Waterfalls in Africa

Africa is not commonly associated as home to some of the world’s best waterfalls, but...

Africa is not commonly associated as home to some of the world’s best waterfalls, but as our review of the world’s waterfalls has shown, African waterfalls account for some of the tallest, widest and biggest waterfalls in the world, as well as some of the most spectacular.

Tallest Waterfall in Africa

Tugela Falls, the Highest waterfall in Africa, if not the world Photo courtesy; Drakensburg tourist map

Tugela Falls in South Africa are currently recognised as the world's second highest waterfall in the world, in terms of overall height (although there are doubts over the measurement of the Angel Falls, regarded as the highest – see Highest Waterfall in the World).

Without doubt Tugela are, however, the tallest waterfalls in Africa. Located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, they are one of the more accessible of Africa’s great waterfalls. The total drop in five leaping cascades is 948 metres.

Tugela Falls biggest single drop is 411 m - placing it overall 10th in the world for the greatest single drop category and second for the African continent after Mutarazi Falls, in the Honde Valley in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, which are 479m high.

In terms of total height, South Africa, and the Drakensburg also claim Africa's second highest cascade waterfall, the Ndedema Falls which are approximately 610 metres tall, flowing over a series of between 5 and 8 drops in quick succession down the Drakensberg Escarpment.

Widest Waterfall in Africa

Kongou Falls, in Gabon, claim to be the widest waterfall in Africa (and, according to our review, the world), with a width of 3,200 metres and estimated fall height of 56m.

The Victoria Falls, with a width of 1,707 metres, is the second widest in Africa, followed by the Chutes Wagenia (1,372m) in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Largest Waterfall in Africa (by volume of flow)

Chutes Wagenia (16,990 cms) on the Lualaba River in the Democratic Republic of Congo tops the list by a huge margin as the largest waterfall in Africa (as well as the world) measured by average volume of flow.

The Victoria Falls (1,088 cms) are again second largest in Africa in this category and Kongou Falls (900 cms) third.

Biggest Waterfall in Africa

We believe that there is no other contender in the world, let alone Africa, to rival the Victoria Falls as the greatest, overall biggest waterfall in the world.

Other waterfalls in Africa

There are many other waterfalls in Africa, from well known to well kept secrets. Other notable waterfalls in Africa include Murchison Falls in Uganda and Thomson Falls in Kenya, which although not ranking high on any specific measurement or classification, are nevertheless outstanding and spectacular waterfalls.

Data from the World Waterfall Database (www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com)

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