Mkambati Falls
A waterfall on the Mkambati River in the Pondoland reserve, dropping over a forested ledge into a coastal gorge.
Trip Role
Ideal stay
Best for
Our take
The Wild Coast's secret waterfall. Most visitors never get here, which is most of the point.
The Wild Coast's secret waterfall. Most visitors never get here, which is most of the point.
- Trip Role
- Only If Nearby
- Ideal Stay
- A stop on a Wild Coast trip
- Time Needed
- 1-2 hours at the site
- Best For
- Wild Coast travellers; waterfall collectors.
- Go If
- You're already on the Wild Coast north of Port Edward.
Why it's worth your time
Deep in Pondoland, far from the tourist trail, Mkambati is one of the great hidden waterfalls: forest, river, sea nearby. Reaching it is part of the experience. For travellers already committed to the Wild Coast.
What we love
That it's still genuinely hard to reach, and worth it.
What to know
Remote; a 4x2 is fine in dry weather but check road conditions. Go with local advice or a guide for the less-tracked routes.
More waterfall in Eastern Cape
Fraser's Falls
A Wild Coast waterfall near Mbotyi set in forest — a swim-and-cliff-jump spot for the backpacker coast.
Magwa Falls
A 100m Wild Coast waterfall dropping into a forested gorge — one of the coast's most dramatic and least-visited falls.
Waterfall Bluff
A waterfall that drops directly into the sea off a Wild Coast cliff, one of only a few of its kind in the world.