Saala Falls

Saala falls drops off a ledge into a wooded gorge in the highlands near Dalaba, water coming down a rock face into a pool with gallery forest around it and the plateau grassland above. It is smaller and less visited than Ditinn but easier to reach, and the walk down from the track passes through the terraced gardens the Fouta Djallon villages work on the slopes. The Fouta Djallon is the source of the Niger, the Senegal and the Gambia rivers, which is why the plateau carries so many falls.

What you actually see

• The fall - water dropping off the ledge into the gorge.
• The gorge forest - gallery growth around the pool below.
• The terraced gardens - the cultivation the walk passes through.
• The plateau grassland - the open ground above the gorge edge.

When to go

July to October is the wet season and the fall runs hardest. It reduces through the dry months. The path is slippery in the rains.

Honest expectations

The fall is modest compared with Ditinn nearby. Village and guide fees are expected. There are no facilities and the path is muddy after rain.

Nearby

Dalaba is nearby, and Ditinn is north.