Niagara Falls, Ontario offers vacationers everything they could ever want, from unparalleled natural beauty, to unbelievable geological power, to deep history, to exciting thrills. Niagara is clearly one of the most desirable vacation destinations in the world, but what about the thing that started it all — the falls?
Niagara Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and it’s no surprise why. The three sets of falls that make up the Niagara Falls system have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, 750,000 gallons per second, and the energy generated by the falls could power 24 million 100-watt bulbs all at once. More than 13 million people travel to the falls to witness their beauty and power — and indulge in all the thrills and excitement the city and surrounding region has to offer.
We all know how fantastic and rewarding a visit to Niagara Falls is, but there are a handful of other gorgeous and jaw-dropping waterfalls scattered around the globe that are worth some investigation. Here are the falls Niagara Falls beat out to win its place in the hearts and minds of travelers everywhere.
Yosemite Falls
One of the tallest falls in the world (beat out by another on this list) Yosemite Falls can be spotted from almost anywhere in the park. Part of what makes the falls so stunning are the three stages that break up the waterfall: the Upper Fall, which is 1,420 feet, the Middle Cascades, which are 640 feet, and the Lower Fall, which is 320 feet. Interested travelers can hike up and down near the falls to get different angles. However, tourists should know that these falls aren’t there year-round; the creek that supplies the falls with water only runs during the mid-spring and early summer when the winter snows melt, then again sometime late fall during the autumn storms but before the winter snow.
Angel Falls
Set in the remote rainforests in Venezuela, Angel Falls is definitely a tough competitor against Niagara for most amazing waterfall in the world. Angel Falls drops uninterrupted for an astounding 3,212 feet from the edge of a tepuy, or table mountain. To see the falls, devoted travelers must endure a four-hour boat ride against the current of two different rivers, and then a grueling 90-minute uphill hike, requiring stream crossing and forest navigating. And did we mention that the name of the tepuy that hosts the falls is Auyantepuy, which basically means The Mountain of the God of Evil?
Gullfoss
These falls in Iceland are the most similar in appearance to those in Niagara. Translated to Golden Falls, Gullfoss is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Iceland, a country known for its natural wonders. With 3,441 gallons rushing over the falls during the peak summer season, these falls are huge and significant, but still the existence of them was challenged in the early 20th century when Icelanders attempted to abuse the falls to generate electricity. Now, the falls are a protected landmark, and travelers are welcome to visit during their tours of the landscape.