Ruacana Falls
A seasonal fall on the Kunene at the Angolan border, spectacular in flood and dry for much of the year.
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The Kunene drops around a hundred and twenty metres over a wide lip at Ruacana on the Angolan border, and when it is running it is one of the largest falls in southern Africa. Most of the year it is not running: a hydroelectric scheme diverts the water, and the falls only appear when the flow exceeds what the intake takes, which means good rainfall in the Angolan highlands, usually between February and April. Outside that window there is a dry rock face.
What you actually see
- The falls in flood - a hundred-and-twenty-metre drop across a wide lip.
- The gorge - the Kunene cutting downstream below the falls.
- The hydro scheme - the intake that takes the water for most of the year.
- The viewpoint - the platform above the falls near the border post.
When to go
February to April, after good rains in the Angolan highlands, is the only reliable window. For the rest of the year the falls are dry or a trickle. Asking locally before driving out saves a wasted trip.
Honest expectations
The falls are dry for most of the year and visitors regularly arrive to find bare rock. The viewpoint is near a border post and photography is restricted in places. Facilities are minimal.
Nearby
Ongongo waterfall is south, and Oshakati is east.
What to pack for Ruacana Falls
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
