Augrabies Falls National Park, National park with 56-meter waterfall in Northern Cape, South Africa
Augrabies Falls National Park is a protected area in Northern Cape where the Orange River plunges over a 56-meter-high waterfall with dramatic force. The river carves through a narrow granite gorge that spans roughly 18 kilometers and reaches depths of 240 meters in places.
The name Augrabies was given to the falls by the Swede Hendrik Jakob Wikar when he crossed the Orange River there in 1778; it derives from the San word Aukoerebis, "place of thundering noise". Upington asked in 1954 for the falls to be proclaimed a national park; after the water affairs office objected, the park was proclaimed on 5 August 1966.
Local San and Khoikhoi communities named the falls after the roaring sound of water crashing against stone, a name that echoes through the landscape even today. This connection to the land remains visible in how the park honors and shares the stories of its first inhabitants.
The park opens daily from early morning through late afternoon with accommodations available on-site for overnight visits. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water, as trails cross rocky terrain and involve uneven walking surfaces.
Local legend holds that the world's largest cache of alluvial diamonds lies in the swirl-hole scoured into the granite at the foot of the falls by the thundering water. Diamonds are indeed found in deposits along the Orange River.
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