They say there’s a lot you can learn from a waterfall. In fact, there’s actually a lot you can learn from a turtle too (check out our Life Lessons from a Turtle and you’ll understand). Those 10 turtle truths have inspired today’s Monday motivation. Here are 10 waterfall wisdoms to keep you on track this week.
- Always keep moving.
- Go with the flow.
- Be brave and take the plunge.
- Let the water (i.e., worries) roll off your back.
- Allow yourself to be heard.
- Make a splash.
- Sometimes being dramatic gets noticed.
- Let go and don’t be afraid to fall.
- In chaos, peace and beauty can be found.
- At the end of every seemingly chaotic fall is a state of peaceful harmony.
So as cliché as it sounds, the advice is simple and refreshing. As beautiful as they are powerful, and as calming as they are energising, waterfalls continue to captivate us with their natural beauty, hypnotising flow, soothing sound, and the mist (and often mystery) that surround them. And just as there are storm chasers, sunset chasers, concert chasers and food chasers, so too are there waterfall chasers, and we can totally understand why!
Here are 5 of the world’s must-see waterfalls.
1. Iguazu Falls, Argentina
The largest waterfall system in the world, the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls in Argentina consists of 275 falls and was named one of the new seven wonders of nature. Second, only to Victoria Falls in size, the Iguazu Falls were formed by a volcanic eruption. Of the impressive 275 falls, the scene-stealer is the dramatic, U-shaped Devil’s Throat, which is shrouded in mist with half of the river’s flow thunderously plunging into its depths.
2. Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls sits on the Zambezi River on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles. Long before the Scottish missionary and explorer Dr. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls in 1855, the local Batonga people had named them Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke that thunders’. Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world based on height and width and is the world’s largest sheet of falling water.
3. Jog Falls, India
The second highest plunge waterfall in India, the Jog Falls is represented by a few thin streams of cascading water that drop an impressive 253 m (830 ft) down the side of a rocky cliff face prior to the monsoon season. Following the life-giving monsoon rains, these falls burst into full glory with four magnificent and thundering waterfalls.
4. Murchison Falls, Uganda
The oldest and largest protected conservation area in Uganda, the Murchison Falls National Park is named after the majestic Murchison Falls, which are situated on the world-famous Nile River, between Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert. As the mighty Nile forces its powerful way through a narrow crevasse, just 7 m (23 ft) wide, called Devil’s Cauldron, the pressure and mist give rise to an unexpected rainbow.
5. Augrabies Falls, South Africa
The Augrabies Falls can be found along South Africa’s Orange River in the Augrabies Falls National Park. Originally named “ankoerebis” by the local Khoisan people, meaning “place of great noise”, this impressive 56 m (183 ft) waterfall may be somewhat off the beaten track, but is well worth a visit and can be combined with an unforgettable road trip through the Northern Cape province to the world-renowned Tswalu Kalahari Private Game Reserve, home to the critically endangered pangolin.
years