The 17 Largest Waterfalls in the World

Few things in the world exemplify the beauty and power of nature as dramatically as waterfalls. The sight of tons of water pouring over the edge of a cliff or cascading over rocks never fails to impress. From powerful waterfalls plunging down steep precipices to multi-step waterfalls descending gently into a series of pools, here are some of the most incredible waterfalls in the world.

17Gocta Cataract

One of the tallest waterfalls in Peru, the towering Gocta Cataract near the town of Chachapoyas remained unknown to everyone but the locals living around it until 2005, when a German engineer named Stefan Ziemendorff came across it while searching for pre-Inca ruins. Today, the two-tier waterfall has become a popular tourist attraction, thanks to the government's development of the area. Trails now make the waterfall easily accessible on foot or on horseback, and every room in the small hotel built near the base offers magnificent panoramic views.

16Sutherland Falls (Sutherland Falls)

Located near the beautiful Milford Sound fjord, one of the most popular travel destinations in New Zealand, the lake-fed Sutherland Falls descend in three cascades into the glacial lakes of Fiordland National Park. While guided flights offer glimpses of the remote waterfalls, visitors who take the time to walk the famous Milford track are rewarded with the best views. A 90-minute walk from the public Quintin shelter on the 53-kilometre route leads hikers to the base of these spectacular falls.

15Tugela Falls

The Drakensberg mountains in the Royal Natal National Park in South Africa are home to a series of five connected waterfalls that together make up Tugela Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. The water descends in cascades that leap over the magnificent amphitheatre, an imposing rock wall that is a popular tourist attraction in its own right. A six-hour trek along the Tugela gorge crosses the river, leading hikers upwards. A less demanding trail takes visitors to the foot of Tugela Falls to enjoy the view of the five-level waterfall.

14Nohkalikai Falls

Located near the town of Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on the planet, Nohkalikai Falls is classified as a plunge waterfall, meaning the water loses contact with the rock as it pours over a cliff on the edge of the Himalayas. The highest of its kind in India, Nohkalikai is fed by rainwater collected in the wooded plateau above, so its volume changes dramatically depending on the time of year. In the dry season, the water pours quietly into a turquoise-green pool.

13Dettifoss

Classified as the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss is best known for the volume of water that passes over its edge in every season. Located in the Vatnajökull national park in northeastern Iceland, Dettifoss can be seen from both sides of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river that feeds the falls and plunges into the canyon below. The eastern bank of the river boasts the best views and is equipped with facilities, including a car park, but the paths can be crowded during the tourist season.

12Yosemite Falls

The tallest waterfall in the United States, Yosemite Falls pours down a cliff in three cascades and offers picturesque glimpses from several positions within Yosemite National Park, in California. A demanding full-day hike takes visitors to the summit for panoramic views of the majestic park and the imposing Sierra mountains. The falls vary in water flow, sometimes disappearing completely during drought conditions. The best time to enjoy the water spray and the thundering roar of the falls is in spring after the winter thaw.

11Plitvice Falls

The series of waterfalls connecting the 16 lakes of the Plitvice Lakes National Park are what make this piece of scenic landscape the most popular natural attraction in Croatia. Located among wooded hills near the Bosnian border, the small watercourses, lakes and waterfalls form an attractive water park that invites exploration. A series of boardwalks, bridges and platforms make it easy to walk through the park. Free boat rides take passengers from the upper to the lower lakes, where visitors can see Veliki Slap, the tallest waterfall in the country.

10Jog Falls

Jog Falls, created by the Sharavathi river, which falls from a height of 253 metres, is the highest waterfall in India. Before the rainy season, Jog Falls is almost unrecognisable, with just a couple of thin streams of water running down the cliff. But during the monsoon season the waterfall comes to life and even surpasses the Kaieteur Falls in Guyana in terms of height and volume.

9Huangguoshu

At 77.8 metres high and 101 metres wide, Huangguoshu is one of the largest waterfalls in Asia and is part of a group of 18 waterfalls in the surrounding area. A 134-metre-long naturally formed cave at the back of Huangguoshu allows visitors to see the waterfall from a very close distance, where you can even touch the water.

8Gullfoss

Gullfoss ("Golden Falls") is a magnificent double waterfall 32 metres high on the White river (Hvítá). It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. The river's flow from regular rainfall and glacial runoff, especially in summer, makes it the waterfall with the greatest volume of water in Europe.

7Detian Falls

Detian Falls is located on the border between China and Vietnam. It is, in fact, the fourth-largest waterfall in the world after Niagara, Victoria and Iguazu. Because of the various border conflicts between the two countries, the area has only recently been opened to tourism.

6Blue Nile Falls

Known as Tis Issat ("smoking water") in Amharic, the Blue Nile Falls are located on the Blue Nile river in northern Ethiopia. Although much of the water is now diverted to a dam, it is still a beautiful sight and one of Ethiopia's most famous tourist attractions.

5Kaieteur Falls

Kaieteur Falls is located on the Potaro river in the heart of the Guyana rainforest. It is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, averaging 663 cubic metres per second. With a free-fall height of 226 metres it is about five times higher than Niagara Falls and about twice the height of Victoria Falls. While there are many taller falls, few have the combination of height and water volume.

4Angel Falls

Angel Falls or Salto Ángel is the highest waterfall in the world, with a total drop of 978 metres from the top of Auyan Tepuy and an uninterrupted fall of 807 metres. Because the falls are located in an isolated region of the Venezuelan jungle, the only access to Canaima National Park, the gateway to Angel Falls, is by air.

3Niagara Falls

Probably the most famous waterfall in the world, Niagara Falls lies between the twin towns of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls is actually three different waterfalls: the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. Horseshoe Falls is on the Canadian side while the other is in New York. With over 14 million visitors every year, it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world.

2Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls (indigenous name: Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning "The Smoke That Thunders") is located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Victoria Falls is often called the largest waterfall in the world, even though it is neither the highest nor the widest. It has a width of 1.7 kilometres (1 mile) and a height of 108 metres (360 feet), about twice the height of North America's Niagara Falls. In combined height and width, Victoria Falls is rivalled only by the Iguazu Falls of South America.

1Iguazú Falls

One of the great natural wonders of the world, Iguaçu Falls is located on the border between Brazil and Argentina. The cascade system consists of 275 waterfalls along the Iguazu river. Most of the falls are about 64 metres high. The most impressive of all is the U-shaped Devil's Throat, 82 metres high, 150 metres wide and 700 metres long.