Victoria Falls rainbow: when and where to stand
Short answer: 6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Zambia side, Knife-Edge Bridge, 05:55–10:50 (strongest around 06:00), if the sun is out.
The spray of Victoria Falls rises hundreds of metres out of the gorge, so on a sunny day a rainbow almost always hangs somewhere in it. Which side of the gorge you are on decides the hour.
Fri 6 November 2026 · sunrise 05:37, sunset 18:27
Zambia side: rainbow 05:55–10:50
Best rainbow from Zambia side, Knife-Edge Bridge, 05:55–10:50 (strongest around 06:00), if the sun is out. Low water: thin spray, rainbows are small.
| Zimbabwe side, Rainforest trail looking north across the gorge at the main falls | A big, bright arc | 05:55–10:40, 13:20–18:15 Best 18:00, across the spray at eye level |
|---|---|---|
| Zambia side, Knife-Edge Bridge looking west along the gorge towards the main falls | A big, bright arc | 05:55–10:50 Best 06:00, high, arching over the falls |
Hour by hour
| Time | Zimbabwe side | Zambia side |
|---|---|---|
| 05:30 | ||
| 06:00 | ||
| 06:30 | ||
| 07:00 | ||
| 07:30 | ||
| 08:00 | ||
| 08:30 | ||
| 09:00 | ||
| 09:30 | ||
| 10:00 | ||
| 10:30 | ||
| 11:00 | ||
| 11:30 | ||
| 12:00 | ||
| 12:30 | ||
| 13:00 | ||
| 13:30 | ||
| 14:00 | ||
| 14:30 | ||
| 15:00 | ||
| 15:30 | ||
| 16:00 | ||
| 16:30 | ||
| 17:00 | ||
| 17:30 | ||
| 18:00 | ||
| 18:30 |
Plan it
From March to June the spray is so heavy that you get soaked and the falls are partly hidden; rainbows are huge but the view is misty. From September to December the Zambian side runs almost dry. A rainbow needs direct sun on the spray: on an overcast day there is none.
Through the year
| 15th of | Zimbabwe side | Zambia side | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:15–11:15, 13:45–18:45 | 06:15–11:15 | Medium |
| February | 06:30–11:05, 13:50–18:40 | 06:30–11:25 | High |
| March | 06:40–10:25, 13:55–18:20 | 06:40–12:00 | High |
| April | 06:45–09:00, 14:05–17:55 | 06:45–12:50 | High |
| May | 14:35–17:40 | 06:55–13:10 | Medium |
| June | 15:00–17:35 | 07:10–13:25 | Low |
| July | 14:55–17:45 | 07:10–13:25 | Low |
| August | 07:00–07:25, 14:25–17:55 | 07:00–13:05 | Low |
| September | 06:35–09:45, 13:45–18:00 | 06:35–12:15 | Low |
| October | 06:10–10:25, 13:25–18:05 | 06:10–11:05 | Low |
| November | 05:55–10:45, 13:20–18:15 | 05:55–10:50 | Low |
| December | 06:00–11:05, 13:30–18:35 | 06:00–11:05 | Low |
Victoria Falls rainbows by month
Questions
What time is the rainbow at Victoria Falls?
6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Zambia side, Knife-Edge Bridge, 05:55–10:50 (strongest around 06:00), if the sun is out. The time moves through the year; pick your date above.
Which side of Victoria Falls has the rainbow in the morning and which in the afternoon?
Zimbabwe side, Rainforest trail: afternoons. Zambia side, Knife-Edge Bridge: mornings.
Why is there no rainbow at midday?
When the sun is higher than about 42°, the whole rainbow circle sits below the horizon. You can then only see it low down, in spray below you, if at all. In summer that rules out the middle of the day at most falls closer to the tropics.
When does Victoria Falls have the most spray?
River flow is highest in February, March and April (Copernicus GloFAS, 2005–2024). More water means more spray and bigger rainbows, but also more mist hiding the falls.
How do you calculate the rainbow times?
A rainbow is a circle of about 42° around the point exactly opposite the sun. You only see the part of that circle that falls on sunlit spray, so it needs the sun behind you and lower than about 42° above the horizon. For every 5 minutes of the day we place that circle in the sky and check how much of it lands on the spray seen from each viewpoint.
Calculated from the sun's position at each viewpoint. The spray extent is an estimate for normal flow; wind pushes the mist around and can move the rainbow by a few degrees. Times are local (Africa/Harare).