DK Eyewitness New ZealandDK Eyewitness
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness New Zealand
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated maps and regional chapters, helpful for planning a road trip between Taupo, Waitomo and Fiordland.
New Zealand · Westland District
Fantail Falls
Fantail Falls is a waterfall in Mount Aspiring National Park, Westland District, New Zealand. The waterfall is in the Haast Pass, between the Gates of Haast and the pass itself, at an altitude of 450 metres .
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.
Fantail Falls drops 15 metres (49 ft), inside Mount Aspiring National Park. It is a fan-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Westland District, New Zealand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a fan waterfall, the flow widens noticeably as it descends while staying on the rock.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Fantail Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Westland District are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotographyWildlife & safari
When to go
Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
Getting there
- Base town Westland District, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Westland District, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Fantail Falls
New Zealand
Height15 mWidth—
Most similar
Florence Falls
Australia
Height15 mWidth—
Of similar height and in Australia
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
15 m
15 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Fantail FallsFlorence FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 65× taller than Fantail Falls. Victoria Falls is 7.2× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Fantail Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Moon New ZealandJamie Christian Desplaces
Guidebook
Moon New Zealand
Jamie Christian Desplaces · 2024
Built around road trips and the Great Walks, a good fit if you're combining the Milford Track with North Island falls.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet New Zealand
Lonely Planet · 2023
The 21st edition covers Fiordland, Milford Sound, Taupo and the Waikato, so it handles every NZ fall on this site.
The Rough Guide to New ZealandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to New Zealand
Rough Guides · 2023
A current second opinion on routes and stays, with good coverage of the Waikato and the road into Milford Sound.
On the map
-44.078, 169.386
Quick answers
Where is Fantail Falls?
Fantail Falls is in New Zealand (Westland District), inside Mount Aspiring National Park. The nearest base is Westland District, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -44.0780, 169.3860.
How tall is Fantail Falls?
Fantail Falls drops 15 metres (49 feet). It is a fan-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Fantail Falls?
Peak flow is September to December. Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
What can you do at Fantail Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Fantail Falls?
The usual base is Westland District, New Zealand. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there.
Nearby
Closest to Fantail Falls
Gates of Haast
New Zealand · 4 km away
The Gates of Haast is a gorge on the Haast River in Mount Aspiring National Park in the South Island of New…
Thunder Creek Falls
New Zealand · 28 m · 5 km away
Thunder Creek Falls is a waterfall in Mount Aspiring National Park, Westland District, New Zealand. It is…
Roaring Billy Falls
New Zealand · 30 m · 18 km away
Roaring Billy Falls is a waterfall in Mount Aspiring National Park, Westland District, New Zealand. It is…
Humboldt Falls
New Zealand · 275 m · 120 km away
Humboldt Falls is a waterfall located in the Hollyford Valley in the Fiordland district of New Zealand. They…