Augrabies Falls Waterfall

Address: Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa

Website: https://www.sanparks.org/parks/augrabies/

Hours: Daily daylight hours (visitor centre hours vary)

Admission: National park entrance fees may apply (varies by operator)

Augrabies Falls is a major waterfall on the Orange River in the Northern Cape of South Africa, where river flow plunges into a steep granite gorge. The main cataract drops on the order of tens of metres into a narrow, rugged channel and is the focal point of the national park that surrounds it.

Viewing platforms and a network of short trails allow visitors to observe the falls and the gorge from several vantage points, and the park protects the surrounding arid landscape and its plants and animals. The waterfall’s appearance varies with seasonal river flow, with highest volumes during and after summer rains.

The falls have been part of local indigenous knowledge and were later recorded by European explorers; the modern park preserves the geological and ecological features around the gorge and makes them accessible for tourism and research.

Augrabies Falls lies in the Northern Cape province along the Orange River and is accessed by road from towns in the region, within Augrabies Falls National Park.

• Height and seasonality: The main fall drops approximately 56 metres as the Orange River plunges into a granite gorge; peak flow is seasonal and strongest during summer rains.
• National park setting: The falls are set within Augrabies Falls National Park, which also provides viewpoints, short trails and wildlife viewing in the arid Northern Cape landscape.

From Upington drive northwest along the R359 and R27 to Augrabies; the park is located roughly 100-120 km from Upington. Guided shuttle services and regional roads connect the park with nearby towns.

• Walk the main viewpoints in the morning for softer light on the falls.
• Bring mosquito repellent in summer; insects can be plentiful near the gorge.
• Local guides offer riverboat trips that show the narrow gorge from the water-book in advance.