What waterfall is in Africa. South Africa: The largest waterfall in the world - "Victoria"! It does not occur often - only in those moments when the flood on the Zambezi River coincides with the period of the full moon.

In addition to the powerful Victoria and the highest Tugela and Mtazari, Africa has such a miracle as the Lofoi waterfall in Zaire, in the Kundelungu National Park, in the province of Shaba, in the very southeast of the country. The Lofoi River rushes down like a water ram from a height of 340 meters.

Kalambo waterfall

At the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika, on the Kalambo River, which forms the border between Tanzania and Zambia, is the 221-meter-high Kalambo Falls. Like a water sword, it cuts through a sheer rock wall, plunging into the abyss in a powerful stream. The Kalambo waterfall has gained wide popularity since 1953, when archaeologists discovered one of the oldest African cities of the Paleolithic era in its area. The oldest iron objects on the continent, made by Africans, were also found there.

Augrabis Falls in Africa.


Augrabis waterfall

IN South Africa, in the desert part of the Kalahari, on the Orange River, there is a waterfall Augrabis with a height of 146 meters. Augrabis is located in a wild rocky area. In this place, the Orange River flows between a heap of lifeless rocks and islands, forming a delta up to 7 km wide. The waters of the river along the main channel break through a narrow crevice and fly down into a deep gorge. In a gigantic cauldron, the depth of which is about 45 meters, the river frantically rushes about, swirls, raising waves of six meters in height. A cloud of water dust rises a hundred meters, almost to the crest of the waterfall, and gives birth to a bright rainbow. The roar of the waterfall gives a booming echo in the surroundings. The flow of water during the flood is hundreds of cubic meters per second. During the rainy season, it is generally impossible to approach Augrabis on foot, it can only be viewed from a helicopter. If Victoria Falls is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, then the surroundings of Augrabis, especially in the dry season, look harsh and gloomy. The waterfall was opened in 1778.

African Kabarega Falls in Uganda.


Waterfall Cabarega

One of the wonders of the world is the Kabarega Falls on the Victoria Nile in Uganda. At one time it was named after the outstanding English geographer, geologist and traveler of the century before last, R. Murchison. The waterfall is unique in that the waters of the Nile break through here with great force through a tiny crevasse, only 6 meters wide, and with giant waves at an angle of 50 ° roll down through a series of ledges into a gorge 120 meters deep. This spectacle exudes primal power, and leaves indelible impression. A rainbow is constantly shining over the waterfall. The rays of the sun dissolve into a sparkling cascade with the roar of rushing foam, and the waterfall seems like a sparkling stream. precious stones. The waterfall was discovered by the Englishman S. Baker in 1864, and named after R. Murchison, who at that time held the post of chairman of the British Royal Geographical Society.

Calandula waterfall in Angola.


Kalandula waterfall

Calandula Falls is the second widest after Victoria. It is located on the Lucala River in Angola. This is a stunning sight. The river rushes down with a roar. Its width launch pad- about a kilometer. One hundred and five meters it is in free flight, having lost its earthly support. During this time, its greenish waters turn into a boiling white mass. Myriads of tiny splashes are born when Lucala meets the stone bed of Kalandula. The many-voiced organ roar of falling water creates a fabulous, festive mood. The Kalandula waterfall gives tourists the unusual beauty of light music.

Waterfalls in Africa are small.

Waterfalls of Calais on the Samu River in Guinea, they look like an avalanche of water at least 600-700 meters wide, falling from a height of 50-60 meters.

In Ethiopia, on the river Ganale-Doriya is located Barattieri waterfall 140 meters high. In the same country, the Blue Nile forms the fourth largest African waterfall(after Victoria, Kalandula, Calais) - Tiss Abbay. With a span of 300 meters, it has a height of 50 meters, and appearance reminiscent of the American part of Niagara. A hydroelectric power station was built near the Tiss-Abbay waterfall.

Waterfalls in Africa numerous and very picturesque. Naturally, there are lesser known ones. In the south of the continent, in the state of Lesotho, there are many mountain rivers. The country is located on a plateau up to 3 thousand meters high. This country is perhaps the only one on the continent where Africans wear fur coats. In Lesotho, on one of the tributaries of the Orange River, is Maletsunyane waterfall 192 meters high.

A very interesting waterfall in the upper reaches of the Komoe River, in the south West Africa- a wide type, with subsequent cascades spread out on stone slabs. Curious boilers Felu waterfall in Upper Senegal. The multi-stage cascade of Boyali near the capital of the Central African Republic is impressive. Waterfalls 100 meters high are located on one of the left tributaries of the Rbia River in southern Morocco and southern Africa. Popular in South Africa Albert Falls on the Karkluf River - "a waterfall that flows into a bowl."

Rainbows shine over the waterfalls of Africa, whose peoples are still struggling with colonialism and neo-colonialism. In the struggle for their daily bread, they naturally, far from always being able to admire the wonders of nature. It should be noted that in most developing countries Naturally interesting parts of the territories are declared reserves. A large waterfall is always an element of the national wealth of any country. It is in Africa, at the entrance to one of the reserves there is an inscription: “Remember, we are not the owners natural resources, but only trusted representatives of the descendants!

Africa is very diverse - on the one hand, it has a lot of deserts and simply arid places, and on the other, an abundance of rivers, lakes and beautiful waterfalls. Peculiarities geological structure mainland and his climatic conditions led to the fact that the largest number of the most impressive, world-famous waterfalls were located south of the equator, but there is something to admire in the northern part of the mainland.

1. Tugela, South Africa (948 m)

The highest waterfall in Africa - Tugela is the second highest in the world, although it is far from the power, beauty and popularity of the famous Victoria Falls. In fact, Tugela is divided into five cascades, the sum of the heights of which does not reach a kilometer a little. This waterfall is located in dragon mountains that in South Africa. In this place the royal national park Natal. Translated from the Zulu language, "tugela" means "sudden", because the rock from which it collapses ends in a sharp cliff, which in winter time often covered in snow. Tugela is quite picturesque throughout its length. The width of the falling jet is small, and the height of the highest cascade is 411 meters.


The territory of Russia is huge, so it is not surprising that dozens of waterfalls are scattered on it, in its most diverse corners. Some of them are so...

2. Mutarazi, Zimbabwe (762 m)

In another South African country, Zimbabwe, on the Eastern Highlands, there is a stunningly beautiful Nyanga National Park with a life-giving humid climate, mountain meadows, green hills, picturesque valleys, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. In the south of this national park there is the picturesque Mutarazi waterfall, which is the second highest in Africa and one of the highest in the world. It is located on the river of the same name, the waters of which rush down in a powerful stream from a rocky ledge that crosses the riverbed. Water falls into the Honda Valley from a height of 762 meters.
The waterfall has two cascades, and the width of its stream is 15 m. In February-April, when summer reigns here, the rainy season begins, thanks to which the waterfall is gaining maximum power. But in the dry winter period, it becomes a rather thin stream. But at any time of the year, its background looks great - forested valleys and slopes, as well as rocky mountains.

3. Jinba, Ethiopia (about 500 m)

The next highest African waterfall is already north of the equator - in the northern part of Ethiopia, where the Mount Simien National Park is located. It is fed by the waters of the short mountain river of the same name (only 9 km). Winding among the rocks, the river at some point collapses in a noisy stream into a narrow deep canyon, overcoming half a kilometer in flight. The height of the waterfall is determined only approximately, since no one has yet dared to get there and make the necessary measurements. A powerful white water jet rushing down at the beginning of its fall resembles a thin line cutting sheer cliffs from gray basalt. But in the middle of the fall, the wind blows the stream towards the rocks, hitting which the water turns into a myriad of splashes that form a cloud. The waterfall is especially beautiful during the rainy season, but it does not disappear at all during the dry season. Unfortunately, Jinba is very difficult to access, and therefore little known.

4. Kalambo, Zambia, Tanzania (427 m)

Another high waterfall is also located in southern Africa, this time on the border between Tanzania and Zambia. In terms of the height of the continuous fall, this waterfall, which has a width of 4 to 18 meters, is the second on the Black Continent. It is part of the river of the same name, which flows into famous lake Tanganyika. Following the location of the waterfall, the river flows along the bottom of a 5-kilometer gorge 300 meters deep and one kilometer wide, after which it enters the Tanganyika valley.
Europeans learned about this waterfall only in 1913. This is one of the most important places on the continent in terms of archeology - traces of human activity 250 thousand years ago have been found here. In 1953, D. Clark was the first to start excavations on the banks of a small lake located below the waterfall along the river. He discovered there hearths and stone tools of incredible age. The presence of hearths indicates that already in that remote period, our ancestors actively used fire.

5. Maletsuneyane, Lesotho (192 m)

This waterfall with an unpronounceable name is the pride of the small South African state of Lesotho. It is located in Maseru district, in the very center of the country. It may not seem like something unique at first glance, but the striking geological contrast makes it truly unique. The waterfall is a single cascade, a powerful jet of which falls into the abyss of the canyon from almost two hundred meters high, turning into a cloud of spray visible from afar. Against the backdrop of the magnificent surrounding mountain landscape, all this looks incredibly impressive.
Although this part of the African continent is quite arid, due to the height of the mountain plateau, more precipitation falls here and more evenly throughout the year, due to which the Maletsyuneyane waterfall is almost always full of water. In winter, it is often supplemented by huge ice growths. At the foot of the waterfall, a lake has formed, which is always in the shade, so the ice on its banks lingers until the summer.
To look at the waterfall itself, as well as the picturesque surroundings, many travelers come here. The first European who saw the Maletsyuneyane waterfall in 1881 was Francois Le Bian, a missionary from France.


On our planet, only 14 mountain peaks have a height of more than 8000 meters. Most of peaks is located in the Himalayas and is known to everyone under the name "laqu...

6. Augrabis, South Africa (146 m)

This waterfall is located on the famous Orange River in one of the South African national parks. In terms of the height of the water fall, it leads in front of the famous Victoria Falls. The name of the waterfall, translated from the language of the local Khoikhoy tribe, means “noisy place”, and there is no exaggeration here, because powerful jets of water fall here into the 200-meter depth of the gorge from a height of 146 meters, and then the gorge stretches for 18 kilometers.
The first name Augrabis from Europeans began to be used in 1778 by the Finn Hendrik Vikar, followed by the Boers, who settled here later. In a particularly powerful flood in 1988, the volume of the waterfall's drainage reached 7800 cubic meters. m / s, and in 2006 the flow rate during the flood reached 6800 cubic meters. m/s, which is three times the average flood flow Niagara Falls(2400 cubic meters / s) and is equal to the maximum flow rate for the entire observation period.

7. Ouzoud, Morocco (110 m)

Also in northern Africa beautiful waterfalls, and Ouzoud is one of them. It is located 150 km north of Marrakesh. Its several cascades fall together from more than 100 meters and are divided into three main streams. In the Berber language, the name of the waterfall means "olive", and this is not accidental, since it leads hiking trail through a grove of olive trees.
The number and fullness of the waterfall cascades depend on the season. They look most impressive in the spring, when the river does not have time to dry up on the way to the cliff. At certain moments, the waterfall appears more than three cascades, while they together overcome one step, after which they merge into a single stream, which collapses from the steep. Below, the falling water washed several natural reservoirs connected by short channels - people bathe in them with great pleasure, fleeing from the heat.


Seamounts, in contrast to land, are a separate rise of the underwater bottom and are characterized by clearly defined peaks or peaks ...

8. Victoria, Zimbabwe and Zambia (108 m)

This most famous and spectacular of the African waterfalls has long become the most important attraction of the Black Continent and has even been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is located between Zimbabwe and Zambia on the Zambezi River in a place where they border National parks- Zambian "Thundering Smoke" and Zimbabwean "Victoria Falls".
When the Scottish traveler David Livingston visited this magnificent waterfall in 1855, he named it in honor of the queen ruling at that time. The local tribes call it "Thundering Smoke". The width of the water fall here is very long - 1800 meters, which makes this waterfall unique. Victoria is about twice the height of Niagara Falls and more than twice the width of the Horseshoe - its main part.
Tons of falling water every second in flight break into countless sprays that form a fog cloud rising 400 meters or more above the waterfall - it can be seen from 50 kilometers away. Every minute during the rainy season, the waterfall brings down 500,000 tons of water, and the record was set in 1958, when this value reached 770,000 tons. Zambezi collapses into a fault in the earth's crust about 120 meters deep. On the crest of the waterfall there are numerous islands that break the stream into separate jets, the number of which varies at different times of the year.
The river that fell into the crevice punched a rather narrow channel in its wall, which has a width of only 30 meters and a length of 120 meters. Escaping through it, the river enters a winding gorge that stretches for 80 kilometers. After the first zigzag after the fall of the water, she washed out a deep basin 150 meters wide, which is called the "boiling cauldron".


South America for us is something unattainable and exotic. A lot of literary works have been written about these places, a huge amount has been filmed ...

9. Calandula, Angola (104 m)

One of the most notable sights of another South African country of Angola is the Kalandula waterfall, which is located north of the capital the state of Luanda for 420 kilometers. The maximum full flow is observed at this waterfall in June-August, when its powerful stream collapses at a width of 600 meters. In terms of water flow, Calandula is second only to Victoria Falls in Africa.
It has a horseshoe shape and consists of several multi-stage narrow streams cascading over the rocks, which are overgrown with luxurious tall tropical trees. At the top, there is a great view of the Lukalu River, which feeds the waterfall, which, framed by lush jungle, stretches into the distance, towards the hilly horizon. A rainbow almost always hangs over the waterfall, which tourists love to photograph so much.
The Government of Angola has recently organized travel company, one of the main lures of which was this magnificent waterfall. The good thing is that you can admire this spectacle throughout the year, however, it is best to come there during the rainy season, during which the violent power of huge amounts of rushing water is especially strongly felt.

10. Howick, South Africa (95 m)

In South Africa, there is another high waterfall - Howick, which is located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal on a fairly full-flowing Umgeni River 232 kilometers long. Back in 1497, the Portuguese Vasco da Gama entered the mouth of this river on his ship to replenish supplies of provisions and water. But he did not see the waterfall, and the Europeans discovered it only in 1800. The water here falls from a steep cliff, forming a foaming rumbling column. locals they call the waterfall a word meaning " high place". In the process of falling water, a lot of white foam and a cloud of spray are formed, and this whole picture is accompanied by a deafening roar that does not stop for a minute.

Hands to Feet. Subscribe to our group

Victoria Falls is listed as World Heritage UNESCO is the most wide waterfall with full flow. Its height is 120 meters (which is twice as high as Niagara Falls), and its width is about 1800 meters.

Where is Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is located on the border of the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe, on the Zambezi River in South Africa. The indigenous people of Zambia call it Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means "thundering smoke". Also from the local population you can hear the name Chongue ("place of the rainbow").

Who discovered the Victoria Falls in Africa

The waterfall first received massive publicity in 1855. While traveling along the mouth of the Zambezi River, Scottish explorer David Livingstone saw "beauty that cannot be compared to anything seen in England." The Scot named the waterfall after Queen Victoria and dubbed it the most wonderful sight in Africa.

For exactly 50 years, Victoria Falls was only heard from travelers describing it in notes. In 1905, across the Zambezi River was built Railway towards the city of Bulawayo. Since then, the flow of tourists has only increased, and on the side of Zimbabwe appeared tourist town Livingston.

By the middle of the 19th century, the days of the British colonial empire were numbered and the Republic of South Africa regained its independence. The wave of tourists to Victoria Falls resumed in the 1980s - by that time the annual number of tourists had increased to about 300 thousand people.

Description of the area

Above the Victoria Falls, along the Zambezi River, there are islands of various sizes, as they approach the abyss, their number increases. These islands divide the waterfall into four parts. The right bank of the river is known for "jumping water" - this is the name of a stream 35 meters wide. Behind the island of Boaruka, the width of the waterfall is approximately 460 meters. This is followed by the second main stream behind Livingston Island (530 m). And on the left bank of the Zambezi River, there is an eastern waterfall.

The entire flow of water from the Victoria Falls falls into a narrow crevice and passes through it for about 120 meters, then flows into a zigzag gorge.

Devil's font

On the Zimbabwe side, at the very abyss of the Victoria Falls, there is an area where the flow of water is relatively weak, and a narrow rocky bridge creates a so-called pool. The area is known to tourists as the "Devil's Pool" and becomes popular from September to December when the water level is low. Desperate extremals swim a couple of meters from the cliff. There were also accidents when swimmers were carried over the edge, so you should carefully weigh your decision before climbing into the "devil's font".

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, two white rhinoceros, and hippos splashing peacefully in the river can be seen in Thundering Smoke Park in Zambia. There are no predators here, so the animals are not shy and accustomed to humans.

Information for tourists

Entertainment and excursions on the territory of Victoria Falls

  • Experience the rapids of the Zambezi River behind the waterfall - for fans of kayaking and rafting. For less extreme tourists, boat trips are offered.
  • Experience an adrenaline rush by jumping from a bridge right over the gorge - bungee jumping to the sound of a roaring waterfall.
  • Explore the beauty of Victoria Falls from a bird's eye view - excursions by helicopter and paragliders.
  • Book a jeep safari in the national park.
  • Fly over the canyon on a cable - Zip-line attraction.
  • Visit the Victoria Falls Museum to learn about how it has changed over its thousand-year history.

When is the best time to go

Depending on the season, Victoria Falls can be seen in different states. From January to July, the water level in the Zambezi rises, the river becomes faster and more powerful (during this period extreme views sports at the falls are limited). From August to December, the river dries up significantly, its flow becomes less rapid and strong - this is the peak season for extreme travelers.

How to get to Victoria Falls

Most The best way- fly by plane to the capital of Zambia - Lusaka. Then you can use local airlines to get to the city of Livingston. The cheaper way is by bus, but the travel time is 7 hours.

It is better to book a hotel in Livingston in advance to relax from the road, and in the morning visit Victoria Falls, half an hour from the city.

Where is Victoria Falls located on a map of Africa:

Geographical coordinates: 17°55′28″ south latitude and 25°51′24″ east longitude.

largest waterfall in africa

  1. Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River, the fourth largest in Africa, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is the world's largest, most spectacular waterfall and one of the world's seven natural wonders. Named by the Kololo tribe who lived here in the 1800s, "Mozi-oa-Tunya" - "Smoke that thunders", Victoria Falls is a breathtaking spectacle of awesome beauty and splendor.
    Victoria Falls stretches 1708 meters wide. It falls from a height of 120 meters into a gorge 30 meters wide. The waterfall is formed by the sharp fall of the Zambezi into a narrow abyss carved by its waters in the zone of a fracture in the earth's crust. Numerous islands on the crest of the waterfall divide the water current into several branches. The dense fog and thunderous roar produced by the waterfall can be perceived from a distance of about 40 km. The boiling cauldron at the beginning of a winding gorge 80 km long, through which streams rush from the waterfall, is crossed by a bridge 198 meters long and 94 meters high. During a flood, the water flow rate is approximately 546 million liters of water per minute.
  2. Victoria Falls
  3. I think Victoria
  4. Victoria Falls
  5. Victoria Falls
  6. the highest is Victoria (900m.), the widest is also Victoria (1800m.)
  7. Victoria
  1. Loading... How old is Japan open country? 100 About 80-100 years 53 years For almost two millennia, it has been isolated from the outside world and only...
  2. Loading... Why is *New York* called _* Big Apple*_? Here is a link to the information http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSC-PPSR the symbol of New York is the "big apple". Since the 1930s...
  3. Loading... The cleanest sea in Russia The cleanest sea in Russia White !...
  4. Loading... who can tell about how they serve in "Givati"? The Givati ​​Brigade (Heb. #1495;#1496;#1497;#1489;#1514; #1490;#1489;#1506;#1514;#1497;#8206;) is an Israeli infantry brigade. It was formed in December 1948 on ...
  5. Loading... On which seven hills does Rome stand? The center of the Roman system of hills is the Palatine (Latin mons Palatinus, 43 m above the Tiber), completely isolated, ...

Victoria Falls is famous all over the world and constantly attracts a huge number of tourists from all over the world. He is the most big waterfall in Africa. The locals call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" which means "Thundering Smoke". Victoria is one of the most significant and unique sights of the African continent.

The territory of the waterfall belongs to two countries at the same time - Zambia and Zimbabwe. To understand where Victoria Falls is located, you need to look at where the border between these two states passes. It divides the countries directly along the bed of the Zambezi River, passing through the territory of the waterfall.

The origin of the name Victoria Falls

This waterfall got its name thanks to the English discoverer and traveler David Livingston. He was also the first white man to see the incredible sight of the falls in 1885. The locals accompanied the explorer to the highest waterfall in Africa. David Livingston was so fascinated and amazed by the view that he immediately christened the waterfall in honor of the Queen of England.

Geography of Victoria Falls

In fact, Victoria Falls is not the highest waterfall in the world. The laurels of the highest water stream went to the waterfall (979 m). But the fact that the wall of water extends for almost two kilometers makes this waterfall the widest continuous stream in the world. The height of the Victoria Falls is almost twice the height. This figure varies from 80 to 108 meters in different points flow. Sprays from rapidly falling masses of water scatter throughout the natural pool formed by the waterfall, and are able to rise to a height of 400 m. The fog that they create and the roar of a stormy stream can be seen and heard even at a distance of 50 km.

Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River approximately in the middle of its course. A water avalanche breaks off a cliff at the place where a wide river abruptly flows into a relatively narrow mountain gap, the width of which is 120 m.

Fun at Victoria Falls

In autumn, when the rainy season recedes, the water level in the river drops noticeably. During this period of time, you can take walks along a certain part of the waterfall. For the rest of the time, the waterfall is an endless powerful stream that overthrows 546 million liters of water every minute.

The dry season attracts many tourists to the waterfall also because it is during this period of the year that you can swim in the unique natural pool, which received the name of the diabolical. And this is not surprising, because the "Devil's Font" at Victoria Falls is located on the very cliff. Swimming in it, you can watch how, at a distance of just a few meters, seething water flows break down from the mountain. This small ten-meter pool is separated from the waterfall only by a narrow bridge. However, when the water returns to the Zambezi, the "Devil's Font" is closed, because visiting it can pose a threat to the lives of tourists.

Also among fans of extreme sports, bungee jumping is a popular form of entertainment. It's nothing short of ziplining straight into the churning waters of Africa's Victoria Falls. "Bungee jumping" is carried out from a bridge located in the immediate vicinity of the waterfall. A person who wants to take a risk is put on special elastic cables and offered to step into the abyss. After a free flight, almost at the very surface of the water, the cables spring and soon stop. A fearless tourist gets a lot of new and incomparable sensations.