Tanzania's Most Beautiful Waterfalls: Materuni, Kalambo and Beyond

By Elem Adventures Travel Experts · 2026-09-30 · 6 min read

Tanzania is famous for its plains, its great mountain and its islands, but the country's green edges hide a string of waterfalls that most safaris never reach. Some tumble off the coffee slopes of Kilimanjaro, others drop hundreds of metres inside rainforest national parks, and one is among the highest single-drop falls in all of Africa. Here is where to find them and how to visit.

Materuni Waterfall

The most visited waterfall in the country, Materuni sits in the Chaga village of the same name on the lower southern slopes of Kilimanjaro, about an hour from Moshi. A forest trail leads down through banana and coffee plots to an 80-metre fall that crashes into a cold, swimmable pool, with the mountain often visible behind you.

Materuni is usually combined with a coffee tour in the village, where farmers roast and brew a cup the traditional way. It is an easy half-day trip and one of the best day trips from Arusha and Moshi.

Ndoro, Kilasi and the Moshi-Area Falls

Materuni is not alone on the mountain. Several smaller falls sit in the same belt of forest and farmland:

• Ndoro Waterfall, reached by a short, steep hike near Uru, quieter than Materuni and prized by photographers.
• Kilasi Waterfall, tucked in village country east of Moshi.
• Napuru Waterfall, close to the Rau Forest Reserve on the edge of Moshi.

These are best arranged with a local guide in the villages, and they reward travellers who want a waterfall without the crowds.

Kalambo Falls

On the far western edge of Tanzania, near Lake Tanganyika, Kalambo Falls is the country's most dramatic cascade: a single drop of about 221 metres, making it one of the highest uninterrupted waterfalls in Africa. It pours into a gorge on the Kalambo River, close to the border with Zambia.

Kalambo is not only a natural wonder but an archaeological one. The site has yielded some of the oldest known evidence of human woodworking and habitation in Africa. It is genuinely remote, reached near Sumbawanga, and suits adventurous travellers combining western Tanzania with Mahale or Gombe.

Sanje Falls, Udzungwa Mountains

Inside Udzungwa Mountains National Park, the Sanje Falls drop in a series of tiers through one of East Africa's richest rainforests. The classic hike climbs through misty forest to viewpoints over the falls, with a chance of seeing endemic monkeys and a huge variety of birds. It makes a superb, unusual counterpoint to a northern safari and pairs well with a visit to the southern parks.

Rusumo Falls and Other Falls

• Rusumo Falls on the Kagera River, near the Rwanda border, is famous less for its height than for its history at the crossing point of the headwaters of the Nile.
• Smaller cascades and rapids pepper the highland streams of the Southern Highlands, the Usambara and Pare mountains, and the forests around Kilimanjaro.

Waterfalls Near Kilimanjaro and in the Cool Highlands

If you are already climbing or trekking, waterfalls appear along some routes. There are also numerous falls in the Usambara Mountains, near Lushoto, where day hikes link viewpoint after viewpoint. These cooler highland areas are a lovely, overlooked addition to a longer trip.

Best Time to Visit

• The dry seasons, June to October and December to February, give the easiest walking, safest river crossings and clearest trails.
• After the rains, March to May, fills the falls to their most powerful, but trails get slippery and some roads become difficult.
• Water is coldest early in the morning; plan swims for the warmest part of the day.

Practical Tips

• Hire a local guide. Village falls like Materuni and Ndoro are reached across private farmland, and a local guide handles access and fees.
• Wear grippy shoes. Paths are steep and often wet.
• Bring a swimsuit and a quick-dry towel if you plan to swim.
• Carry cash for village and park fees.
• Leave no trace. Pack out everything you bring in.
• Check the park rules if your waterfall sits inside a national park such as Udzungwa.

Tanzania's waterfalls are the quiet reward for travellers who look past the classic circuit. Whether it is a morning at Materuni under Kilimanjaro or the thundering drop of Kalambo in the far west, they add a cool, green dimension to any Tanzania itinerary.