Visit Kaieteur Falls – the widest single drop waterfall in the world

Kaieteur Falls, which is considered the widest single drop waterfall in the world, is on the Potaro River in central Essequibo Territory of Guyana. It is located in Kaieteur National Park. It is 226 meters high when measured from its fall over a sandstone and conglomerate cliff to the first break. It then flows over a series of steep cascades.  If they also considered, the total height of the fall will be 251 meters. While many falls have greater height, but Kaieteur Falls are known for their height and volume of water flow from a single source.

Kaieteur Falls is about four times higher than Niagara Falls, located on the border between Canada and the United States and about two times the height of the Victoria Falls located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa.

The Potaro Plateau stretches out to the distant cliff of the Pakaraima Mountains. The Potaro River empties into the Essequibo River, which is one of the longest and widest rivers in South America.

To reach the water falls, one must hire a private tour company to charter a flight to fly into the small Kaieteur airstrip in the middle of the jungle. Several tour companies run flights to Kaieteur Falls several times per week. Mostly small groups travel to the water falls; hence the place would not be crowded.

Depending on the weather and the season, only one or two operators may fly a day. Book ahead to ensure your spot on a flight, as most planes will hold a maximum of eight to ten passengers. Flights from the Georgetown airports to the falls are only 45 minutes to an hour; so with a few hours at the falls the full return trip can easily be completed in a day.

Flights can be arranged with a number of companies that specialize in trips to the falls. Air Services Ltd is one of the well known airline in the area. During off seasons, the flights may be cancelled, if the minimum number of people have not reserved.

During winter season, there can be fog which could make the view obscure, so better to see the weather forecast, before set off the journey.

It is better to wear tough shoes to visit Kaieteur Falls, as pathways are uneven and it will help to move between the three different sight see points. It may require around 2 hours to experience the wild beauty of the water fall and you can fly to your other destinations.