Ngonye Falls

The Ngonye Falls or Sioma Falls are a waterfall on the Zambezi river in Western Zambia, near the town of Sioma and a few hundred kilometers upstream from the Victoria Falls. Situated in the southern part of Barotseland, the falls are a difficult two- or three-day journey from the capital, Lusaka. Their inaccessibility makes them much less known than Victoria Falls. The surrounding area was converted into a national park in 2010/11.

Ngonye Falls, western Zambia

The falls are formed by the same geological process as Victoria Falls, with cracks in the basalt riverbed being eroded away to form the drop. Their height is only 10-25 meters, but the width of the falls is impressive. They form a broad crescent, interrupted by rocky outcrops.

Upstream from the falls, the river is broad and shallow as it flows across Kalahari sands, but below the falls extensive white water rapids exist, as the river is hemmed in by gorges cut into basalt rock.

The surrounding area supports extensive wildlife, especially in the nearby Sioma Ngwezi National Park, and elephants are frequently seen by the river in the vicinity of the falls.