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    Augrabies Falls National Park

    South Africa

    Augrabies Falls National Park

    National Park

    In Augrabies Falls National Park in the Northern Cape, about 120 kilometers west of Upington, the Orange River plunges approximately 56 meters into an 18-kilometer-long granite gorge.

    by Felix Gillen

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    9. Augrabies Falls National Park
    In Augrabies Falls National Park in the Northern Cape, about 120 kilometers west of Upington, the Orange River plunges approximately 56 meters into an 18-kilometer-long granite gorge. Surrounding it is a barren semi-desert with smooth, polished rock domes, quiver trees, and rock hyraxes.

    Sights

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Augrabies Falls (Hauptkatarakt)

    1Augrabies Falls (Hauptkatarakt)

    The main fall, where the Oranje plunges about 56 meters deep into the gorge through a narrow rock channel. Walkways and platforms at the main camp offer various viewpoints. After heavy rainfall in the catchment area, the spectacle is most magnificent.
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    Moon Rock

    2Moon Rock

    Large, smoothly polished granite dome you can hike up. From the top, you're treated to vast views over the semi-desert, particularly stunning at sunset.
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    Oranjekom Viewpoint

    3Oranjekom Viewpoint

    Viewpoint west of the main camp, high above the gorge. From here you can see how the Oranje has carved deep into the granite.
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    Dassie Nature Trail

    4Dassie Nature Trail

    Short circular trail from main camp over granite rocks and through semi-desert, named for rock hyraxes sitting here on rocks. Bring water and go early.
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    Restaurants & Cafés

    1

    Quiver Tree Restaurant

    The restaurant at the park's main camp, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a terrace.
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    Die Pienk Padstal

    Obwohl etwas außerhalb des Parks, in der Nähe von Kakamas, ist dieser charmante "rosa Farmstall" eine Institution der Region und einen Abstecher wert. Hier findest du nicht nur lokale Produkte wie Datteln und Rosinen, sondern auch leckere Hausmannskost, Sandwiches und hervorragenden Kaffee – ein Muss für eine authentische Geschmackspause auf dem Weg zum oder vom Park.
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    Augrabies Falls Lodge & Camp

    Bar in Falls Lodge &Camp.
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    The Boisterous Place

    The region along the Oranje was long home to Khoekhoe and San. They gave the name Aukoerebis, which later became Augrabies. The National Park was founded in 1966. Today, winegrowing, raisins, and dates characterize the irrigated valley around Kakamas and Keimoes.

    Getting there and around

    From Upington, you drive about an hour and a half via Keimoes and Kakamas; the road is paved. Inside the park, you can reach the viewpoints on gravel roads with a standard car. Around the falls, you'll be on foot on boardwalks; stay behind the barriers, as the rocks are slippery.

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    Nearby

    Upington

    Upington

    Upington is the largest city in the north of the Northern Cape, situated on the Orange River, creating a green oasis of vineyards, raisin and date farms in the semi-desert. For travellers, it serves mainly as a supply stop and base for the Kgalagadi and the Augrabies Falls.
    Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

    Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

    The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is located in the far northwest of South Africa on the border with Botswana and Namibia, approximately 250 kilometers north of Upington. Red Kalahari dunes and two dry riverbeds characterize the landscape; here live black-maned lions, cheetahs, oryx, and springboks.
    Namaqualand

    Namaqualand

    Namaqualand is a barren semi-desert in northwestern South Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the border to Namibia, about five hours' drive north of Cape Town. Following sufficient winter rains, the landscape transforms in spring, usually from mid-August to mid-September, into a sea of orange, yellow, and white wildflowers.
    Springbok

    Springbok

    Springbok is the main town of Namaqualand on the N7, approximately 550 kilometres north of Cape Town and a good 100 kilometres before the border with Namibia. During the wildflower season, the small town is the most important base for excursions; the rest of the year, it's a practical stopover.
    Port Nolloth

    Port Nolloth

    Port Nolloth is a small harbour town on Namaqualand's cold Atlantic coast, about two hours west of Springbok. Copper was shipped here in the past, and later offshore diamond prospecting defined the town. Today, it's primarily a base for the Richtersveld in the north.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash. Each photo carries its credit.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI