Gocta Cataracts facts for kids
Gocta (also known as Spanish: Catarata del Gocta) is a stunning waterfall in Peru. It has two main drops and is located in the Amazonas Region, far to the northeast of Lima. The water from Gocta flows into the Cocahuayco River. Local people knew about this amazing waterfall for hundreds of years. However, the rest of the world only learned about it in 2002. This was after a German explorer named Stefan Ziemendorff visited it with a group of Peruvian explorers. The waterfall is named Gocta Falls after the closest village. You can see it from many kilometers away!
Discovering Gocta Waterfall
When Stefan Ziemendorff first saw Gocta, he was very impressed. He convinced the Peruvian government to map the waterfall. They also measured its height. On March 11, 2006, Ziemendorff shared his findings with the world. He announced that Gocta was measured at 771 meters (2,530 feet) tall. At that time, he thought it was the third-tallest free-leaping waterfall. This would place it after Angel Falls in Venezuela and Tugela Falls in South Africa.
However, this ranking was based on older information. Many experts have since debated Gocta's exact ranking. Some lists place Gocta as the fifth-tallest waterfall. They include other tall waterfalls like Ramnefjellsfossen and Mongefossen in Norway. The World Waterfall Database currently ranks Gocta as the 16th tallest waterfall. No matter its exact rank, Gocta is still a truly impressive natural wonder!
Local Legends and Secrets
For a long time, Gocta Waterfall was a secret to outsiders. The local people knew about it but did not share its location. This was because of an old legend. They feared a curse from a beautiful blond mermaid. This mermaid was said to live in the waterfall's waters. Locals believed that if they told others about the falls, the mermaid would bring bad luck. The legend says a white-haired, mermaid-like spirit protects the falls. Her hair can be seen flowing down the huge U-shaped walls at the bottom.
Visiting Gocta Today
In March 2006, the Peruvian government announced plans to open Gocta to tourists. They wanted to make it a popular attraction by mid-2007. A small hotel was built about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the waterfall's base. All the rooms at this hotel have amazing views of the falls.
Today, visitors can hike to the waterfall. You can walk or ride a horse along the trails. These trails lead to the misty base of the waterfall. The nearby town of Chachapoyas is located high up in the mountains. The waterfall is even higher. Because of this, clouds sometimes cover parts of the view, making it look even more magical.
See also
In Spanish: Catarata Gocta para niños
