Canada · Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut

Wilberforce Falls

Kattimannap Qurlua

The Hood River drops about 49 metres in two steps into Wilberforce Gorge, a canyon some 3 km long and up to 76 metres deep cut into the Arctic tundra of Nunavut; the falls were officially renamed Kattimannap Qurlua in 2020. There is no road or trail, so visitors arrive by chartered floatplane or at the end of a two- to three-week canoe descent of the Hood, portaging around the gorge.

Find tours & tickets When to go

Ansgar Walk · CC BY-SA 2.5

One of the highest waterfalls north of the Arctic Circle Essentials guide

Checked September 2026 by David Bussell

Wilberforce Falls drops 49 metres (161 ft) on the Hood. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Yellowknife, with YZF the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated hard.

Wilberforce Falls is number 6 on our list of waterfalls at the ends of the earth. As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.

What you can do here

KayakingCheck operators and availability

Also good forCamping Hiking Photography Wildlife & safari

When to go

J F M A M J J A S O N D

The Hood is open to paddlers for only five to eight weeks after the ice goes out, so July and August are the practical window; canoe parties fly in by floatplane from Yellowknife.

Entry: No park fee; the real cost is a chartered floatplane from Yellowknife or a multi-week canoe expedition

Getting there

Base town Yellowknife
Airport YZF
Country Canada
Region Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut, Northern North America, North America
Access Hard — a serious approach: distance, altitude, a boat, or a guide

Flights to YZF Car hire Route options

How it compares

This waterfall Wilberforce Falls Canada Height49 mWidth—

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

Height, drawn to scale

48 m

49 m

108 m

330 m

979 m

Tangle FallsWilberforce FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls

Width of the crest, drawn to scale

Khone Phapheng Falls 10,783 m

Victoria Falls 1,708 m

Angel Falls is 20× taller than Wilberforce Falls. Victoria Falls is 2.2× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Wilberforce Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.

Watch and read

Videos from Wilberforce Falls

**A Journey Through the Heart of the Arctic - Across the Arctic Wild - EP 12 - Wilberforce Falls**Jim Baird - Adventurer

**Natural wonders - Wilberforce Falls (Canada)**natural wonders

Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.

Books worth packing

History & travel

Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea in the Years 1819-20-21-22

John Franklin · 2001

Franklin's own narrative of the expedition that reached and named Wilberforce Falls on the Hood River in 1821.

Independent bookshop Amazon

Guidebook

Lonely Planet Canada

Lonely Planet · 2024

Country-wide guide for combining Canadian falls, from Quebec and Ontario to the Rockies and the North.

Independent bookshop Amazon

On the map

67.0957, -108.7969

Quick answers

Where is Wilberforce Falls?

Wilberforce Falls is in Canada (Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut). The nearest base is Yellowknife and the closest airport is YZF. Its coordinates are 67.0957, -108.7969.

How tall is Wilberforce Falls?

Wilberforce Falls drops 49 metres (161 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the Hood.

When is the best time to visit Wilberforce Falls?

Peak flow is July to August. The Hood is open to paddlers for only five to eight weeks after the ice goes out, so July and August are the practical window; canoe parties fly in by floatplane from Yellowknife.

What can you do at Wilberforce Falls?

Beyond the viewpoints: kayaking, camping, hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. Access to the main viewpoint is rated hard — a serious approach: distance, altitude, a boat, or a guide.

How do you get to Wilberforce Falls?

The usual base is Yellowknife, and the closest airport is YZF. A serious approach: distance, altitude, a boat, or a guide from there. No park fee; the real cost is a chartered floatplane from Yellowknife or a multi-week canoe expedition.