Canada · Northwest Territories
Nailicho
Nearly twice the height of Niagara, a limestone spire called Mason's Rock splits the South Nahanni River in two as it plunges into a remote canyon accessible only by floatplane. The surrounding wilderness was among the first sites ever designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1978.
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Virginia Falls drops 96 metres (315 ft) on the South Nahanni, inside Nahanni National Park Reserve. It is a block-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Fort Simpson, with YFS the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated hard.
Virginia Falls is number 4 on our list of the most adventurous waterfalls. As a block waterfall, a wide sheet of water falling from a broad river.
Planning one of these? Check your travel insurance covers adventure activities — SafetyWing is one option.
Only reachable by floatplane during the short July-August season when the Nahanni is navigable.
Entry: Park entry permit required
This waterfall
Virginia Falls
Canada
Height96 mWidth—
Most similar
Tamul Falls
Mexico
Height105 mWidth—
Also a block waterfall, of similar height and in Mexico
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
Angel Falls is 10× taller than Virginia Falls. It is about the same height as Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Virginia Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
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Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
History & travel
R.M. Patterson · 2009
Classic 1920s memoir of travelling the South Nahanni to Virginia Falls, still the essential Nahanni read.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet · 2024
Country-wide guide for combining Canadian falls, from Quebec and Ontario to the Rockies and the North.
61.6074, -125.7361
Virginia Falls is in Canada (Northwest Territories), inside Nahanni National Park Reserve. The nearest base is Fort Simpson and the closest airport is YFS. Its coordinates are 61.6074, -125.7361.
Virginia Falls drops 96 metres (315 feet). It is a block-type waterfall on the South Nahanni.
Peak flow is July to August. Only reachable by floatplane during the short July-August season when the Nahanni is navigable.
Beyond the viewpoints: kayaking, scenic flights, white-water rafting, camping and hiking. Access to the main viewpoint is rated hard — a serious approach: distance, altitude, a boat, or a guide.
Yes. Virginia Falls lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Nahanni National Park Reserve. Expect park fees, marked trails and rules on where you can walk, swim and fly drones.
The usual base is Fort Simpson, and the closest airport is YFS. A serious approach: distance, altitude, a boat, or a guide from there. Park entry permit required.
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