Is nature greater than any human artist? There’s a beautiful 55-foot waterfall outside the city of Cajamarca, Peru, that forms the shape of a bride in her wedding dress. Like Lebanon’s Baatara Gorge Waterfall, the waterfall of the bride is one of Peru’s best-kept secrets.
The water source for the cascade is a cave that starts 650 feet above the falls. The hidden cave and sudden barrage of whiteness create a phenomenon known as pareidolia, where people see shapes in objects.
In this case, the waterfall sprouts from a series of rocky grooves that give the ghostly impression of a bride in a flowing gown, complete with a cascading white veil draped across her. Take a closer look. You can visibly imagine a bridge casting a sidelong glance!
For those looking to travel to the destination, consider giving two of these tourist videos a view.
The tale of “La Cascada de la Novia” as translated into English
Known as “Cascada La Novia” by locals, Bride’s Waterfall takes its name from settlers who believed it was formed to commemorate the tragic loss of a woman’s soon-to-be husband. The bride wished the waterfall into creation after her father killed her fiancรฉ. Below is the full English translation of the story.
According to the legend:
โIn times of yore, a couple of lovers who loved each other deeply despite the rivalry of their families, decided to get married, but on the big day so special for both, the father of the bride took a rifle and shoots the groom propitiating him the death instantaneously, this act caused the bride wrapped in tears and with a huge grief to run out with her beautiful dress towards the mountains, and being there when she could not bear the sadness of losing her beloved, she made a pact with the Apu and the Pachamama, which turned it into a beautiful waterfall, so that everyone could appreciate its beauty for all eternity.”
How to get to Peru’s Waterfall of the Bride
As mentioned by a Peruvian tourism company named Best Peru Tours, from Cajamarca, you’ll need to drive half an hour to the town of Namora. There, you’ll need to take the van or bus two hours to land at the destination.
Of course, if you can’t make it all the way to Cajamarca, Peru, there are plenty of other bridal-type-looking falls around the world. These include the Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite National Park, the Bridal Veil Falls in New Zealand, and the Velo de la Novia, Argentina in Argentina.
It’s worth noting that the viral video of Peru’s Waterfall of the Bride with the sensationalized helicopter and flock of birds is pure fiction. But we can guarantee you the bridal-themed waterfall is indeed a genuine natural wonder.
More amazing pictures of Peruโs โLa Cascada de la Novia”
