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Akourabies or 'The place of great noise' 

According to legend, the Gariep at the Augrabies Falls is home to an enormous creature, the water snake. At full moon, it's skin glitters in the night and it's head is crowned with a light as brilliant as a diamond. Those who could take it, would be prosperous forever. Those who failed, would end up hypnotised and lost...



When we first arrived at Augrabies Falls National Park it was already dark. I remember checking the time and to my dismay it was already 10 pm. The camp site was full and our late-night disturbance was not welcomed by our neighbours who were preparing for the night. Terribly embarrassed, we set-up camp and kept a low profile. We had planned Augrabies Falls as a stop-over between Cape Town and the Kgalagadi; after all, what else was there to do apart from visiting the falls?

On the way back, however, fate led us back to Augrabies Falls NP and this time, 4 days turned out to be too short... We never found the water snake, but instead, discovered a multitude of enjoyable activities that reveal the magic of this arid land.



Hiking a la carte

There is no doubt in my mind that we have chosen the best spot on the camp site; we enjoy the shade of a tall tree with unlimited views over rocks and straight access to a beautifully manicured lawn. James, my 4 year old son has a ball of a time playing in the sprinklers while I savour the first cup of tea of a brand new day. His 6 year old sister Enya chases the vervet monkeys who try to get their share of our breakfast. We arrived yesterday and spent the afternoon cooling down in one of the three swimming pools. We couldn't have been more relaxed. So today, we are ready for action.



There are two hiking trails, Dassie and Klipspringer, as well as the challenging Gariep 3-in-1 Adventure where you are able to experience the park through a combination of canoeing, hiking and mountain biking. Our children are too young for this, and serve as a convenient excuse to cover up for my lack of punch. I would have loved to do the Klipspringer trail, but then again, it takes 3 days and stretches over nearly 40 km. The views, I am told, are out of this world, so we'll have to come back a third time when Enya and James are a bit older, or perhaps just the two of us could return.



The Dassie trail, on the other hand, is only 5 km long and is rated as easy. Sounds great to me and off we go. It is one of the most enjoyable hikes I have done in ages. The children take turns in finding the next 'dassie sign' and without noticing it we spend 4 hours following a track that leads us through the most beautiful scenery. We climb rocks, cross wobbly bridges, check out potholes and walk through tall reeds. It's a total sensory experience in which the variety of views, smells and sounds create everlasting memories. What made the hike even more pleasurable is the overall presence of water and the entertaining encounters with Rock hyrax (dassie). You can easily spot the presence of a colony by the long white streaks of urine stains on the rocks. The informative leaflet that goes with the interpretive or self-guided Dassie trail explains that the crystalised urine is used in folk medicine and that the dassies can climb rocks thanks to glandular secretions that keep their feet moist. Indeed we learn a lot about the flora and fauna in the park, as well as its fascinating geology.



Scenic drives

On another outing, this time in our 4x4, we explore interesting rock formations and stop at the imposing Moon Rock. Internal stresses in the dome pushed the granite up, creating extraordinary 'pop-ups' or 'A-tents'. The rock displays beautiful texture and feels even warmer than the already hot air. We continue our explorations and follow the track zigzagging up and down through the 48000 ha large park. The Orange, also called the Garieb river, meanders through this arid land of rocks that turn red at the end of the day. This mighty river starts its course in the mountains of Lesotho 2000 km to the east, thunders down the great gorge at Augrabies to finally throw itself in the Atlantic Ocean some 517 km down to the west. Along its banks it brings life, fertility and wealth.



We reach the falls just in time to experience sunset over the gorge. It is spectacular. The mountains are now turning deep purple and I can feel the humidity on my skin as I stand on one of the viewing decks over the ravine. 'The place of great noise' is by no means an exaggerated name, I think to myself as I listen to the tens of thousands of cubic metres that rage into the ravine every single second.



Game and night drives

The park is home to 52 mammal species that are well-adapted to survive extreme temperature fluctuations (-5 to 46 degrees Celsius). During the day you will see many dassies and ground squirrels around the camp. It is also a good place to observe the Golden-tailed Woodpecker, one of the 184 bird species in the park, an abundance one isn't likely to expect in this arid vastness. There are also 10 species of frogs, 19 species of snakes and 33 gecho and lizard species living in Augrabies Falls NP. How long would it take to tick them all off your checklist?

Further into the park chances are that you may encounter a pair of klipspringers or perhaps even giraffe or two. You may even be very lucky and spot a solitary leopard in the late afternoon.

The park organises night drives in open game vehicles. An experienced guide will take you deep into the park and accompany you on a journey of a different kind. A great way to discover nocturnal mammals like the Springhare, but also the puff adder who emerges at dusk.



A well deserved rest

Our days are filled with exciting activities, as much for Enya and James, as for ourselves. I also get a good bit of relaxation; near one of the swimming pools or simply with a sundowner around a smoldering fire, waiting for dad to braai.



DID YOU KNOW
The quiver tree (Aloe dichotoma), typical of this area, has many uses:

• Bushmen use the hollowed stems as quivers for their hunting arrows
• Cold-storage houses, containers and coffins are made from its trunk
• Baboons love the nectar of its yellow flowers

Potholes get their shape from sand and pebbles that are trapped in a depression in the rock and moved around by water in a circular motion.



FACILITIES & RATES
Accommodation

• air-conditioned chalets from R 445/night, self-catering
• camping & caravan sites @ R 120/site (2 persons)

There is also a well-stocked fully licensed shop, an a la carte restaurant and coffee shop/take-away. Petrol and diesel are available in the park.

Activities
• Klipspringer hiking trail @ R 140/person
• Gariep 3-in-1 Adventure @ R 150/adult, R 70/child
• Night drive @ R 90/adult, R 45/child

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Augrabies Falls NP @ (054) 4529200
Upington Medi-Clinic @ (054) 3388900

RESERVATIONS
phone (012) 428 9111
reservations@sanparks.org
www.sanparks.org


Text Petra Vandecasteele
Photography Paul Godard

DATE : 04 Sep 2008 -