Chile · Angol
Salto del Nilahue is a waterfall located in the commune of Lago Ranco in southern Chile. It lies in the lower flows of Nilahue River.
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Salto del Nilahue drops over a series of steps on the Nilahue River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Lago Ranco, Chile. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
No commercial adventures run at Salto del Nilahue itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Lago Ranco are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
Most similar
Yutaje Falls
Venezuela
Height715 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in Venezuela
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
We don't have a reliable crest width for Salto del Nilahue yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Guidebook
Mark Johanson et al. · 2025
Covers Los Angeles/Bío Bío for Salto del Laja, the Lake District's Vicente Pérez Rosales park, and Torres del Paine.
Guidebook
Ben Box · 2017
The one-volume continental handbook, useful for multi-country trips that link falls such as Iguazú, Kaieteur and Angel Falls.
Walking guide
Rudolf Abraham · 2023
Trek guide to the W and O circuits, which start near Pudeto and the short trail to Salto Grande on the Paine River.
-40.28528, -72.17278
Salto del Nilahue is in Chile (Angol). The nearest base is Lago Ranco, Chile. Its coordinates are -40.2853, -72.1728.
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.
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.
The usual base is Lago Ranco, Chile. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
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