Augrabies Falls

The Orange River, source of so much life and wonder in South Africa, is the driving force behind this spectacular place. The river narrows as it approaches the falls, picking up speed and plunging itself through the rocky outcroppings before eventually taking a 93m dive over the edge of a cliff. The total size of the combined waterfalls is 200m, the largest of those being the 93m one. This is the place known as Augrabies Falls.

 

The main attraction is obviously the incredible waterfall, which is one of the biggest in the country, but besides this there is plenty of wildlife, including the giraffes and the endangered Black Rhino. The more sought after sightings are usually the predators, which include leopards, black backed jackals, the adorable bat-eared foxes and the African wild cat.

The landscape surrounding Augrabies Falls is not kind on the animlas that call it home. It is mostly made up of rocky outcroppings and relatively dry plains, meaning that only the hardiest of animals have survived in the area. This area surrounding the waterfalls, as well as the Augrabies Falls itself has been declared a national park, unsurprisingly called the Augrabies Falls National Park.

The area is a popular getaway for nature lovers because they can see the wildlife in the area, as well as the wonder of the waterfalls. There will be plenty of spectacular picture opportunities; you’ll regret it if you find yourself there without a camera. The Augrabies Falls are also a perfect stopover for people traveling further north to the Kalagadi Transfrontier Park. A few of the best places to go inside the Augrabies Falls National Park are Moon Rock, which gives you a spectacular view of the surrounding area, the Fountain, a picturesque spring that you can drink out of, and lastly Echo Corner, where you can have a bit of fun experimenting with the echo’s that the cliffs produce.