Victoria Falls: Rural Experience with Local Community in Victoria Falls Town

Are you looking for a unique and immersive way to explore Victoria Falls town? An experience of discovering local culture and traditions while getting close to the rural communities around the Victoria Falls? Then an opportunity to visit rural areas and to engage in a cultural exchange with local communities should be right up your alley.

Victoria Falls is a small town located on the Zimbabwe/Zambia border, inside the Victoria Falls National Park and it is known world-wide as the home of the magnificent Victoria Falls, one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World. But beyond the stunning golden smoke covered waterfalls, the town and its surroundings have much more to offer than just tourist attractions and adrenaline filled activities.

The rural areas around Victoria Falls are home to traditional rural African communities that still live in an old-fashioned way, as we would imagine centuries ago. From women carrying firewood and water from rivers on their heads to handmade wooden huts and mud cooked meals, a rural experience with local communities in Victoria Falls Town is like travelling back in time and discovering a taste of authentic African life.

So if you want to get out off the beaten track and explore a much more authentic side of the Victoria Falls area, then this guide will provide you with all the necessary information on what type of rural experiences is available for travelers and how to engage in them safely and ethically.

What to Expect in Rural Experiences with Local Communities in and around Victoria Falls?

From cultural villages, walking safaris and moonlit dancing under stars, there are plenty of opportunities to engage in traditional experiences in Victoria Falls Town and around. But it is important to keep in mind that to ensure a natural, ethical and respectful exchange, these experiences should result in mutual benefit. Meaningful rural experiences should not replace local practices, but rather offer travelers an opportunity to learn about local livelihoods, discover local culture and traditions, while also providing rural communities with some-type of economic benefit.

In rural communities around Victoria Falls travelers can expect to:

• Visit Primary Schools and engage with school children
• Obtain a greater understanding of local lifestyles such as fishing, weaving, farming, carving
• Get insights into Oral Traditions and Music
• Experience traditional village life
• Learn about traditional ceremonies, culture and hospitality
• Exchange stories with locals
• Eat traditional African meals cooked by locals over open- fire
• Attend special ceremonies such as weddings or funerals (at your own discretion)

How to Find Guided Rural Experiences with Local Communities near Victoria Falls?

The best way to ensure a meaningful experience when engaging with rural communities around Victoria Falls town is by taking a guided tour. While there are plenty of options available both online and offline to choose from, here is a selection of options that travelers have:

Walking Safaris

One of the most popular rural experiences around Victoria Falls town are walking safaris. These are multi-day guided walks designed to explore the rural surrounding areas around Victoria Falls town. During these walks travelers will be accompanied by knowledgeable guides who will provide insights about the area’s fauna, flora, geography and history, while also engaging travelers in conversations with villagers about their current day-to-day life and their pasts. Outfitters offering such guided walks include:

• We Are One Africa Walking Safaris
• Zambia Tourism Walking Safaris
• McKenzie Expeditions Zambia Walking Safaris

Cultural Villages

Cultural Villages are another popular way to engage with local cultures when traveling to Victoria Falls Town. Generally offered through sunrise or sunset safaris or as full day trips, cultural village visits will provide travelers with the opportunity to have close interaction with rural communities. Depending on the village visited travelers can expect cultural dances displays, authentic traditional meals cooked over open-fires, witnessing traditional ceremonies such as weddings or funerals or even participate in workshops to learn demonstartions such as handcrafting, weaving and wood curving. Popular outfitters offering cultural village experiences include:

• Shona Consulting Cultural Village Rapture
• Village Boma Cultural Village Tours

Moonlit Sitting & Dancing

Moonlight sitting or dancing sessions are yet another popualr choice for travelers looking to discover an immersive experience off the beaten track. Led by experienced locals guides and accompanied by live music from local performers, these unique activities offer travelers the opportunity to enjoy an open space under stars while truly engaging with rural African cultures and African traditional customs. For example, outfitters such as Stolo Tours offer this type of experience where traveleres can partake in interesting conversations with local guides over beers or even learn how to dance the tradtional way under stars.

How Can Travelers Make Their Rural Experiences Meaningful & Respectful?

When embarking on experinecencs like visiting cultural villages or villages around Victoria Falls Town it is important to remember that feeling like a tourist on an “African Safari’ is not respectful nor meaningful for both travellers nor locals. Here are some useful tips on how to make sure your own experience is respectful and meaningful:

• Research – Before engaging with a community, do some research into its history, culture, politics and economies.
• Be aware that not everything can be experienced – It is important to always discuss with the locals on the spot before engaging in any type of activities.
• Avoid activities involving wildlife – The rehabilitation of animals should always be done without involving humans.
• Show Respect – Always take into consideration cultural tradtions such as not wearing too strong perfumes or western clothing.
• Purchase souvenirs – Show your appreciation by buying souvenirs sold by locals – they are much better than plastic trinkets from markets.
• Leave No Trace – When visiting rural areas make sure to leave everything as it was before.
• Please don’t “teach them something’ – Respect the local cultures by deep listening and understanding.

In conclusion, we believe that engaging with rural communities around Victoria Falls Town can provide travelers with an incredibly insightful experience into remote Africanvillages and traditions about which we often don’t know much about. However keeping respect for local customs and having meaningful rather than superficial interactions should always be taken into consideration when engaging in these type of activities – so make sure that when travelling the world ethical rural experiences is key!

If you’d like to book a very special rural experience and get closer to remote Africn cultures around Victoria Falls Town check out this amazing excursion available through GetYourGuide. Happy Travels!