Daraja la Mungu Kiwira

Useful Information

Location:	Kiwira River, 10 km west of Tukuyu, Rungwe District. (-9.276996, 33.553988)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Natural Bridge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=6 m, W=50 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Daraja la Mungu Kiwira
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History

Description

Daraja la Mungu Kiwira (God's Bridge) is actually not a karst feature, its of volcanic origin, but most natural bridges are, and so we have natural bridges as karst features. In this case however, the bridge consists of basaltic rock, a solidified lava flow. If its actually some websites state, that the water meeting the lava flow formed the bridge, we do not know. Typically, water evaporates when it meets 1000 °C hot rock, but if there is enough it may solidify the lava which then flows across the river.

It also quite possible that the lava flow covered the land, blocking the river and forming a lake. Then the water flows either over the lava flow cutting a gorge into the basalt, or it finds cracks which it then widens. Block breaking off are transported away and finally there is an erosional cave through the lava flow. That's actually our guess how this bridge formed.

However it formed, basaltic lava natural bridges are quite rare. In this case its also quite massive, about 6 m wide and 50 m long, massive enough for herds of cattle which use it to cross the river.