Encounter Atlas
The inkanyamba is a giant serpent in Zulu and Xhosa belief, linked to tornadoes and summer storms. Its Xhosa name roughly means 'snake cloud'. It is especially associated with the deep pool below Howick Falls on the Umgeni River, which has earned it the local nickname 'Howie'.
In traditional belief it is a powerful being of storm, water and hail rather than an ordinary animal, and angering it is said to bring destructive winds. Shiny metal roofs are said to attract it because it mistakes them for water.
Modern sighting reports describe a long serpent with a horse-like head and a mane or fin. A game ranger named Buthelezi said he saw such an animal basking on a sandbank of the Umgeni in 1962, and more local reports followed in the 1970s to 1990s. Sceptics suggest large eels, crocodiles or tourism stories.
What witnesses report
- A long serpent with a horse-like head
- A mane or row of fins along the back
- Seen in deep river pools and below waterfalls
- Linked with violent storms
Famous cases
- 1962Game ranger reports a horse-headed serpent on the Umgeni River
Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Seen the Inkanyamba?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
