Augrabies Falls National Park

Best for landscapes. Not sure what future development will hold for Augrabies. The ancient road through the park has an effect on more than just its visitors. Please preserve what Augrabies has

Mostly not interesting for game viewing bur great scenery. Not too crowded.

Indulge and relax in beautiful surroundings

Initially we visited at Augrabies Falls National Park just to see the waterfalls. Which are amazing to view, even though we visited during the dry season. But Augrabies Falls National Park has much more to offer. We didn't expect to scenic beauty we experienced during our drive through the park, it was simply amazing. The canyons and the limited viewings of wildlife made the experience complete. I loved it and would definitely visit again if I would be in this area.

Another world of outstanding beauty and richness.

Arid but beautiful.

As South Africans and having never visited the Northern Cape province of the country, my wife and I decided to take a trip which included the Augrabies Falls National Park. This turned out to be a good decision because the arid beauty is spectacular. Bearing in mind that this is not a game park as such, the "game" viewing is limited to smaller mammals such as the rock hyrax, baboons and a wide range of reptiles mainly in the form of lizards. So if you are looking for the big 5 this is not the park to visit. Birding is good if not spectacular, and many of the birds have become quite tame and can be viewed from quite close up. There are not many trees in the area so this is going to limit the potential for a wide variety of bird life. But this is not what you visit the Augrabies Falls National Park for. The main attractions are the falls and the spectacular scenery which is unique to the area. The falls are not huge but the raw power of the water surging through the canyon is a sight to behold. A very well built walkway is available to allow close access to the falls for most people. The walk is not very strenuous. The best time to visit the falls is at sunrise when the sun peeks over the horizon lighting up the spray and forming a spectacular rainbow. It is also quiet at this time of day and we had the falls to ourselves which was great because you want to be able to get the sound of the falls without noise around the place. A visit to Moon Rock, which is also in the park, is essential. This huge single rock can be climbed. The climb is quite strenuous but the views from the top are spectacular. Don't miss this. One of the advantages of the Northern Cape is all year round sunshine. It is unlikely that you will have an overcast, cold day regardless of the season. The accommodation is basic but comfortable and clean. The staff are extremely helpful and will go out of their way to make your stay a pleasant one. For a National Park with a difference Augrabies is a must visit.

We did not encounter any "wow" moments at Augrabies

Day trip to Augrabies Falls National Park

During our stay at Upington we visited Augrabies Falls National Park for about half a day during a normal workday. The entrance is located about 1 mile away from the visitor center. We were asked to fill out some papers with personal information. But the official registration was done at the visitor center. There we received some maps and recommendations for interesting places in the park.

The walk to the famous falls was very well prepared. It seemed to be newly constructed. The path was build of wooden platforms that were directly mounted on the huge rocks that lead towards the canyon. The falls itself were incredible because of their height and huge amount of water. There were also some trails directly on the rocks that led back to visitor center. Overall, it was easy to orientate.

At noon we had a lunch at the terrace of the visitor center. There are a lot of tables under sunshades. The service was very kind and the food was good. It was not very busy at that time in the park. No local tourists.

After lunch we took a dirt road to a place called moon rock. The rock can be easily climbed because it is not steep. At the top you have a very good overlook over the whole park and you are able to see the canyon in the far, the orange river and the contrast between green vegetation near the river and the desert around. The roads can be used also by not 4WD vehicles but you need to drive carefully and slowly through some water passages.

a fantastic relaxed visit at one of the most magnificent falls in South Africa

In general we love the SA NP's for all being very well kept and everything is in order and clean, meaning all the abolution blocks and the sites as well. Also the amenities as shops and restaurant makes it very pleasent to come and relax.
In particular the Augrabies was very calm and distressing. We felt very comfortable and relaxed there. Also we liked the nice paths to hike along the canyon and having special views there. The wooden boarded paths to the falls are very nice and comfortable. The spectacular views to the enlighted falls in the night was the culmination of our 2 night stay!
We came there 2 of us,andwe found very nice people - on my birthday night we have been then 13 people celebrating - all"strangers" who joined us - also this contributed to a fantastic experience in the Augrabies National Park and we for sure will come again.

The Falls were full of water and exploding over the cliffs.

It is not a park for wildlife, but for the falls; these are very nice and worth the visit
Accomodation is very good