In some ways, a waterfall is simply a case of physics, no more fantastical than a drop of rain on your forehead, or a few snowflakes on your car roof. Even the most jaw-dropping cascades are just physics.
Of course, we’re being purposefully banal. We know that, thanks to some trick of nature, waterfalls look majestical, awe-inspiring and captivating. We, as mere humans who can only witness the powers of nature, just love to stand next to them, listening to them gush, and watching them pour forth streams of water in wondrous, infinite cascades.
Some of the world’s most amazing waterfalls really are a joy to behold. They are magical, hypnotic, powerful, and they look otherworldly. For anyone who lives in a city, venturing out to some of our planet’s most remote regions to gaze at a waterfall is almost akin to an out of body experience; it takes you into other worlds, and helps you to forget that you live in a brick and mortar city, where skyscrapers are everywhere, and commuters constantly barge into you.
So if you are looking to check out some stunning waterfalls, check out our handy guide to the 10 world’s most amazing waterfalls that you should definitely visit.
1. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Victoria Falls waterfall in Zimbabwe is enough to take your breath away. Steep and very very tall, oodles of streams of water pore forth from this gargantuan waterfall that is a massive tourist attraction located on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border. The waters here plummet in a straight line for a length of 354ft. The width is a crushing 5,604ft/1,708m, which means that you can spot this particular waterfall from miles away.
2. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana
Another one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world is Kaieteur Fall, it is a glorious sight to behold for any waterfall aficionado, a true spectacle. For anyone who has never seen a waterfall before, though, Kaieteur Falls can seem intimidating and even a tad terrifying. The water plummets down 741ft, before hitting various steep cascades. Known for attracting extreme tourists who love to push the boundaries, Kaieteur Falls is not easy to reach because of its remote location – it’s trapped in wilderness. Just don’t get lost.
3. Niagara Falls, Canada
You’ll have no doubt already heard of Niagara Falls, as it is without question the most famous waterfall in the world. Planted on the US and Canadian border, Niagara Falls is comprised of two sections, which are separated by a small island. Of the two sections, Horseshoe Falls (which is shaped like a horseshoe), which marks the Canadian side, is the most impressive, though neither of the two sections are particularly high up, with the tallest, the Horseshoe, measuring 173ft.
4. Yosemite Falls, USA
Next one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world is Yosemite Fall; it is another famous American waterfall, though it isn’t quite as famous as Niagara. It’s intimidating, though, thanks to its sheer height – the water drops a whopping 2,425ft into the Sierra Nevada, California. That’s no mean feat, and looking up at it is a jaw dropping experience enough to make you feel dizzy (and maybe even a little faint). The water bursts out from a very thin stream at the top, before widening as it reaches the base.
5. Jog Falls, India
Although Jog Falls is not as high up as Yosemite, its drop of some 830ft is still one of the highest in the subcontinent. Jog Falls looks mightily impressive throughout the rainy season, when their several streams of water blast forth controlled chaos in rhythmic harmony. During the dry season, however, things are very different, and Jog Falls essentially dries up. Not cool.
6. Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
New Zealand is home to a number of waterfalls, but few are as spectacular as Sutherland Falls, and it definitely deserves a place in our list of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Like others on this list, its remote location can make it hard to track down, but it exists along the Milford Track, which has been claimed by many to be the finest walk in the world. Moreover, since New Zealand is the home of Lord of the Rings, you really aren’t going to get a more otherworldly experience than Sutherland Falls. Magical.
7. Big Waterfall, Croatia
They certainly know how to name their waterfalls, do the Croat’s. In Croatia, Big Waterfall is better known as Veliki Slap, but because this name wouldn’t go down too well with English speaking tourists, who know that a slap is actually not a very nice thing, the marketing team christened it Big Waterfall. And yes, it is big. But not only is it big, it’s also awash with a high number of waterfalls that are surrounded by huge swathes of grass, trees and sky blue lagoons. On a sunny day, Big Waterfall looks like a slice of paradise.
8. Gocta Falls, Peru
Strangely enough, according to some waterfall experts, Gocta Falls in Peru is the sixteenth highest in the world. According to others, it’s the fifth highest (probably Peruvians). This doesn’t quite make sense, but who cares about sense when you’re gazing at a waterfall? Gocta Falls is sublime, and the water cascades downwards in such a strict line that if you look too closely, you might just convince yourself that you really are looking at a straight line. It’s magnificent. Because of its remote location, Gocta Falls was only discovered by us westerners in 2005.
9. Plitvice Waterfalls, Croatia
Okay, yes, this is the second time Croatia has appeared on this list, but if you’re going to be checking out some of the world’s most amazing waterfalls, wouldn’t you prefer it if one or two were close together? Of course you would! Otherwise, you’re going to be plotting how to get from Europe to Africa, and then to Asia, and so on and so on. Plitvice Waterfalls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on earth, and you’ll find it bathing in lagoons where the only colours that exist are emeralds and shades of turquoise. No browns or greys for miles. Heavenly.
10. Gullfoss Falls, Iceland
And finally, last in our list of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world is Gullfoss, which translates to Golden in English, and this Icelandic waterfall exists on the golden banks of Hvita River. Known for its excessive amounts of rainbows, this particular region is a huge tourist attrition and, whilst Gullfoss Falls certainly isn’t the most noisy, or the highest waterfall, it’s certainly one of the most relaxing. Bliss has never been easier to find.
Stay happy!
