Dala Falls

The Chiumbe river drops around sixty metres at Dala in Lunda Sul, a broad fall across a rock lip in country that sees almost no visitors. The volume is large after the rains and much reduced by the end of the dry season. There is a small hydroelectric installation associated with the site. Getting there means a long drive on poor roads from Saurimo, and the falls are seen from the bank rather than from any developed viewpoint.

What you actually see

• The fall - a broad drop of around sixty metres across the river's width.
• The Chiumbe - the river running through miombo woodland above and below.
• The gorge - the cut the water falls into below the lip.
• The remoteness - a large waterfall almost nobody visits.

When to go

March to July, after the rains, is when the fall is at its strongest. By September and October the flow is much reduced. The heaviest rains from December to February make the roads difficult.

Honest expectations

There are no facilities, no viewpoints and no signage. The drive from Saurimo takes most of a day each way on poor roads. The banks are unfenced and slippery near the lip.

Nearby

Saurimo is north, and Lunda Sul province runs east.