Pulo do Lobo is a waterfall over the River Guadiana in the Lower Alentejo region of Portugal. This waterfall is 45km from Mertola and around 25km from Serpa. The name of this waterfall (Pulo do Lobo) means ‘wolf’s leap’ in English. It is said that only a brave man or a wild animal when chased could leap over this gorge. It is the highest waterfall in the Southern Portugal. The waterfall located at an altitude of between 33 and 35 meters in a very narrow gorge in the River Guadiana. To reach this waterfall, I took a right turn at the village of Vale de Poços and continued to the waterfall (another 12km). The right bank of the river is more dramatic, it offers a better view of the waterfall.
Waterfall
The river has flown among the rocks, cutting deeper and deeper over the centuries. The surface is uneven and it can be slippery, the area can be very quiet with no people around.
Just at the top of the waterfall, water is relatively calm. Then, all of sudden waters turn into a raging river. The rushing water is noisy and its sound offers the only disruption in the calmness of the area. The waters of the Pulo do Lobo Waterfall are gathered at the bottom in almost round shape bowl. In one part of the waterfall, huge rocks form a blockade to the natural flow of the water. But water finds its way through rocks and when it is raining it flows over the rocks.
There are deep drops in the rocks and some of them look very scary at times. The barren rocks which are on the both side of the river have no vegetation. The left bank of the River Guadiana can be accessed from Beja. A visit to this natural beauty is one of the ‘Things to Do’ if in the area.