During my two days in Victoria Falls, I am most looking forward to a scenic flight. I’ve come across photos taken of the Falls from this vantage point (thank you Pinterest!) and very much wanted the opportunity to see it with my own eyes.

The Zambezi Helicopter Company is located within a five minute walk of my hotel (Elephant Hills Resort). I reach out to them before my arrival and they very kindly agree to take me on their most popular trip: the 13-minute Flight of Angels over Vic Falls ($150 USD). YES!

I have been in a helicopter on two previous occasions — first at Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand, and later at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia — and it’s no less thrilling each time.

This is what we’ll see along on our route:

There’s an extended trip (25 minutes) over Zambezi National Park if you have a larger budget.

I arrive early to watch helicopters take off every few minutes. This is a very popular activity and each flight returns with big smiles.

See that mist in the distance? Vic Falls awaits!

We’re next…

That’s the Elephant Hills Resort below, and the Zambezi Helicopter Company is on the upper-left area (green roofs).

I spy Vic Falls… the mist gives away its location.

Looking down the Zambezi River:

A wider shot of the area with my fisheye lens:

Now we’re approaching the Falls. The pilot will fly left and right hand circuits so that both sides of the helicopter have equal viewing opportunities.

Isn’t the scope of Vic Falls just breathtaking? How extraordinary that this exists in nature.

This is a vastly different vantage point from where we walked around the rim of Vic Falls. I’m so grateful to see it from this perspective, too.

Because of the heavy mist, it’s not uncommon to see rainbows at the Falls.

Now we’re starting our final pass around Vic Falls. I try to remember to catch my breath and set my camera down for a moment — I want to see it with my eyes too, and imprint the memory on my brain. (I often struggle with this.) But this flight goes by so quickly and I’m too focused on getting shots from every angle. I wish I could do it one more time and leave my camera inside its case, content that I got all the photos I need in the first pass, but that’s not in the cards. Oh well — at least I’m very happy with how these images turned out.

We head back over the wide expanse of the Zambezi River.

And just like that, our 13 minutes have expired. But what a trip — it’s exhilarating to witness Victoria Falls from this perspective. If you have the budget for this activity, do it!

Many thanks to Zambezi Helicopter Company for hosting my Flight of Angels. Opinions are my own.