Augrabies Falls National Park Travel Guide
Travel to Augrabies Falls National Park - Famous Falls on the Orange River
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Thanks to its rich fauna and flora, majestic waterfalls, and splendid views, Augrabies Falls National Park is well worth a visit while in Northern Cape.
Located around the Augrabies Falls, the national park lies about 120 kilometres west of Upington in the Northern Cape Province. Established in 1996, the park stretches along the Orange River and covers an area of 820 square kilometres.
The falls derived their name from the Khoi word meaning "place of great noise," which accurately describes the roar as the falls plummet 56 metres into the ravine. This arid piece of moonscape-like land, awesome and strikingly beautiful, offers the visitor over 15,000 hectares of unique riverine eco-systems to explore.
The 55,383 hectares on both the northern and southern sides of the Orange River provide sanctuary to a diversity of species, from the very smallest succulents, birds and reptiles to springbok, gemsbok and giraffe.
Attractions in Augrabies Falls National Park
Areas of special interest are the Falls; the Moon Rock, a massive exfoliation dome or “whaleback” which is a prominent landmark of Augrabies Falls; the Swart Rante, foreboding black hills; the Oranjekom and Ararat, viewpoints that give visitors the best opportunity to observe the massive gorge area as well as its wildlife; and the Echo Corner, the furthest view point from the Rest Camp.
Various animals, mainly birds, mammals, and reptiles besides indigenous trees can be seen in the park. Among them, there is the giraffe, klipspringer, baboons, black stork, black eagle, pygmy falcon, pale chanting goshawk, rosy-faced lovebird, black-chested prinia, African wild cat, bat-eared fox, black footed cat, free-tailed batand, Broadley’s flat lizard, black spitting cobra, leopard tortoise, cape cobra, the giant Aloe, the majestic Camel thorn, and the Shepherd’s tree.
Activities in Augrabies Falls National Park
Various exciting new eco-adventure packages are available to the visitor such as self-drive game drives, night drives, the short Dassie Nature Trail, and the 3-day Klipspringer Hiking Trail that takes the hiker from the plateau and into the depths of the gorge. Travellers can also enjoy canoeing in the gorge, hiking out of it and a mountain bike ride back to the rest camp.
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