Tugela

The Tugela River, known in Zulu as uThukela, is a major river in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It rises on the Mont-aux-Sources plateau in the Drakensberg mountains within the Royal Natal National Park, near the border with Lesotho, and flows roughly 530 kilometers to the Indian Ocean, entering near KwaDukuza on the province’s north coast.

The river drains a large portion of eastern KwaZulu-Natal, collecting water from numerous tributaries and supporting both ecological and human communities along its course. It passes through the eastern highlands and midlands before reaching the coastal plain.

On the upper reaches lies Tugela Falls, a cascade of multiple tiers with a total drop commonly cited as about 948 meters, making it one of the world’s highest waterfalls. The exact height varies with measurement and water flow.

The Tugela River basin provides irrigation for agriculture and supplies towns and cities in the region. Dams and reservoirs along the river regulate flow, support water supply, and contribute to flood control. The river’s catchment hosts diverse habitats and wildlife, and the lower river forms estuarine and coastal ecosystems near its mouth.