Season 1 · Leg 1
Let's Fly from LA to Victoria Falls and Swing Off a Gorge
An unofficial travel guide inspired by The Amazing Race. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by the show, its network or its producers.
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate placeholders. If you book through them later, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list things we'd actually recommend. (Placeholder: none of these links are live yet.)
The route map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate and show the on-the-ground route in Livingstone. Download the KML for Google My Maps / Google Earth
Why go here?
Because it's the very first leg of the very first season, and it doesn't ease anybody in. One day you're at a fountain in Central Park, and the next you're standing in the spray of a waterfall the locals call Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders." Then somebody hands you a harness. If you've ever yelled at your TV "I could do that," this is the leg to prove it. Let's plan it together.
Getting there: LA to Livingstone
The teams started in New York, but we're starting at home in Southern California. I always check SNA and LGB first, because nobody wants to sit in LAX traffic before a 30-hour travel day. For a trip this long, though, the realistic routings almost all run through LAX, so that's what I priced.
There's no getting around it: Livingstone (LVI) is a two-stop trip, usually through London or Doha and then Johannesburg. Cheapflights showed a round-trip deal from LAX to LVI for $1,335 (Dec 3–10, two stops, found Oct 19, 2026). There was a faster Kenya Airways option, but it came in at $1,964, and I'd rather spend that $600 on jumping off a cliff. I'm definitely going to need a night to recover when we land, and I'm not apologizing for it.
Total cost for flight: about $1,335 per adult (estimate: Cheapflights LAX–LVI, fare seen Oct 24, 2026; fares change daily)
Where we're staying
I'd base us at Avani Victoria Falls Resort, which sits inside the falls area of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Its Family Room sleeps two adults and two children, there's a kids' club and a pool, and zebras wander the lawns like they pay rent. It's about 25 minutes from the airport. The real perk is that guests get free, unlimited access to the falls through the resort's own gate, so we'll never stand in the ticket line.
The Family Room is listed from $322 a night, but the hotel adds a 10% service charge, 16% tax and a 1.5% tourism levy on top. That works out to about $411 a night, and roughly $1,232 for three nights.
Total cost for 3 nights: about $616 per adult, two sharing (estimate from Avani's rooms page and its published taxes and charges, checked Oct 25, 2026)
| Quick plan | |
|---|---|
| Days | 3 nights in Livingstone at minimum. Add a night in Johannesburg if your connection is ugly. |
| Getting around | A hotel transfer from LVI. Most activity operators include a Livingstone pickup. |
| Paperwork | Zambia visa (US$50 single entry, or the US$50 KAZA UniVisa if you want both sides, per this 2026 guide). Check malaria and vaccine advice with the CDC before you go. |
Stop 1: Knife Edge Bridge
This was the teams' first clue stop, so it's ours too. The Knife Edge Bridge hangs right across from the falls, and depending on the season you'll either get drenched or get a clear view of the gorge. I'd rent a poncho at the gate either way, because the spray doesn't care about your hair.
Timing really matters here. February through May is peak flow, so the falls roar but the mist can white everything out. From late September to early December the Zambian side can run nearly dry, which leaves you looking at a lot of very majestic rock. If we're going in the dry season, I'd plan a hop over to the Zimbabwe side (US$58 for international visitors in 2026, per the Victoria Falls Guide).
The park entry fee for international visitors rose from $20 to $30 on Jan 1, 2026 (Efficacy News, on the NHCC agreement). Children 6–16 pay half and under-6s are free. Because we're staying at Avani, though, ours is included.
Total cost for Stop 1: $0 for Avani guests ($30 per adult if you stay elsewhere)
Stop 2: The Boiling Pot (the race's very first Fast Forward)
Here's some trivia for the fans: the series' first Fast Forward was a hike down to the Boiling Pot, the swirling basin where the Zambezi churns below the falls. We don't need a Fast Forward to earn it. We just need decent shoes and some stamina for the climb back up.
If you've got little ones, I'd bring a carrier rather than a stroller. Honestly, I'd let the smallest racers ride on someone's shoulders while the rest of us pretend the stairs aren't that bad.
Total cost for Stop 2: $0 (covered by park entry)
Stop 3: The Detour at Batoka Gorge (Air or Land)
This is the series' first-ever Detour, and it's the part I've been waiting for. Teams chose between Air, a zipline across the gorge followed by the gorge swing free-fall, and Land, a hike down the gorge rim. Abseil Zambia has been running these activities since 1998, and they're still at it.
I'm going Air, obviously. Abseil Zambia's tourist rates list the Gorge Swing at $95 and the Zipline at $55. If two of you want to scream together, there's a Tandem Swing for $190. For Team Land, they also run a Batoka Gorge Tour for $80, so ask them what's included when you book. If you're bringing kids, skip ahead to the Family Pit Crew section at the end, because the age and weight rules here are stricter than you'd think.
Total cost for Stop 3: $150 per adult (Air) (Abseil Zambia rates checked Oct 25, 2026)
Stop 4: The ostrich-egg Roadblock (DIY edition)
This Roadblock never even aired, and it only turned up as a DVD extra. Teams had to cook an ostrich egg, and then both teammates had to eat it. Nobody sells this one as a tour, so I'd ask the Avani kitchen whether they can source one and turn it into a very dramatic group breakfast. Call it an optional bonus round.
Total cost for Stop 4: not priced (ask your hotel what they'd charge)
The Pit Stop: Songwe Village
The leg ends at Songwe Village, perched up near the gorge. To make it our own, I'd pair it with a Mukuni Village cultural tour, where you meet the Leya community, visit Chief Mukuni's palace and browse the craft market. Maano Adventures runs a three-hour version for $50, with pickup from Livingstone. Please ask before you take photos, and buy crafts straight from the makers.
Walk up to that Pit Stop mat, take a deep breath, and look surprised. That's where we'd meet Phil!
Total cost for the Pit Stop: about $50 per adult (Maano Adventures' Mukuni Village tour)
Total cost of this leg for Pit Stop Passport racers: about $2,151 per adult (estimate, two adults sharing a room: flight $1,335 + hotel $616 + Detour $150 + Mukuni tour $50. It doesn't include airport transfers, meals, the visa or tips. For a family of four in one Family Room, add a flight and activities for each kid. Prices were checked Oct 24–25, 2026 and they will change.)
Family Pit Crew
Traveling with kids? Totally doable. I'd add an overnight in Johannesburg, then plan one big outing each morning and a pool rest every afternoon.
Age rules, stop by stop
| Stop | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Falls walk and Knife Edge Bridge | Fine for all ages. Under-6s get in free and ages 6–16 pay half (Victoria Falls Guide), and entry is free for Avani guests. |
| Boiling Pot | A steep climb back up, so it's best for kids who love a real hike. Bring a carrier for little ones. |
| Gorge swing and abseil | Minimum age 10, and kids "should be big enough to fit into the harnesses." Under-14s need an adult with them (Travelozambia, Abseil Zambia tour). |
| Flying fox | Bushtracks lists age 5+ but a 40 kg (about 88 lb) minimum weight and a 140 kg maximum (Bushtracks). |
| Zipline | Ask Abseil Zambia about age and weight limits when you book. |
| Mukuni Village tour | All ages are welcome, and under-5s ride free with one operator (Smiles Travel). |
| Sunset cruise (African Queen) | No age restrictions. Under-4s ride free, ages 4–12 pay $38 and adults pay $75 (2026 rack rates). |
What I'd skip with kids. I'd let the Batoka Gorge Detour be the grown-ups' Roadblock. I'd also save the Boiling Pot for kids who love a real hike, and stick to the rim viewpoints with toddlers. In its place, the sunset cruise is the family's Detour, with hippos, crocs and a sunset.
Family-friendly places to stay
- Avani Victoria Falls Resort. This is my top pick. Its Family Room sleeps two adults and two children, and there's a pool, a kids' club and the falls a walk away (Avani rooms). It's from $322 a night before taxes.
- David Livingstone Safari Lodge. It's on the riverbank inside the park, with six interconnecting rooms for families and an infinity pool, though evening swims aren't recommended there. It's pricier, at $325–360 per person sharing with dinner and breakfast (Safari.com).
- Tabonina Guesthouse (budget pick). It's a secure, in-town guesthouse with a pool. Its family suite has two connecting rooms (a queen plus two singles) and is listed at $90 a night for four, with breakfast (Tabonina rates). It's 7.5 miles from the falls, so plan on taxis.
Total cost for the Family Pit Crew: about $7,338 (estimate for two adults and two kids under 12: four LAX–LVI round-trip seats at $1,335, with kids at the adult fare = $5,340; Avani Family Room for 3 nights with taxes = $1,232; gorge swing and zipline for both adults = $300; African Queen sunset cruise at 2 × $75 + 2 × $38 plus a $10-per-person park fee listed by To Do Africa = $266; Mukuni tour for four at $50 each = $200. Falls entry is free for Avani guests. If a child is under 4, the cruise is free for them. If you stay at Tabonina instead, swap the $1,232 for about $270 plus taxis. It excludes transfers, meals, visas and tips. Prices checked Oct 25, 2026.)