Outdoor activities take centre stage Augrabies National Park, and include stargazing, guided game drives, mountain biking, hiking, and rafting on the Orange River.
If you thought that the Northern Cape Province was completely devoid of water, you are in for another surprise. The 60-metre Augrabies Falls within Augrabies National Park is a miraculous landmark that will leave you in awe.
Its flow originates from the Orange River and as you admire how the water rumbles and cascades into the gorge below, you will quickly feel as though the ancestral spirits of the Khoi-San are very much alive and well!
There are some stellar mountain bike trails to tackle at Augrabies so don’t forget to pack your gear. It’s so good here in fact, that there is even an annual Trans Augrabies MTB race. This three-day, mountain-bike competition navigates through the unique and varied terrain in the park which includes an exciting mix of gravel, jeep, and single tracks.
The best way to take on the great expanse of Augrabies Falls National Park is by way of 4x4 self-drives (Hartman’s Loop or the 6-hour Wilderness Road), and guided excursions. Those expert-led night drives are especially thrilling, revealing the more secretive, nocturnal creatures like black-backed jackal, spotted-genet, eagle-owls, and even a good few gemsbok. Since it’s much cooler at night, you’ll see plenty of animals roaming close to the various water holes and river’s edge.
Pack your hiking shoes! At Augrabies Falls National Park, there are more than enough trails to tackle, and you can even dabble in some ‘rock spotting’ along the way since there are so many unusual rock formations. ‘Slack’-packers can tackle the easier Dassie, Gorge and Klipspringer Trails, and while you’re at it, keep a look out for those signature Quiver Trees (Kokerboom), and sure-footed klipspringers navigating the rocky terrain like true professionals.