Augrabies Falls National Park

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.

We did not encounter any "wow" moments at Augrabies

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.

Another world of outstanding beauty and richness.

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.

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

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

Augrabies Falls NP always worth a visit

Our six days stay in Augrabies Falls National Park was the fourth visit to that fantastic wilderness area. It was in winter 1990 when we explored the park the first time with our kids. We were overwhelmed by the beauty of this arid, moon like desert region. Only two years in 1992 later we returned once more with our kids. Our two sons travelling alone at this time paid the park a visit again in 1996. My wife's and my third visit was in October 2011. The many attractions of the park had not lost their appeal to us. So we decided to come back again in April 2015. When we had to leave we were as satisfied with our experiences as ever. The autumn weather was perfect, warm, but not too hot, at night cool, but not yet extremely chilly like in winter. Our chalet with a view (a little bit more expensive) and the outside fireplace for the braai were cleaned every day by the friendly staff. We were a bit disappointed at first that there was no shadow roof over our stoep, so we had to retreat into our air-conditioned chalet during the day at full sunlight. But in the end this did not annoy us very much because on most days we left the chalet after breakfast early in the morning and returned only in the late afternoon just in time to light the braai-fire. Apart from the torching sun there is another good reason to enjoy the meals inside the chalet. There are a lot of baboons wandering around the restcamp always in search of food and the opportunity to steal. They are not at all afraid of humans, are extremely fast to grab what they can find on a table and run away leaving the cursing victims helplessly behind. Especially people on the campsite are at risk as we have witnessed. The restaurant is good although we prefer self-catering, the store next to the restaurant is well equipped, prices of course a bit higher than in an ordinary supermarket. Access boardwalks to the various viewpoints along the Orange River Gorge and the waterfall are well kept and safe, even for smaller children. People who like hiking are recommended to explore the park on foot (with sturdy hiking boots !) on the 6 km long Dassie Trail, normally an easy path, but on quite a few sections one has to climb over rocks which can be tricky. At the age of 70 we did well but had to be very cautious not to do a false step. The trail on which we had hiked every stay since 1990 rewards you with awesome views into the gorge, the landscape and Moon Rock. Totally different but also fascinating is Ebony Trail, a 3 km circle trail along small creeks through dense forest where Vervet Monkeys will watch all your movements. To walk on top of Moon Rock is also a must.
The Park has an extensive net of gravel roads, suited for sedans especially when travelling to Moon Rock, the exceptional viewpoints Ararat and Oranjekom, Swartrante and Echo Corner above the shore of the Orange River. People who want to see more of the park are recommended to take the circle road westward from Swartrante to the most remote picnic site of the park Af en Toe. The whole additional trip is about 70 km. It can be done by Sedan but I would prefer a 4x4 or at least a vehicle with high clearance. You will see Giraffes, Gemsbok, Klipspringer, Eland, Zebra, Dassies, Baboons, Ostrich, Martial Eagles, Fish Eagles, weaver birds, the rare Nile Monitor (if you are very lucky), nice flowers not only in spring, but also in autumn. Wildlife of course cannot be compared with Parks like Kruger, but the lack of the really dangerous animals allows you to leave the vehicle without taking the risk of getting mauled to death by a hungry lion. I would like to add a remark on Giraffes and Quiver Trees:
Trees in the arid Kalahari are rather small. Giraffes obviously prefer larger ones. They have become a problem in Augrabies Falls NP because they used to browse a lot on the Quiver Trees which do not tolerate this and die. That's why the Park management has fenced in a large area in the remote western part of the Park to protect this beautiful succulent species. So the giraffes had to move to other places in the park where they can find only smaller trees. Some bigger trees grow near permanent water streams like the ones on the Ebony Hiking Trail in an area which is not suited for giraffes.
Conclusion:
Augrabies Falls NP offers far more than a quick look at the Waterfall. Take your time and stay a couple of days. You will not be disappointed.

The trip of a lifetime

It is a great stopover while touring through South Africa.

Beautiful scenery and breathtaking surroundings, but little game to be seen.