Trifter

Located in southwestern Africa, Namibia is primarily a desert country so one would not expect much in the way of waterfalls in Namibia. Indeed the country does not have that many waterfalls but the two major waterfalls in Namibia are quite pretty and well worth a look.

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Namibia is one of the poorest countries in the world and relies heavily on tourism but not that many tourists come to Namibia to see these waterfalls which could be due to the fact that both these falls lie on the border with war torn Angola.

Image via Wikipedia

Epupa Falls

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Located in the northwestern corner of Namibia on the Angolan border is Epupa Falls.  Epupa Falls is powered by the Kunene River as it drops some 200 feet over roughly 1 mile. The main fall is some 120 feet high and falls in a horseshoe pattern.

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There is talk of a hydroelectric plant possibly being built downstream from Epupa Falls which would drown or submerge the falls.

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The nearby Epupa Falls Lodge consists of a bunch of luxury tents complete with electricity on stone foundations to accommodate tourists.

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Ruacana Falls

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Located some 80 miles upstream from Epupa Falls along the Kunene River is Ruacana Falls. Since the Kunene River is the border with Angola, the waterfall is located in both Namibia and Angola. Ruacana Falls is 406 feet high and 2,280 feet wide.

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Reportedly there is a dam and underground hydroelectric power station upstream from the falls which can control the flow of water over Ruacana Falls except during the rainy season. The power station was bombed by a Cuban air-strike in 1988 during the Angolan Civil War but has been at least partially repaired and is functional today.

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Popa Falls

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Located in northeastern Namibia along the Okavango River is Popa Falls. Under very loose terms Popa Falls can be considered a waterfalls, it’s really a series of cascades over a quartzite ledge that forces the river to split into channels. While only some 12 feet tall at its highest, Popa Falls does stretch about a half mile across the Okavango. When the water level is low there is a walkway that takes one into the middle of the river where visitors can scramble among the rocks and channels of the falls. There is a nearby camp for tourists and the camp is generally used by those looking to explore the Mahango Game Park and other sites in the area.

For more great sites in Namibia please see:

• Magnificent Animals of Etosha National Park
• Fish River Canyon: 2nd Largest Canyon in the World
• Namib Desert: A Hauntingly Beautiful Place
• Kolmanskop Ghost Town