Kaieteur Falls, Waterfall in Potaro-Siparuni region, Guyana
Kaieteur Falls drops 226 meters in a single plunge from the Potaro River, making it one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls on Earth. The curtain of water spreads 113 meters wide and sends constant spray rising into the rainforest canopy.
British geologist Charles Barrington Brown reached the site in 1870 while surveying the interior of what was then British Guiana. He recorded the measurements and published his findings the following year, bringing the falls to wider attention.
The name comes from Chief Kai of the Patamona people, who paddled over the edge in a canoe to save his community, according to local tradition. This story connects the site to the people who have lived in the surrounding rainforest for centuries.
Visitors fly in small charter planes from Georgetown to an airstrip near the falls, then walk along a trail to several viewpoints. The paths are relatively short, but the ground can be slippery, so sturdy shoes and walking sticks help.
Tiny golden frogs live around the falls and can be spotted on rocks in the spray zone. The park also protects Guiana dolphins, a rare freshwater species that swims in the rivers below the falls.
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