
This border is a major tourist hub, the gateway to the natural wonder of Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”). It is also a vital economic link, particularly the Chirundu post, which is a major freight corridor. It is a frontier where the sheer force of nature and the ambition of human engineering meet.