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 · Southland District
Humboldt Falls
Humboldt Falls is a waterfall located in the Hollyford Valley in the Fiordland district of New Zealand. They fall 275 metres in three drops; the largest of the three drops is 134 metres high.
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.
Humboldt Falls drops 275 metres (902 ft), inside Fiordland National Park. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Fiordland Community, New Zealand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Humboldt Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Fiordland Community are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
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 Fiordland Community, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Southland District, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Humboldt Falls
New Zealand
Height275 mWidth—
Most similar
Liffey Falls
Australia
Height160 mWidth—
Also a tiered waterfall 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
108 m
160 m
275 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsLiffey FallsHumboldt FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 3.6× taller than Humboldt Falls. It drops 2.5× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Humboldt 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
-44.69726, 168.13502
Quick answers
Where is Humboldt Falls?
Humboldt Falls is in New Zealand (Southland District), inside Fiordland National Park. The nearest base is Fiordland Community, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -44.6973, 168.1350.
How tall is Humboldt Falls?
Humboldt Falls drops 275 metres (902 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Humboldt 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 Humboldt 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 Humboldt Falls?
The usual base is Fiordland Community, New Zealand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Humboldt Falls
UNESCO Bowen Falls
New Zealand · 162 m · 17 km away
One of only two permanent waterfalls on Milford Sound
UNESCO Stirling Falls
New Zealand · 151 m · 20 km away
One of only two permanent waterfalls on Milford Sound
Kayaking
Full guide Sutherland Falls
New Zealand · 580 m · 30 km away
New Zealand's tallest waterfall
Helicopter flights
Lady Alice Falls
New Zealand · 280 m · 110 km away
Lady Alice Falls is a tall waterfall in Fiordland, New Zealand. It drops either 656 or 919 feet .