Kwa Falls: Nature’s spectacle worth beholding

From thick rainforests housing some national parks, towering mountains to undulating terrains, colourful festivals, beaches, wildlife and to waterfalls, Cross River offers a million thrills to visitors.

The state, which is Nigeria’s foremost tourism destination, amid being home to half of the country’s depleting primary forest, is truly the adventure that awaits you on any visit, considering its many leisure and adventure trappings.

Top among the offerings is the Kwa Falls, the second largest waterfall in the state, after the Agbokim Waterfalls.

The falls is a massive nature’s spectacle.

From afar, the rays from the intense sun blur the magnificent sight ahead amidst the undulating landscape. The canopies from the overhanging tree branches and towering rainforest population comprising mahogany, ebony, spruce among others, provide respite while melodious sounds from the birds and the acrobatic displays by monkeys are in appreciation of the visitors.

A few minutes after meandering through the thick and natural obstacles in the rainforest, a whole world of fun and breathtaking sight opens like a blossoming flower. The greenness, the serenity, the whole fauna and flora population around you welcomes you to the great Kwa Falls.

What quickly catches attention is the falls’ well-arranged staircase of 234 steps from the plane down to the rest place of the cloudy waters. It takes an adventurous mind and physical strength to dare the steps. Yet, it is where the fun lies. Beyond the steps, the eyes glue to the breathtaking sparkling natural waters while the brain wonders how it eternally falls through the mounds of igneous rocks of tropical reminiscence.

Sheltered by deep green canopies of leaves, the Kwa Falls sits in a narrow, steep gorge on the headwaters of the Kwa River. From there it snakes down a foundation of rocks strong enough to take on the force with which it pours down.

As the water cascades ceaselessly, the visitors behold it with awe, while also relaxing and watch nature fete them with its natural bliss. Of course, a visit and indulgence with Mother Nature at the magnificent waterfalls leaves a visitor entertained, happier and healthier.

There are always experienced tour guides to lead visitors at the falls. As a usual itinerary and like the legendary Mongo Park, one of the tour guides leads the tourists on a trail of the waterfalls. It is fun walking quietly by the Kwa River bank, for a few moments. The feel is like the tourists are on the set of a movie. But that short expedition at the fringes of the Cross River National Park and IBAD Oil Palm Estate, offers the closest access to the falls and tropical rainforest.

As the walk by the river bank gets slower and quieter (though on the instruction of the tour guide), the visitors keep sighting monkeys in their natural habitat and some rare birds that dance around the water.

“You are at a river system that flows in a westerly direction to join the Great Kwa River east of Calabar and later empties into the Cross River estuary. You are at the spot that hosted the Miss World 2006 photo shoot,” the tour guide explained to the visitors on the trail of the source of the falls.

Miss World! Exclaimed a visitor. “Yes”, the guide, who prefers to be called Bassey T, said. The magnificence of the falls and the facility upgrade have wooed photography and movie companies in recent times to the waterfalls for scenic and action-pack productions.

On getting to a deep plunge pool that forms at the bottom of the waterfall, which before deforestation, was hidden under the thick canopy of the tropical rainforest, some visitors who could not resist the pull for a refreshing swim, dive in to cool-off the intensity of the tropical weather.

Surprisingly, many came with their swimming trunks besides mountain climbing gears. They obeyed the warning on the caveat at the entrance that encourages visitors to come prepared for both fun and action.

The strategic location of the waterfalls at the fringes of the Cross River National Park and IBAD Oil Palm Estate, enables it to offer the closest access to tropical rainforest experience and opportunity for kayaking and hiking.

However, the nearby Kwa River Sand Beach entices for an afternoon’s peaceful relaxation.

But on your way out, the very hospitable Anegeje Village in Akamkpa, the host community, waits to offer souvenirs that will remind you of your romance with beauty and woos for another date with nature.

Again, the falls is set for more upgrades with the approval for the release of N18 billion for the rehabilitation and upgrade of key tourism infrastructure across the state by the government in 2025.

As well, potential visitors need not to worry about access as the Cross River State government has recently expanded the fleet of the state-owned airline, Cally Air, with the acquisition of two CRJ 1000 aircraft, operated in partnership with Aero Contractors and ValueJet, while road infrastructure has improved, especially from Calabar to Uyo, which is now serviced by waterways via the Calabar-Oron-Uyo route.