The Debegeni (or Debengeni) Falls lie at the foot of the Magoebaskloof, on the R71 route to Tzaneen. This beautiful waterfall is a favourite destination for locals seeking cool water and mist cooled air in the heat of summer.

Debengeni means ‘Place of the Big Pot’ – a name which refers to the big pool at the base of the waterfall. The pool is an ideal natural swimming hole from late November through to late March, and is surrounded by lush forest and bush. The forest around the Falls is a birder’s paradise, with many rare species of bird and one, the endemic Bush Shrike, that is found nowhere else but in this particular forest.

The Debengeni Falls are on the various Magoebaskloof Hiking Trail routes, but you can head straight for the waterfall from the Woodbush Forest Station just off the R71.

The turn-off to Wodbush Forest Drive to the forest station is 12km from the Magoebaskloof Hotel, after the hotel on the right if you are travelling from Tzaneen. There is a R20 entrance fee per person. The entrance to the Debengeni Falls is 3km along a dirt road from the run-off.