Waterfalls
Spray rising 400 m above the Zambezi, 275 falls along the Iguazú, a path that runs behind a 60 m curtain of water: waterfalls worth the trip, and the months when their flow peaks.
- 2 places
- 2 countries
Iguazu Falls : Karen C. from Brasil, CC BY-SA · Victoria Falls : Diego Delso, CC BY-SA
Waterfalls worth the trip, and the month to see them
This page gathers the waterfalls with a page on the site: 2 falls in 2 countries, from the 1,247 ft of the Krimml Waterfalls to the 1.1 mi curtain of Victoria Falls, whose spray rises more than 1,312 ft. Each page gives the drop, the peak months, the paths and the price, read at the manager.
Read more
Choose the month first: a waterfall is the one natural site that changes from week to week. The text below compares eight falls in a table, groups them by country, says where you can walk behind, above or into the water, and what stays open in winter. Filter the grid, or open the map.
Where to stay
Hotels, guesthouses and rentals around the places most visited on this page.
Affiliate links: if you book through them, we earn a commission. The price you pay does not change. How this site is funded
Iguazu FallsArgentinaSee hotels
Victoria FallsZambiaSee hotels
Pick the month, then the waterfalls
Flow is the figure that matters, and it swings tenfold through the year on some of these rivers; the dated peaks are gathered under this text.
- Victoria Falls: flood peak around March and April, when spray hides the foot of the curtain; by November the flow is about a tenth of April’s, and parts of the falls dry up from October.
- Iguazu Falls: a mean flow of about 61,801 ft³/s; on 14 October 2026 the Garganta del Diablo circuit was closed as a precaution while the river rose.
How to choose among the waterfalls: eight compared
Height says little on its own: the Rhine Falls drop 75 ft but spread over 492 ft, and Iguazu is about 275 falls along 1.7 mi of river. Eight falls side by side; the table of drops for every waterfall on this page follows.
| Waterfall | Country | Drop | How you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Falls | Zambia and Zimbabwe | 354 ft at the centre | Paths on both banks, the Knife-edge Bridge, a moonbow at full moon |
| Iguazu Falls | Argentina and Brazil | Two steps of 35 and 131 ft | Three Argentine circuits and a forest train; a Brazilian trail of about 0.9 mi |
Waterfalls by country
Iceland and Switzerland hold several of the falls; the rest are one to a country, or shared by two.
Switzerland
The Rhine Falls 1.9 mi south of Schaffhausen, under an hour from Zurich; Trümmelbach above Lauterbrunnen.
Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Krimml in Hohe Tauern National Park, about 31 mi west of Zell am See; Kravica 4.3 mi from Ljubuški and about 25 mi south of Mostar.
Two borders
Victoria Falls between Livingstone and the town of Victoria Falls; Iguazu with a ticket for each side.
Behind, above or into the water: paths, swimming and winter
Each waterfall has its one way in, and winter closes some of them.
Behind
The loop behind Seljalandsfoss, often closed by ice in winter, when blocks of ice can fall from the cliff.
Above
527 steps at Skógafoss, 33 hairpins at Krimml, a tunnel lift and some 1,969 ft of stairs at Trümmelbach, more than 100 steps to the platform on the Rhine Falls rock.
Into
Swimming at your own risk in the pool below Kravica in summer; not at Skógafoss, where iceland.org calls it very dangerous.
Winter
Trümmelbach opens from early April to early November; the Krimml WasserWelten open from 1 May to 31 October in 2026; Route 864 on the east bank of Dettifoss closes with the first autumn snow.
Walks on site
- Iguazu Falls: Circuito Garganta del Diablo (1.4 mi, 10 min, easy); Circuito Inferior (1.8 mi, 1 h 30 min, moderate); Circuito Superior (2.3 mi, 1 h 30 min, easy); Sendero Macuco (4.7 mi, 3 h, moderate); Trilha das Cataratas (0.9 mi, 2 h)
Free or paid
Admission charged
Iguazu Falls (60,000 ARS in 2026).
Children, dogs and wheelchairs
The viewpoint is often flat; the way to the top never is.
Step-free
The Circuito Superior and the Garganta del Diablo at Iguazu, the front platforms of Seljalandsfoss, the base of Skógafoss, the north bank of the Rhine Falls with its lift to the basin, and the Kürsinger Platz at the foot of Krimml.
Out of reach
Trümmelbach, unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs and closed to children under 4 and to dogs; the staircase of Skógafoss.
Dogs
Banned at Iguazu and at Trümmelbach; on a lead at Krimml; welcome on the whole Rhine Falls site but not on the Felsenfahrt boat.
Rules to know before you go
| Rule | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Dogs | Iguazu Falls |
Each page gives the full rules, with their source and the date they were checked.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see Victoria Falls and Iguazu?
Victoria Falls peaks around March and April, when spray hides much of the curtain; Zambia Tourism’s pages then disagree on the best months, April to about July on one, an improving view until about September on another, and both agree that parts dry up from October. At Iguazu the circuits open every day of the year; on 14 October 2026 the Argentine park listed the Garganta del Diablo circuit as closed, a precaution while the river rose.
Can you walk behind a waterfall?
Yes, at Seljalandsfoss: a rocky loop of 10 to 15 minutes passes behind the 197 ft curtain, with a waterproof jacket and shoes with grip. It is often closed by ice in winter, when blocks can fall from the cliff. At Trümmelbach you walk inside the mountain beside ten falls, by tunnel lift, stairs and galleries.
Can you swim under these waterfalls?
At Kravica, in summer, in the pool below the 92 ft falls, at your own risk and without a lifeguard service. Swimming is not allowed at Skógafoss, where iceland.org calls it very dangerous, and the other falls on this page offer no bathing: Dettifoss has unfenced cliff edges wet with spray, and at Gullfoss the paths stop at the gorge edge.
Do you have to pay to see a waterfall?
Not always. Gullfoss is free and open round the clock, and the north bank of the Rhine Falls charges nothing; at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Dettifoss the car park is the cost, 900 to 1,000 ISK in 2026 on the south coast and free at Dettifoss. Tickets apply at Iguazu (60,000 ARS for a foreign visitor on the Argentine side in October 2026), Trümmelbach (18 CHF), Kravica (20 KM) and Krimml (€15.90 combined ticket in 2026).
Which waterfalls can you visit in winter?
Gullfoss, the Rhine Falls and the west bank of Dettifoss stay open, weather permitting; Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss too, from the front, with ice near the base and short days. Trümmelbach closes from early November to early April, the Krimml visitor centre from 1 November, and the gravel road on the east bank of Dettifoss with the first snow. Victoria Falls and Iguazu have no winter closure, but a dry season.
Are the waterfalls accessible with a wheelchair or a pushchair?
Partly. At Iguazu the Circuito Superior and the Garganta del Diablo circuit are fully accessible, with free wheelchair loans at the train stations. The front platforms of Seljalandsfoss, the base of Skógafoss and the Rhine Falls north bank are step-free, and Krimml is barrier-free as far as the Kürsinger Platz. Trümmelbach is unsuitable for both, and the staircases of Skógafoss and the Rhine Falls rock are out of reach.