Guidebook
Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini
James Bainbridge et al. · 2022
Covers the Drakensberg, Augrabies, KZN Midlands, Panorama Route falls and Lesotho's Semonkong for Maletsunyane in one book.
South Africa · Eastern Cape
Bawa Falls
Bawa Falls are horsetail waterfalls, situated in the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The falls have a single drop of 103 m with an average width of 1.5 m .
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Bawa Falls drops 103 metres (338 ft) on the Gcuwa River. It is a horsetail-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Mnquma Local Municipality, South Africa. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Bawa Falls is the third-tallest of the 10 we cover in South Africa. As a horsetail waterfall, water stays in contact with the rock as it falls.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Bawa Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Mnquma Local Municipality are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Summer rainfall in the east makes January to April the big-water months; the winter-rain Cape runs the other way.
Getting there
- Base town Mnquma Local Municipality, South Africa
- Country South Africa
- Region Eastern Cape, Southern Africa, Africa
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Bawa Falls
South Africa
Height103 mWidth—
Most similar
Brudesløret
Norway
Height110 mWidth—
Also a horsetail waterfall and of similar height
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
Most similar
Brudesløret
Norway
Height110 mWidth—
Also a horsetail waterfall and of similar height
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
103 m
108 m
110 m
330 m
979 m
Bawa FallsVictoria FallsBrudesløretEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 9.5× taller than Bawa Falls. It is about the same height as Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Bawa Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Walking guide
Walking in the Drakensberg: 75 Walks
Jeff Williams · 2017
Route descriptions for the Amphitheatre, including the Sentinel chain-ladder route to the top of Tugela Falls and the gorge walk below.
On the map
-32.39333, 28.12861
Quick answers
Where is Bawa Falls?
Bawa Falls is in South Africa (Eastern Cape). The nearest base is Mnquma Local Municipality, South Africa. Its coordinates are -32.3933, 28.1286.
How tall is Bawa Falls?
Bawa Falls drops 103 metres (338 feet). It is a horsetail-type waterfall on the Gcuwa River.
When is the best time to visit Bawa Falls?
Peak flow is January to April. Summer rainfall in the east makes January to April the big-water months; the winter-rain Cape runs the other way.
What can you do at Bawa Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Bawa Falls?
The usual base is Mnquma Local Municipality, South Africa. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Bawa Falls
Magwa Falls
South Africa · 142 m · 180 km away
Magwa Falls is a waterfall in Eastern Cape province in South Africa. The main water drop is 142 metres .
Maletsunyane Falls
Lesotho · 192 m · 280 km away
Longest single-drop abseil (204m) in the world
Abseiling
Howick Falls
South Africa · 95 m · 380 km away
KwaZulu-Natal's most accessible major waterfall
Full guide Tugela Falls
South Africa · 948 m · 410 km away
Among the world's tallest waterfalls (disputed second)