Augrabies Falls National Park - Northern Cape
The Augrabies Falls National Park is situated along the N14 route in a remote area of the vast Northern Cape. Even though it maybe remote every year lots of tourists come to the park as it is one of the highlights of the north.Augrabies name comes from the Khoi word "loukurubes" which literally means 'Place of Great Noise'. Of course once you set sight on the falls and hear the noise made by the water as it descends over 300 feet you will understand why. When the Orange river is high the noise is truly deafening.
The falls are naturally the main focal point of the park and can be viewed from a number of vantage points. The falls are actually the sixth largest in the world. You will find some great hiking trails around here as well as the opportunity to do some thrilling white-water rafting. One of the most popular routes for rafting is the Augrabies Rush which is about 8 km in length. It is possible to do 2 day and 5 day trails incorporating rafting as well. The Kalahari Adventure Centre is the place to check out for these trips.
Around the park you will find other scenic attractions such as Moon Rock, Echo Corner and Ararat. There is good wildlife and flora to be found here as well as many ground squirrels which can spot looking for food in among the rocks. Some of the best times to visit the park are around sunset time when the swallows that fly about the gorge are slowly replaced by bats as they come out at night to feed.
The park gates are open from 0700 to 1830 if you wish to arrive earlier or leave later then you will need to make prior arrangements with the park itself - +27 (0)54 452 9200 (Tel)
The temperatures in the summer here are normally about 41C however it has been known to reach 46C even at night the temperature can be 25C. In the winter months the temperatures during the day are normally about 20C but at night can drop to as low as -5C. The most rains tends to occur from November to April.
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