Classroom lesson · Boali Falls · 🇨🇫 Central African Republic

Boali Falls

A spectacular curtain of water on the Mbali River

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Boali Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Central African Republic, sitting on the Mbali River about 100 kilometres northwest of the capital city, Bangui. The water pours over a wide, curved ledge and drops around 50 metres to the rocks and river pools below. After heavy rains, the falls spread so wide they look like a shimmering wall of water.

Tell me more

The Mbali River winds through tropical forest and grassland before it reaches the falls. Just before the drop, the river fans out across flat rocks and then tips over the edge all at once. In the rainy season from May to October, the volume of water is enormous - the roar can be heard a long way before you see the falls.

A rainbow often appears in the mist at the base of the falls in the morning, when sunlight catches billions of tiny water droplets hanging in the air. Butterflies gather near the spray because they love the cool, damp air - and because minerals in the mist give them salts they need.

The Boali hydroelectric station nearby uses the power of the falling water to generate electricity that is sent to homes and schools in Bangui. Waterfalls like Boali are a natural source of clean, renewable energy - the water falls on its own and never runs out as long as rain keeps falling.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01Water falling from a height can generate electricity. Can you think of other ways moving water is used by people?
  2. 02Why do you think butterflies are attracted to the mist at the base of the falls? What does that tell us about what animals need to survive?
  3. 03Boali Falls looks very different in the dry season and the rainy season. How do you think a place near you changes with the seasons?
Try this

Classroom activity

Draw Boali Falls in two panels side by side: one in the dry season (smaller, thinner) and one in the rainy season (wide, powerful). Label the river, the cliff edge, the mist and the rainbow. Add one animal or insect you might spot at the falls in each panel.