What is the maximum height of Niagara Falls? Niagara Falls: sightseeing, photos and reviews of tourists

Despite the fact that the maximum height of Niagara Falls is significantly inferior to Victoria and Iguazu, it is no less beautiful and popular compared to the latter. This natural landmark is located on the border of the two largest states - Canada and the USA. It is this fact that significantly influenced the fact that Niagara is almost the most popular waterfall in the world. Annually it is visited by more than 15 million tourists.

How to get to Niagara Falls?

If you find Niagara Falls on the map, it becomes clear that you can get to it from both the US and Canada. In the case of your stay in America, you need to get to the city of Buffalo. For this you can use the airplane, bus or own car. In the latter case, it is sufficient to know the coordinates of the Niagara Falls, 43 ° 04'41 "p. W. 79 ° 04'33 "з. Etc., to successfully arrive at the site. Of course, the most convenient and economical time to fly to Buffalo, but it should be borne in mind that this mode of travel and the most costly.

You can buy a ticket for the right bus in New York at Penn Station, from here buses go to Buffalo. Further, before the American Niagara Falls can be reached by bus 214, and until the waterfall you will take another local bus. If you decide to overcome this path on your own car, then the highway number 90 and route number 190 will lead to the region.

Tourists in Canada, before asking themselves how to get to Niagara Falls, should arrive in Toronto. From the central bus station of this city - Coach Terminal, buses to Canada's Niagara Falls are sent every 1.5-2 hours, and you can already reach the waterfall by a local bus. You can also purchase a train ticket at the Union Station of Toronto, which delivers all passengers to the desired place in two hours.

Planning a train to Niagara Falls should be in such a way as to arrive there in the late afternoon. This is due to the fact that acquaintance with this landmark will take you no less than 10 hours. In addition, arriving in the evening, you can see the illumination show on the waterfalls.

Where better to admire the waterfall: from the US or Canada?

Waterfalls on Niagara are located in such a way that it is impossible to observe them all at the same time. Some tourists are sure that to get the most pleasant impressions, this natural miracle is better to contemplate from the Canadian coast, while others say that the American side allows to approach the cascade as closely as possible, so that the maximum height of Niagara Falls opens and a stunning view on it.

However, you can definitely say that if you manage to visit the landmark in the territory of both countries, then you can lay down about it the most complete representation, and also get a lot of unforgettable emotions. However, travelers who came to the United States on a tourist visa should pay attention to the fact that they will not be admitted to Canada with her, although you can apply for a visa to visit Niagara directly in Buffalo for no more than an hour, paying about $ 100.

The legend associated with Niagara

Niagara Falls, in addition to a lot of real stories related to its nature, the process of education, use for practical and aesthetic purposes, has also its very beautiful legend. I agree with her, once the father of a very beautiful girl named Lalavalae betrothed her to a man whom she not only did not like, but even despised.

Such circumstances led to the fact that the girl decided, in the name of her true love for another person, to sacrifice herself to the god of He-No, who, as the inhabitants of that time believed, lived at the foot of the waterfall. But when Lelavalae swam in the canoe to the abyss and was already beginning to fall down, He-No caught it and lodged with her lover in his sanctuary under the waterfall. There they live today. It was ever or not, no one knows, but the story is certainly beautiful, especially it is to the liking of romantic natures.

How did Niagara Falls form?

The North American Niagara River, connecting two huge lakes - Ontario and Erie, simultaneously forms a complex of waterfalls. In fact, there are three of them - Horseshoe, American, Fata, but they are united by a common name - Niagara Falls. Canada regards this natural landmark as one of the most important in the country.

Formed North American lakes, waterfalls and the Niagara River due to the activity of the ice sheet, which moved more than 10,000 years ago from Eastern Canada, not only breaking everything in its path, but also deepening and expanding the riverbeds, creating or falling asleep lakes.

It is worth noting that the movement of rocks in this area continues today, although not so rapidly. So, for several past centuries Niagara Falls has moved to the south for 11 km. Experts argue that the last 560 years the waterfall moved at a speed of 1-1.5 meters per year. Recently, a complex of engineering works was carried out here, thanks to which it was possible to slow down the movement of rocks a little.

The height and width of Niagara Falls

The maximum height of the Niagara Falls is not so great if you compare it, for example, with the Venezuelan Angel, whose height is 807 m, or Victoria - 108 m. Only 53 m. However, with regard to the width of the Niagara water flow, this figure is able to impress - 792 m, while Angel and Victoria have 107 and 1800 meters respectively. Already from these few figures it becomes clear how different and at the same time the waterfalls are unique.

The cascades in the Niagara complex are also different. Veil really resembles a wedding dress, together in the American waterfall has a width of 335 meters. At the same time they are divided among themselves by a tiny island of the Moon. At the foot of the American waterfall are piled huge boulders, in connection with which the views of tourists are only 21 meters high.

If you carefully consider the Niagara Falls on the map, you can see that from the two previous cascades Horseshoe is separated by Goat Island. According to scientists, it appeared no more than 500 years ago. Due to the fact that there are no obstacles in the way of the Horseshoe, its strength and power exceed those of the American Waterfall and Fata.

A bit of history ...

The first interest in the Niagara Falls came only from a practical point of view. So, back in 1881, due to the energy it produced, many nearby settlements were covered. And a little later, when they created giant underground pipelines and connected them to turbines, the waterfall could provide energy to the entire Buffalo, the USA. Niagara Falls is at a distance of 32 km from this city.

In 1969 the waterfall remained dry for several months. This was due to erosion, which led to a gradual change in the shape of the channel. Specialists in order to preserve this natural site strengthened the slopes at the top of the waterfall, and the river at that time was moving along a different channel.

In addition to the fact that Niagara raises enthusiastic views of millions of tourists, it brings tremendous benefit to power engineers, it also attracts fans of extreme sensations, many of which subsequently destroy. The first person to survive a jump into the waterfall was Sam Pach. This event happened in 1829. And in 1901, Annie Taylor swept from a waterfall in a barrel and also stayed alive.

The most fascinating photos of Niagara Falls

Arriving at Niagara Falls, the photo is the first thing that all tourists are eager to do here. After all, they want at least a piece of this beauty to take with them in order to be able to recall their so fascinating journey. The most beautiful scenery opens from the Goat Island (this name is due to the one who died here once a herd of artiodactyls). It is here that tourists manage to make one of the most fascinating photographs.

Goat Island is connected with the island of Luna and the mainland part of America by special bridges, over which tourists can pass to admire the Niagara Falls. Photos are often made in such a way that the so-called Cave of the Winds can be seen behind, from where one can not only look at waterfalls well, but also feel the power and strength of a huge stream of water. It is important not to forget, when going to the Cave of the Winds, to put on a raincoat and waterproof shoes, because the splashes of the waterfall are being swept from head to foot.

Types of excursions at Niagara Falls

So, thanks to the fact that you knew the coordinates of Niagara Falls, the schedule of buses or trains, you managed to get to the goal, but what to do next? How best to inspect the landmark, so that the impressions of this were as positive as possible and preserved in memory for a long time?

On Niagara, tourists are offered several types of excursions :

• Traveling by boat to the waterfall, during which you can see the beginning of the "Horseshoe" and the top of the gorge;
• Flight in a balloon over Niagara. During this trip, tourists are given the opportunity to simultaneously see all three waterfalls, while their eyes open the maximum height of Niagara Falls;
• A trip for the waterfall. It provides for the delivery of tourists to the three tunnels by means of a special elevator;
• Visit the observation platform, which protrudes from the cliff and is on the side of the USA, as well as the beautiful Rainbow Bridge that connects the two countries.

Whichever way you decide to inspect Niagara Falls, the tour will surely please you, you can not doubt it.

Reviews of tourists about Niagara Falls

Due to the fact that Niagara Falls annually visits a huge number of tourists, there are a lot of reviews about it on various sites on the Internet. Certainly, some people mention how difficult it is for them, long or expensive to get to this natural sight, but all their negative emotions disappeared with a first glance at this natural wonder.

Their impressions are described in different ways, depending on the level of their emotionality, the ability to beautifully formulate their opinions and other features, but if we combine all these reviews into one, we can conclude that Niagara Falls (Canada and the USA) did not leave anyone indifferent.

Niagara Falls at different times of the day

During the day, the most enchanting Niagara Falls looks in clear weather. Then the rays of the sun refracted in small numerous drops of water form seven-colored rainbows. Often they are placed one inside the other, forming an amazing picture, which can be observed both from Canada and the United States.

Niagara Falls at night, thanks to the illumination, also looks special. This spectacle is able to keep people near you for several hours. Niagara is illuminated by dozens of multi-colored floodlights, the total capacity of which is 1.5 million kW. With the onset of darkness they intensify and so impressive picture of the waterfall.

Niagara Falls in different seasons

The appearance of Niagara is also changing depending on the season. In spring and summer, close to the boiling white curtain, the lush green foliage smells, in the fall of the waterfall the scarlet paints shade, and in winter big "factory-sized" icicles, sparkling with diamonds, are planted here.

In early spring, a terrible picture unfolds on Niagara. In this period, ice drift begins, huge ice floes, approaching the edge of the abyss, fall down and crash to a crash.

Although the Niagara Falls is located in an area where the warm season changes to cold, with frosts and snows, it was only the only time in 1911 that it was completely frozen, turning into a huge block of ice.