Lonely Planet PeruBrendan Sainsbury et al.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Peru
Brendan Sainsbury et al. · 2025
Covers the Amazonas region around Chachapoyas, the base for the Gocta and Yumbilla hikes and Kuélap fortress.
Peru · Amazonas
Yumbilla Falls
Catarata Yumbilla
Measured in 2007 and found to be taller than nearby Gocta, this multi-tiered cascade near Cuispes ranks among the highest waterfalls anywhere and is reached on a trail of about an hour and a half along the foot of the cliffs. Flow is thin in dry months, so the tallest drops sometimes fan into mist rather than a solid curtain.
One of the five tallest waterfalls in the world Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Yumbilla Falls drops 896 metres (2,940 ft) on the Yumbilla. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Cuispes, with CHH the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Yumbilla Falls is the second-tallest of the 5 we cover in Peru; number 5 on our list of the tallest waterfalls in the world. 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 Yumbilla Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Cuispes are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Dry season keeps the steep forest approach passable; flow is thin outside rainy months.
Entry: Local community fee ~$10 USD
Getting there
- Base town Cuispes
- Airport CHH
- Country Peru
- Region Amazonas, Andes & Amazon, South America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Yumbilla Falls
Peru
Height896 mWidth—
Most similar
Gocta Falls
Peru
Height771 mWidth—
Also a tiered waterfall, of similar height and in Peru too
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
330 m
771 m
896 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerGocta FallsYumbilla FallsAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 83 m taller than Yumbilla Falls. It drops 8.3× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Yumbilla Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Yumbilla Falls
11:57
29:58
6:08
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Guidebook
South American Handbook
Ben Box · 2017
The one-volume continental handbook, useful for multi-country trips that link falls such as Iguazú, Kaieteur and Angel Falls.
On the map
-5.9189, -77.9018
Quick answers
Where is Yumbilla Falls?
Yumbilla Falls is in Peru (Amazonas). The nearest base is Cuispes and the closest airport is CHH. Its coordinates are -5.9189, -77.9018.
How tall is Yumbilla Falls?
Yumbilla Falls drops 896 metres (2,940 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the Yumbilla.
When is the best time to visit Yumbilla Falls?
Peak flow is May to August. Dry season keeps the steep forest approach passable; flow is thin outside rainy months.
What can you do at Yumbilla 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 Yumbilla Falls?
The usual base is Cuispes, and the closest airport is CHH. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there. Local community fee ~$10 USD.
Nearby
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