Top 10 Spectacular Waterfalls In The World Every Adventurer Should Visit

Any traveler is well aware that waterfall exist in every region of the world but its beauty matters alot with other natural resources. We have included North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle-East, Asia, and Oceania and the South Pacific and assemble a list of top 10 beautiful waterfalls in the world.

We have conducted an extensive survey of all the waterfalls, but we recognize that this list can change as we continue to collect more waterfall sightings from around the world.

Here is our list of the World’s 10 Best Waterfalls in reverse order!

10- SUTHERLAND FALLS
9- PLITVICE WATERFALLS
8- DETTIFOSS
7- GULLFOSS
6- YOSEMITE FALLS
5- KAIETEUR FALLS
4- ANGEL FALLS (SALTO ÁNGEL)
3- NIAGARA FALLS
2- VICTORIA FALLS (MOSI-OA-TUNYA)
1- IGUAZÚ FALLS (IGUASSU FALLS)

10- SUTHERLAND FALLS

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Sutherland waterfalls is the most spectacular waterfall with height of 580m located in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Sutherland Falls is a waterfall situated near Milford Sound in New Zealand's South Island. The fall is considered the tallest waterfall with height of 1,904 feet whereas nearby falls includes Terror Falls, in the Poseidon Valley are 750m, and Browne Falls cascades 843 metres down a mountainside in Doubtful Sound.

The water falls from Lake Quill in three tier form, the top first tier is 229 m tall, the second tier is 248 m, and the lower tier is 103 m tall. A vertical fall of 580 m is made over 480 m of horizontal distance and approximately 56 degrees according to mean grade.

The best way to arrive at the base of Sutherland Falls is to follow the Milford Track from Quintin Public Shelter and it took only 90 minutes on foot.

9- PLITVICE WATERFALLS

Northern Dalmatia, Croatia

Plitvice Lakes National Park is considered as the most ancient and largest national parks in Croatia. The UNESCO World Heritage added this park in their list in 1979 as its incredible and picturesque series of tufa lakes, caves, connected by waterfalls.

Plitvice Lakes is one of the most unique places to visit in Croatia. With easy walking trails, boardwalks suspended over the turquoise water, stunning viewpoints, and photogenic waterfalls, this is the type of place that is perfect for visitors of all ages.

The Plitvice Jezera can be divided into two sections Upper Lakes and the Lower Lakes both are separated by a long lake called Jezero Kozjak. Each section can easily explore in a half day on foot by completing a loop around it.

There are different levels of lakes with four attractive hiking trails alongwith seven distinct routes through the park, and two unique entrances to explore this park along with waterfall, caves and lakes.

The visitors can explore various criss-crossing junctions and sub-loops to experience the Plitvice Waterfalls while making their visit uniquely their own.

Around one million tourists visit through out the year to witness the natural beauty of the world.

8- DETTIFOSS

Vatnajökull (Jökulsárgljúfur) National Park, Iceland

Dettifoss waterfall is lcoated in Vatnajökull National Park which is situated in the Northeast Iceland. The waterfall is considered as the second most powerful waterfall in all over Europe as the first one is the Rhine Falls. Dettifoss waterfall is on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which has a rich source of water from the Vatnajökull glacier and from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The sediment-rich flow-off colours the water a greyish white.

The waterfalls are 100 metres wide and drop from 44 metres height and merged into the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur. According to water flow volume discharge this waterfall considers the second largest waterfall in Iceland after the Urriðafoss. The superlative of powerful comes from its water flow times its fall distance. The water of the wide Jökulsá á Fjöllum river falls for more than 44 metres.

7- GULLFOSS

Haukadalur, Iceland

Gullfoss waterfall is situated in the southward from Langjokull Glacier in West Iceland. The waterfall is an iconic tourist spot in the region and considered as the favorite destination for locals and tourists.

Gullfoss waterfall is two tier waterfall which drops down into a canyon, its first tier is 11 meter high and second 21 meters of height and total fall height is around 70m with 90 degree angle each other.

There are two view points to witness the natural beauty of waterfall. One is from the upper parking lot, the visitors follow the footway to the upper viewing point, which shares a beautiful sight of the higher part of the waterfall. Near the waterfall anyone can experience to listen the natural music of the waterfall a sort of hissing sound that makes a natural melody. The views also share the amazing sight of mountains and glaciers.

From the upper viewpoint, stairs lead down to the lower spot that allows its visitors to get more closer to the falls and feel the misty spray. The mind-blowing and jaw-dropping sighting of the surrounding attracts visitor's full attention.

In winter, the visitors can experience and witness the waterfall partly-frozen and glistening with ice. The upper viewing spot allows its visitors to admire the mist-cloaked tire and sight the snow-dappled peaks to the north. However, the lower view spot remained closed for the visitors due to slippery ice.

Gullfoss is considers the Earth’s most breathtaking natural wonders which was formed in thousands of years.

The canyon goes transverse to the tumbling tire, which is quite unbelievable in the world of waterfalls.

6- YOSEMITE FALLS

Yosemite National Park (California), USA

Yosemite waterfalls is a considered as one of the tallest waterfall in the North America with height over 2,425 ft. It flows roughly from November through July, with peak seasonal flow in May.

There are amazing two different views of the fall in winter ice cones can be observed however from the month of April to June the roaring fall rundown.

Yosemite Falls is actually consist of three separate waterfalls, first one upper Yosemite Fall with height of 1,430 feet, the middle tire with height of 675 feet, and Lower Yosemite Fall with height of 320 feet. There are several view points from various angles to witness the wild beauty of this fall from Yosemite Valley, especially around Yosemite Village and Yosemite Valley Lodge.

This waterfall is paradise for adventurers and hikers with eight hour long hike lead to the top of Yosemite Falls to witness the amazing views of the falls. For non hikers the visitors need to walk for two miles for incredible sight of the waterfall. Yosemite Falls trail has lots of switchbacks and extremely exposed to the sun with little shade in summer.

5- KAIETEUR FALLS

Potaro River, Guyana

Kaieteur is sighted as the world's largest single drop waterfall which is located on the Potaro River flows in the Kaieteur National Park, Guyana. One section of the Potaro river flows in the Amazon rainforest known as Potaro-Siparuni region of Guyana.

Kaieteur Waterfalls is 226 metres in height which is measured from its plunge over a sandstone and conglomerate cliff to the first break and considering various series of steep tiers the height exceeds till 251 metres.

Kaieteur waterfall also one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world with an average water flow rate of 663 cubic metres per second.

In comparison with the Niagara Falls, the Kaieteur Falls is approximately four and a half times high and almost twice the height of Victoria Falls.

The Potaro River flows and resides into the Essequibo River considered as the longest river in Guyana and the 34th longest river in South America.

The national park is also hosted a Kaieteur International Airport which is around 15-minute walk from the top of Kaieteur falls.

4- ANGEL FALLS (SALTO ÁNGEL)

Canaima, Venezuela

Angel Falls is also known as Salto Angel, Salto is a Spanish word which means waterfall of the deepest place. The fall is located in Venezuela and considered as an uninterrupted tallest waterfall in the world, with a height of 979 metres and a plunge of 807 metres.

The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyán-tepui mountain in the Canaima National Park which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The main plunge height is around 979 metres and includes around 400 metres of sloped tier and instant drop and a 30-metre-high plunge downstream of the talus rapids.

The falls are along a fork of the Río Kerepacupai Merú which flows into the Churún River, a tributary of the Carrao River, itself a tributary of the Orinoco River.

Angel Falls is one of Venezuela's top traveler's hotspot destination, though a hike to the falls is not that easy. The falls are situated in an isolated forest area and considered as no man land. A flight from Maiquetia Airport or Puerto Ordaz or Ciudad Bolívar needed to arrive at the Canaima camp which is the basic beginning spot for river trips to the base of the falls.

Visitors mostly visit the river around from June to December, when the rivers are quite deep for use by the Pemon guides and sailing. Whereas in all remaining months of the year the river remains dry and less water can be observed.

3- NIAGARA FALLS

Ontario, Canada / New York, USA

Niagara Falls is the combination of three waterfalls which are located at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, playing a border role between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States.

The Horseshoe Falls is the largest among three waterfalls, which falls and flows between the international border of the United States and Canada. As the major part of the falls lies at the Canadian side that's why it is famous with the name of the Canadian Falls as well.

The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are situated within the United States and comparatively smaller waterfalls than the Horseshoe falls. The Goat Island separate the Bridal Veil Falls from Horseshoe Falls and the Luna Island separate the American falls from Horseshoe falls.

The combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the North American and formed by the Niagara River which later merged with the Lake Erie into Lake Ontario. The vertical drop is at least 50 metres and around 168,000 m3 of water goes over the crest of the falls in each minute.

Horseshoe Falls witnessed as the most powerful waterfall in North America according to the flow rate. Niagara Falls's fame is not only its natural beauty of semi circle fall but it also considered as a valuable source of hydroelectric power.

Niagara Falls is around 27 km northwest of Buffalo, New York, and 69 km southeast of Toronto, Canada. Niagara Falls was formed due to receding of glaciers which lie at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation.

To witness the extreme beauty of the Niagara falls, the visitors always plans their visit in summer. the floodlights which were illuminated from the Canadian side remains intact both sides of the falls for several hours after day light ends.

2- VICTORIA FALLS (MOSI-OA-TUNYA)

Livingstone, Zambia / Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Victoria Waterfalls is lies on the Zambezi River in southern Africa. The fall is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and considered as the largest waterfalls in the world with a width of 1,708 metres.

The Scottish missionary David Livingstone was the first Englishman who found the falls in 1855 and named the English colonial name of Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria. Later the falls plays a vital role in the country's economy due to boost in the tourism.

Both the bordering countries Zambia and Zimbabwe develop their national parks to promote tourism. At the Zambian side a famous feature naturally formed named as Armchair or Devil's Pool along the western tip of Livingstone Island.

The adventurers enjoy the adventure water sports specifically between September and December as a certain water level creates a rock barrier an eddy with minimal current over the fall.

1- IGUAZÚ FALLS (IGUASSU FALLS)

Puerto Iguazú, Argentina / Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls lies on the Iguazu River connecting two countries with same border at the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. This waterfall considered as the best and the largest waterfall in the world.

The waterfalls divide the river into two portions one is the upper and other is lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River flows near the center of the city of Curitiba. The river's most part is flowing through Brazil whereas most of the waterfalls are on the Argentine side. At the lower side with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu River creates a natural border between Argentina and Brazil.

The locals also narrates a story related to the name of the river Iguazú which comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y", meaning "water", and "ûasú ", meaning "big". Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.