Tugela Falls

Tugela Falls drops roughly 948 metres in five leaps from the top of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre in South Africa's Royal Natal National Park. It is widely cited as the second-highest waterfall in the world, and one of the few you can stand on top of after a half-day hike.

Why visit Tugela Falls

The Amphitheatre is a five-kilometre wall of basalt, part of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg World Heritage Site. From the Sentinel car park a trail and a pair of chain ladders lead to the plateau and the head of the falls; from the valley, the Tugela Gorge walk ends at the foot of the cliffs. In hard winters the upper fall can freeze.

Best time to visit Tugela Falls

Visit between November and March, when summer thunderstorms feed the falls. Winter (June to August) brings clear skies and snow on the escarpment but only a trickle of water.

How to get to Tugela Falls

The Sentinel trailhead is reached from the Free State side via Phuthaditjhaba; Royal Natal's Tugela Gorge trail starts near Thendele camp. Both are about three and a half hours from Durban.

The Sentinel hike to the top

The most popular route to the head of Tugela Falls starts at the Sentinel car park on the Free State side. The trail climbs steadily below the Sentinel peak to the foot of two chain ladders, which take you up the final cliff onto the plateau. From there it is a short, gentle walk to the point where the Tugela River drops over the Amphitheatre. The round trip is about 12 to 13 kilometres and takes five to seven hours. An alternative gully route avoids the ladders.

The Tugela Gorge walk

From Royal Natal National Park, a gentler trail follows the Tugela River up the gorge to the foot of the Amphitheatre, with the falls visible high on the wall in wet weather. The return walk is about 14 kilometres and takes five to six hours, with an optional rock-hopping section and a chain ladder at the end of the gorge.

Practical information

The falls flow most strongly in summer, November to March, when afternoon thunderstorms are common, so start early and be off the plateau by early afternoon. In winter the falls can freeze and the plateau is very cold. A conservation fee is charged at the Sentinel car park and at Royal Natal. Carry warm layers, rain gear and plenty of water, and register your hike with the park.

Pair Tugela Falls with a safari

Combine the Drakensberg with Big Five game drives in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and the coast at iSimangaliso on our 8-day Drakensberg and Zululand safari.

Tips for visiting Tugela Falls

Start the Sentinel trail early, as summer afternoons bring thunderstorms. Carry warm layers even in summer and plenty of water. The chain ladders are exposed but secure; take them slowly. See our Tugela Falls hike guide. For planning, see our South Africa guide and the month-by-month water levels, or compare it with Africa's two most visited falls, Victoria Falls and Murchison Falls.

Things to do at Tugela Falls

• Tugela Falls Hike (Sentinel Trail): The hike to the top of one of the world's highest waterfalls, via the chain ladders of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre.

National parks and sights nearby

• Royal Natal National Park
• uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
• Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park