Waterfalls are among the most impressive spectacles that nature has to offer. With their thundering masses of water that plunge down from a great height, they exert a great fascination on every viewer. Waterfalls can be characterized by their height, width or amount of water and therefore it is actually imprecise to speak of the “largest” waterfalls in the world. Below we describe some that are definitely among the most spectacular of them.
The Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is probably the most famous waterfalls in the world and the largest on the North American continent. They are located on the border between the United States and Canada and are a complex of three different cases: the horseshoe, the American and the so-called Bridal Veil case.
The first two are located entirely within the territory of the US state of New York, while the largest, the Horseshoe Fall, forms the border with the Canadian province of Ontario. The river that plunges down here is the Niagara River, which connects Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. Visitors can enjoy a fantastic view of the phenomenon from the 192 m high Skylon Tower and the observation deck next to the falls also allows a great overall view.
The Hufeisen waterfall impresses with its immense width of 792 m, while the height of 53 m is less striking overall. Most tourists who come to Niagara Falls take one of the boat tours offered by the “Maid of the Mist” fleet or book a helicopter tour of this unique natural beauty.
The Salto del Angel Waterfall in Venezuela
This waterfall in the southeast of Venezuela is the highest free-falling waterfall in the world with a height of 979 m. It is located in the middle of tropical rainforests on the table mountain Auyan-Tepui, where heavy thunderstorms regularly fall, through which the waterfall is fed. Due to the distance of almost one kilometre, only drops of the voluminous jet at the top are usually left on the lower part during the dry season. These cover the green landscape as a cloud and shape an unforgettable picture. Although the site is difficult to access and can only be reached by plane and boat, the place has become one of the most important sights in the country.
The Iguazù Falls
The Iguazú Falls are located on the border between the two Latin American countries Brazil and Argentina and are made up of a large number of different falls (20 large and about 250 smaller), which together cover a gigantic width of almost 3000 m
extend. The height of the individual falls varies between 64 and 82 m. From the Brazilian side you have the better panoramic view, as most of the cases are in the neighboring country, but on the Argentine side footbridges lead directly to the edge. This first-hand experience of the natural wonder is experienced by numerous visitors every day.
The Victoria Falls
On the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Zambezi River plunges into the depths and formed the Victoria Falls, which are up to 1800 m wide and 120 m high, over the millennia. The first white man to discover this was the Scotsman David Livingstone in 1855. He also gave them their names in honour of his queen. The waterfalls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are the widest in the world. Those who love thrills can take a dip in the so-called “Devil’s Pool”, right on the edge – a popular activity for the numerous tourists who come here every day.
The Bán Gioc Detian Waterfalls
The Bán Gioc Detian Waterfalls are a breathtaking sight, even if their name is hardly known in Europe . They are located on the border between China and Vietnam and consist of 4 major cases. The Quy Xuán River pours over several steps over a width of 300 m into the depths and despite the comparatively low height of 50 m, the place is simply magical and unique. Between May and September, the amount of water is at its highest and the spectacle is therefore most impressive.
The most important waterfall in Europe is the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen in Switzerland. Although it can’t really keep up in terms of size in an international comparison, it still offers a spectacular sight by local standards with a width of 150 m and a height of 23 m.
