Kintampo Waterfalls

The Kintampo falls, on the Pumpum river a short way before it joins the Black Volta, come down in three stages through forest, with the final drop of around twenty-five metres the one most visitors see; a stairway of a few hundred steps descends beside it to the pool at the bottom. The setting is closed-canopy forest and the fall is loud and full in the rains, reducing considerably by the end of the dry season. It sits directly beside the main road north from Kumasi to Tamale, which makes it the easiest stop of its kind in the country and a standard break on the long drive. Picnic areas and a small resort sit at the top.

What you actually see

• The main drop - the twenty-five metre fall at the bottom of the steps.
• The upper cascades - the earlier tiers of the river above.
• The stair descent - the flight of steps down the side of the gorge.
• Forest canopy - the woodland enclosing the falls.

When to go

June to October in the rains for the strongest flow. The fall weakens markedly by February and March. Weekends and holidays bring crowds from the road. Mornings are quietest.

Honest expectations

Flow can be disappointing late in the dry season. The climb back up the steps is hard work in the heat. The site is busy at weekends and litter is a problem. Rocks around the pool are slippery.

Nearby

Fuller Falls lies a short distance away; Kintampo town is south.