Tugela Falls, Waterfall in Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa.

Tugela Falls is a waterfall in the Drakensberg Mountains that plunges over a steep escarpment in multiple stages. The water drops across different levels, creating a series of cascades as it flows down the mountainside.

The name Tugela comes from the Zulu word for 'sudden', referring to the river that feeds the falls. The Tugela rises on the Mont-Aux-Sources plateau, several kilometres beyond the Amphitheatre escarpment. The falls' height has been debated: the official total drop is 948 m, but a Czech expedition measured 983 m in 2016 and sent the data to the World Waterfall Database.

The river name uThukela is Zulu for 'sudden', referring to the water's abrupt drop from the Mont-Aux-Sources plateau. The falls lie in Royal Natal National Park, and the Tugela Gorge trail passes through indigenous forest before a boulder hop and a small chain ladder bring hikers to the foot of the five cascades.

Two hiking routes reach this location: a demanding trail from The Sentinel car park and an easier path through Tugela Gorge starting from Royal Natal National Park. Timing your visit matters, as weather conditions on the exposed plateau can change quickly.

The falls drop in five separate free-leaping tiers; the tallest single tier is 411 m, while the whole cascade is officially 948 m. A Czech expedition measured 983 m in 2016 and sent the data to the World Waterfall Database. Because the total is split into tiers, Angel Falls keeps the record for the tallest uninterrupted drop.