10 Biggest Waterfalls

The sublime power of white water crashing over cliffsthat thunders’, the falls can be viewed from as
to the depths below has a mesmerising effect onclose as 60m as the entire volume of water drops into
anyone who has witnessed the spectacle of some ofa single chasm that is between 60 and 120m wide.
the world’s biggest waterfalls.Added attractions are the abutting national parks that
Whether they are thousands of metres tall, have theoffer a genuine African safari adventure.
largest volume of water flowing over their edge at anyNiagara Falls
one time or have the widest curtain of free fallingThe Niagara Falls in North America is effectively made
water, all 10 waterfalls selected as the biggest areup of three different falls – one in Canada and two
extraordinary to say the least.in the USA. Although comparatively diminutive in height,
The Angel Fallsthe sheer volume of water flowing over the falls
The Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world’s highestelevates it to the most powerful on the continent.
waterfall at 979m. It is so high that the water actuallyTugela Falls
atomises, due to the force of the strong winds in theLocated in the majestic Drakensberg Mountains in
area and simply disappears in a fine mist before itKwaZulu Natal, South Africa, the Tugela Falls are the
even reaches the ground. This mist can still be felt onsecond highest in the world at 947m. ‘Tugel’
the skin well over a mile away!means ‘sudden’ in Zulu.
Known as Parakupa-vena to the locals, meaningChutes de Khone
‘the fall from the highest point’, its anglicisedThis enormous, segmented cascade on the Mekong
name actually has nothing to do with the celestialRiver in Laos is easily the widest in the world,
messengers of heaven. American aviator, Jimmieextending to almost 15 kilometres in the annual
Angel, who brought the falls to the world’s attentionmonsoon.
in 1933 when his plane crashed close to the falls whilstCataratas Ias Tres Hermanas
searching for a lucrative ore bed, is the inspiration forLocated on the Rio Cutivireni in Peru, these falls have
the moniker.largely gone unnoticed until recently. Consisting of 5
Inga Fallsdrops, the height has been estimated to be in the
The Inga Falls, in the Democratic Republic of theregion of 914m, making it one of the highest falls in the
Congo, is arguably the largest waterfall in the world.world.
Although only 96m high and with no measurement ofOlo’ upena Falls
its width currently available, the rapids boast the highestSituated in Hawaii, the Olo’ upena Falls are rated as
volume of water at an average of 1,500,000 cubic feetone of the top 20 in Oceania. At a height of 900m, it
/ second!certainly rivals some of its lofty peers.
Victoria FallsVinnufossen
The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River is easily oneThe Vinnufossen in Norway may be more of a trickle
of the most impressive cascades in the world and isthan a waterfall as far as volume goes, but at 860m it
deemed one of the largest, with a width of 1.7km andis the highest waterfall in Europe and therefore
a height of 108m.deserves its place in the sun.
It forms the largest curtain of water on the planet andIguazu Falls
is the natural, insurmountable border between‘Big Water’ in the Guarani language, the Iguazu
Zimbabwe and Zambia in Southern Africa. It is aFalls in Brazil is not so much about height, width or
‘must-see’ natural wonder and should bevolume but rather the fact that the entire waterfall
included on all safari holiday tour itineraries.system is made up of no fewer than 270 individual
Literally thousands of tourists flock to the area eachcascades that extend for well over two and a half
year to enjoy dedicated Victoria Falls tours andkilometres. Well worth a visit, the area offers sublime
African safari specialists are able to organise all sortsviews and extensive hiking trails. It’s even possible
of exciting adrenalin activities that include the Zambezito be surrounded by 260° of sheer water at the
River and the Falls.Garganta del Diablo.
Known by the locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke