People Are Sharing The Coolest Photos They Took On Their Trips, And It’s Better Than Any Instagram Feed

“I just hiked to the second tallest waterfall in the world, Tugela Falls in South Africa. Tugela Falls, the second tallest waterfall in the world by total overall height, is located in Royal Natal National Park in the Drakensberg region of South Africa. The moderate 14 km (8.7 miles) hike is approximately a four- to five-hour return, and an afternoon thunderstorm is very likely. You are allowed to camp overnight anywhere in Royal Natal National Park. Sunrise views from up here (around 3,000 m or 9,800 ft) would be incredible!

The seven-kilometer hike to the top of the falls included several stops to watch intermittent clouds fill the valley below. After climbing the famous chain ladders, we were in the clouds where visibility was reduced to no more than 50 meters. As we arrived at the falls, a dozen or so other hikers had already departed in disappointment, some had lost sight of the trail, and others had missed the falls entirely due to poor visibility. When it started to rain, we took shelter in a nearby hut to weigh our options. Two more hikers arrived at the falls and quickly turned around when it began to thunder. 

While waiting out the rain, we read stories etched on the walls about people who had lost their lives from falling, and others who were stuck in the hut for several days due to torrential rains. Feeling defeated, we put on our ponchos and began the two-hour and 40-minute trek back to the car park. Just shy of a kilometer into the return, we looked back to see that the cliffs had cleared enough for a possible subpar viewing of the falls. 

Despite thunder booming nearby, and adding an additional hour walk in the rain for possibly nothing, we sprinted back to the falls for another look. Our gamble paid off, this time we had a mediocre view of the falls and it appeared as if we were standing on the edge of the world. Moments later, the sky cleared, and for an entire hour the Amphitheatre was our playground.” —u/Thov