Trifter

Unknown to the outside world until 2002, the Gotca Falls are a great discovery and the 3rd or 14th tallest waterfalls in the world depending upon who is measuring.

Gotca Falls are located in the province of Chachapoyas in Peru. German engineer Stefan Ziemendorff and a group of Peruvian explorers spotted the isolated waterfall in 2002. Ziemendorff convinced the Peruvian government to map and measure the height of the falls and they determined Gotca Falls to be 2,532 feet. That makes Gotca Falls the third highest waterfall in the world. However, since the falls are tiered, Gotca Falls is technically considered two separate waterfalls. Taking the tiers into consideration, Gotca Falls is then the 14th highest waterfall in the world.

(Upper Gotca Falls)

Located deep in the Peruvian jungle, Gotca Falls is a 4 to 5 hour hike from the small town of Cocachimba, which is why the falls remained unknown to the outside world for so long. The falls form where the Cocahuayco River goes over a high tan cliff face. After nearly one thousand feet the falls are broken by the slim level plain of the cliff face where they wend their way a short distance around the local vegetation to fall over the side of the cliff from a narrow exit in the vegetation.

While the outside world did not find out about Gotca Falls until recently, the locals in the area where well aware of the falls for centuries.

Image via Wikipedia

A legend exists in the area that a beautiful blond mermaid lives in the water of the falls and would bring a wicked curse upon the people of the area if they told the outside world of the existence of the falls.

Today the Peruvian government is actively promoting Gotca Falls to any and all tourists and is pouring money into developing the area in the hopes of reaping tourist gold from around the world.

Source

More Waterfalls:

• Amazing Waterfalls You Have To See to Believe
• Lovely Carbet Falls of Guadeloupe
• Rhine Falls
• Barron Falls