King George VI Falls, also known as Salto Oshi or Oshi Falls, is located on the Oshi River in the

Cuyuni-Mazaruni Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region 7) is a region of Guyana. Venezuela claims the territory as part of Guayana Esequiba. It borders the regions of Barima-Waini, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara and Pomeroon-Supenaam to the north, the region of Upper Demera ...

region of

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

. This waterfall is rarely visited. The exact height waterfall used to be unknown, but was measured in 2014 at Though it is not as tall as it has long been thought to be, it is notable for its combination of height and great volume of water, along with its being a sheer plunge. The overhanging cliff gives a visual illusion of a much bigger fall. The first westerner to see the falls was reportedly American entomologist and physician

Paul A. Zahl Paul Arthur Zahl (1910 – October 16, 1985) was an explorer and biologist. He was a frequently published author and columnist as well as a respected photographer. He served as senior scientist to the National Geographic Society from 1958 to 1975. ...

in 1938. Height of this waterfall has often been reported to be 1,600 feet, and that figure has been published many times over several decades, but it is greatly exaggerated. The error originated from imprecise measurements of Paul A. Zahl who estimated the height of falls by throwing large rocks and counting seconds until the stones fell down. The waterfalls are near the indigenous village of

Paruima Paruima is an indigenous village of Pemon Amerindians in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana. The village was founded as a mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is the only Pemon language, Pemon speaking community in Guyana. Overview Re ...

. A permit from the Office of Indigenous Affairs is required to visit the falls.

References

{{Reflist Waterfalls of Guyana Cuyuni-Mazaruni