Most visitors to Victoria Falls have no idea that during the full moon the Victoria Falls rainforest re-opens at night for lunar rainbow tours (weather permitting).

Victoria Falls is one of a few places on earth where you can regularly see a moonbow, the night-time equivalent of a rainbow.

Lunar rainbows are much fainter than daytime rainbows as there is less light reflected from the surface of the moon. Only when the moon is full and skies clear of cloud is enough light reflected to create a moonbow.

The human eye finds it difficult to discern moonbow colors as the light is usually too faint from the moon to excite cone color receptors. Hence, moonbows appear to most people to be washed out and white. However, the colors of a lunar rainbow do show in photographs with a long exposure.

The lunar rainbow is best seen at times of high water (April, May, June, and July) when there is sufficient spray to create the moonbow effect. This spectacle is best witnessed in the early hours after moonrise.

Tours take place the night before, the night of, and the night after the full moon.

The old debate as to which side of the Victoria Falls is best for viewing (we always say Zimbabwe, as you can walk along and view two-thirds of the Falls from this side), is turned on its head for the lunar rainbow, which is best viewed from the Eastern Cataract on the Zambian side, where the moon rises behind the observer, creating a lunar rainbow over the aptly named “Rainbow Falls”. The moonbow can also be viewed from the Victoria Falls bridge.

In addition special lunar events for 2019 are as follows:

January 21 – Partial lunar eclipse + Super Full moon
February 19 – Super full moon
May 18 – Blue moon (seasonal)
July 16 – 17 – Partial lunar eclipse
August 30 – Super new moon + Black moon
September 14 – Micro full moon
September 28 – Super new moon

If you are are lucky enough to be travelling to Victoria Falls during a full moon we would highly recommend doing this tour. We suggest booking in advance and taking a guide with you – elephant and buffalo are commonly encountered en route to the rainforest.

Moonbows used to occur at Niagara Falls, but do not occur any longer because of the surrounding light pollution – a warning to both Zambia and Zimbabwe to control the development of the area surrounding the Victoria Falls.