Ruacana Falls - Omusati, Namibia

Anyone traveling from Kaokoland to Ovamboland would be wise to take a turn off the main route and stop at Ruacana Falls. The falls lie not too far from the town of Ruacana in the Omusati region on the border between Angola and Namibia. The trip best made in the rainy season as the Kunene River is dammed up as part of a Hydro Electrical Scheme and the sluice gates are only opened after particularly good rains.

The drive to the falls offers beautiful photographic opportunities especially in the early morning light, when the huge water surface of the dammed-up Kunene glitters on the right hand side of the road. The falls themselves drop from a height of 120 metres and are almost 700 metres wide. It is one of the largest waterfalls in Africa, both by volume and width, and is regarded by the World Waterfall Database as number 14 of the top 100 waterfalls in the world.

The rainy season is usually between the months of February and May, and during this period the falls are often described as being just as awe inspiring as Victoria Falls. For those who are more technically-minded, visitors can also go for a tour of the power station. Guides trained by Nacobta (Namibia Community Based Tourist Assistance Trust) can show visitors the falls on a walk along the Kunene River and they can also take you to one of the traditional OvaHimba villages in the vicinity.

As the flow of the Kunene River is reduced to a trickle for the larger part of the year, the magnificence of the waterfall is lost but not the beauty of the area. The dry riverbed and 600 metre wide gorge offers great opportunities for those who enjoy rock hopping. Kloofers will be treated to views of polished rock shaped that have been formed by the waters over millions of years.

For those interested in waterfalls, about 135km further downstream from the Ruacana Falls visitors will find the Epupa Falls.