Augrabies Falls National Park

AUGRABIES
.... Place of great noise

Few sights are as awesome or a sound as deafening as water thundering down the 56-m Augrabies Waterfall when the Orange River is in full flood. Called Aukoerabis or ' Place of the Great Noise' by the Khoi people, this powerful flow of water is unleashed from rockey surroundings charactersised by the 18-km abyss of the Orange River Gorge. in the stark beaty and harsh enviroment of this +/- 50 000- hectare park, only the fittest survive. Small succulents share the fairly inhospitable terrain with dainty klipspringers, reptiles, fleetfoooted springbok and the majestic gemsbok. Clothing for extreme tempreatures-hot summers and freezing winter nights - should be packed.

Facilities and Activities

Fully-equipped, air-conditioned chalets and family cottages are available, as well as two chalets adapted for the mobility impaired. Caravan and camping sites are located in shaded areas with communal facilities. The park also has a well-equipped shop,restaurant, cafeteria, three swimming pools for resideents and a day visitor's area with swimming pools for adults and children. Apart from the popular three-day/two-night klipspringer hiking trail for which an advance booking is essential, all other activities such as night drives and the Gariep 3-in-1 must be reserved in the park. A new 56-km self-drive tourism route has been opend in the expanded area of the park. Additionaly, a boardwalk leading to the awsome Augrabies Falls,currently under construction, will offer the mobility impared closer, yet limited accessibility. A confernce facility is also available.

How to get there

The park lies 120 km of Upington, a town that has national airlinks to all the major international airports in South Africa. A private airfield, 5 km from the park, facilitates access to this amazing park.