Howick Falls

This picturesque waterfall is created by the Umgeni River plunging into a basin below. According to local folklore, a serpent-like creature dwells within the pool of water at the bottom of the fall.

The thunderous Howick Falls drop more than 300 feet. The falls also go by the name of KwaNogqaza, which translates to the “Place of the Tall One.”

It’s said that only sangomas, the traditional healers of South Africa, can safely approach the falls. Legend says the Inkanyamba, a monstrous creature with a serpent’s body and a horse-sized head, lurks within the basin. The beast is believed to have the most power in the summer, when its rage sends storms rushing across the region.

The serpent isn’t the only powerful aspect of the waterfall. People wading into the river atop the fall have been swept over the edge and sent to a brutal, watery demise. At least 40 deaths have been recorded since the falls were discovered by European explorers in the 1800s.