Augrabies Falls

Trip Start Jan 30, 2009
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Trip End Aug 01, 2009


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Where I stayed
Affinity Guesthouse

Flag of South Africa  , Northern Cape,
Friday, March 20, 2009

Our next move was west to the town of Upington and the gateway to the north of South Africa. We drove for a day trip to the Augrabies Falls National Park which covers an area of 500 square miles and stretches along the Orange River.

The area is very arid. The waterfall is about 200 feet high and is awe-inspiring when the river is in flood. The gorge below the falls averages about 800 ft deep and runs for 11 miles.

The original Hottentot people named the waterfall Ankoerebis, meaning the "place of big noises". The Trekboers who later settled in the area derived the name Augrabies. The name is sometimes spelt Aughrabies. An authentic pronunciation is impossible for most English speakers.

There are many deposits of alluvial diamonds along the Orange River and legend has it that the biggest cache of diamonds in the world lies in the swirl-hole eroded into the granite at the foot of the waterfall by the thundering waters.

We did not find any diamonds, but the day was well worth it!
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