Page 7 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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NATURAL WONDERS

The thundering cascades of Kaieteur Falls shrouded in spray,
Kaieteur National Park, Guyana
Dramatic Yosemite Falls plunging down the cliffs in Yosemite National
Park, California, USA Kaieteur Falls Slender Tugela Falls gracefully bisecting the mountainside, Royal
Natal National Park, South Africa
Yosemite Falls

NEED TO KNOW Tugela Falls
NEED TO KNOW "UMBOUJD
LOCATION Kaieteur Falls 0DFBO
lies in Kaieteur National Park, 4QSJOH NEED TO KNOW
LOCATION Yosemite Falls 7&/&;6&-" (BSEFO
is found in Yosemite National $ "/"%" and is 145 miles (230 km) (FPSHFUPXO
southwest of the Guyanan LOCATION Tugela Falls is #0548"/"
Park in California, USA
capital, Georgetown -JOEFO found in Royal Natal National
MAXIMUM 4BO ,"*&5&63 Park, in the KwaZulu-Natal /".*#*" +PIBOOFTCVSH
HEIGHT 'SBODJTDP :04&.*5& /FX :PSL MAXIMUM HEIGHT '"--4 Province of South Africa
2,425 ft (739 m) '"--4 8BTIJOHUPO % $ 825 ft (250 m) 463*/".& MAXIMUM 56(&-" '"--4
DAYTIME -PT "OHFMFT 6 4 " DAYTIME (6:"/" HEIGHT 3,107 ft (947 m)
TEMPERATURES TEMPERATURES DAYTIME #MPFNGPOUFJO %VSCBO
Jan: 37°F (3°C); Apr: 50°F Jan: 79°F (26°C); Apr: 81°F TEMPERATURES 4065) "'3*$"
(10°C); Jul: 75°F (24°C); .&9*$0 (VMG PG (27°C); Jul: 81°F (27°C); Oct: 82°F (28°C) #3";*- Jan: 73°F (23°C); Apr: 61°F
.FYJDP
Oct: 55°F (13°C) $BQF 5PXO
(16°C); Jul: 48°F (9°C);
Oct: 64°F (18°C)
Kaieteur Falls is buried deep in the dense tropical
The tallest waterfall in North America – and the jungles of central Guyana and, like Iguaçu, is
seventh highest in the world – Yosemite Falls is memorable for its stupendous scale. The falls The highest falls in Africa and the second highest
one of the star attractions of the world-famous are five times higher than those at Niagara, and in the world (outdone only by Venezuela’s Angel
Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains spew out water at a prodigious average rate of Falls), Tugela plunges in a single fine cascade
of California. The falls plunge in three separate 23,414 cubic ft (663 cubic m) per second, making from the topmost escarpment of the awesome
stages over a series of gray limestone cliffs. There’s Kaieteur, statistically, one of the world’s most Drakensberg Mountains. Surrounded by a great
the spectacular 1,394-ft (425-m) Upper Falls, then powerful cascades and, visually, one of its most bowl of rocky red cliff faces known as the
the so-called “cascades” (a series of smaller drops), dramatic. The setting is unforgettable too – the Amphitheatre, the falls boast one of the most
and finally the 318-ft (97-m) Lower Falls. Although waterfall lies in one of the continent’s largest memorable locations on the planet. Tugela can
it’s not exactly undiscovered, of course (Yosemite tracts of undisturbed rain forest. And despite be seen from the road, but there are also two
is one of the world’s most famous – and most being Guyana’s leading tourist attraction, it still trails that lead right to the cascades. The first of
popular – national parks), heading up the steep only attracts around 40,000 visitors a year – far these is the spectacular Mont-aux-Sources path,
path to the Upper Falls is a great way of escaping fewer than Iguaçu, let alone Niagara. which climbs to the very top of the falls and the
the worst of the crowds, and there are superb Drakensberg escarpment, while the second, less-
views en route. strenuous trail heads to the base of the falls.
Practical Information
Getting There There is no road access to the falls. They are best visited
Practical Information either by plane on a day trip from Georgetown, which is an hour’s flight Practical Information
Getting There Fly into San Francisco and then either rent a car or take a bus to away, or on foot via a spectacular wilderness trek that takes between Getting There The best way to access Tugela Falls is to fly to Johannesburg
the park. The top of the Upper Falls can be reached by a 3.5-mile (6-km) trail. three and five days to complete. and then drive to Royal Natal National Park.
When to Go Visit in April and May, when the falls are at their finest, the When to Go Visit in January, June or July, during either of the country’s two When to Go Visit in the cool, dry months (Jun–Sep). Water volumes aren’t
weather not too cold, and the crowds not too oppressive. rainy seasons, when the falls are at their most powerful. part of the appeal of these falls, so it makes sense to avoid the wet season.
Website www.nps.gov/yose Website www.kaieteurpark.gov.gy Website www.drakensberg-tourism.com/tugela-falls.html

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