SANParks.org Forums

Augrabies Falls National Park was the second South African National Park we visited during our this year’s holiday. It started south of Johannesburg in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
(See report http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12526 )
After two days in Augrabies Falls National Park we visited
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
(see http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12585 )
and at the end of our holiday
Kruger National Park (Punda Maria, Shingwedzi, Letaba and two day visits)
(See http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12767 )
Have fun!

7th November 2006

We arrived in Augrabies Falls National Park at 1:30 pm, the reception was very busy at this time. Again our names were missing on the booking list, but the friendly lady at the reception told us this is not a problem as there are still free accommodations in the camp. We were again glad that it was possible to stay inside the Park.
She noticed that we are from Germany, told us she was born in Westfalen, Germany and we could go on in German. We were glad that there was this free accommodation in Augrabies Falls Rest Camp, but imagine you just manage to get to Twee Rivieren on untarred road and there is no booking as well and they are fully booked.
So she sent a fax with the entire bookings which seemed to be lost, to be sorted out with the travel agency. It’s great to have this outstanding help when such important things go wrong.

She gave us chalet #47 which is next to the chalet we had during our stay in August last year.
As soon as the luggage was in the chalet we went to the take away restaurant for lunch.
You can sit outside in the shade and watch the great scene.


Ground squirrels enjoyed the shade and the green grass near the restaurant as well.


After lunch we went down to the main falls, we could see much more water than a year ago in August.

During our last visit there was no fall at the side like this

View to the gorge


Very close to #47


we found the new walkways. Last year there were only rocks and now this

Excellent walkways to explore the scene.

This day we had 34 degrees the evening showed some clouds at the mountains across the river and a wonderful sunset.


Evening at Augrabies Falls

Now and then you can see some of these little rocks with ears in the scene ..

… a far away rock dassie enjoying the sunset.


Sunset

When we went back to #47 our neighbourhood looked like this


After this great sunset we went to the a la carte restaurant for dinner. We were glad to find this restaurant still with the same high quality as last year. For us this is without doubt the best restaurant in a South African National Park.

8th November

Beautiful sunrise this morning, no clouds at all. It’s going to be a very hot day today.
After breakfast at the airconditioned take away restaurant we decided to drive to the park, too hot for us to hike the Dassie trail today. On our way to Arrarat view point springboks were browsing in the bushes with the new fresh green leaves.


At Arrarat view point we had a walk on the rocks with marvellous view to the gorge.

Arrarat view point

We decided to go on with the route to Oranjekom, which was for us an unknown part of the park. Oranjekom provides a shady refuge which was bursting with lizards …


Oranjekom view point

Still not enough rocks for us , we were on our way to Echo Corner.
Lovely landscape with quiver trees and Echo Corner … another nice place to stay.





Back to the reception no news on our bookings, but great help again from the lady from Westfalen. She phoned Kgalagadi to inform them about our booking. So she made it clear, we are going to KTP the next day. :-)

This afternoon we watched the dassies from the new walkways and more and more clouds appeared.
This one seems to have a fight recently


Many youngsters enjoyed the new grass like this one


When the dassies hide away like these guys

rain will start soon!



After another nice evening at the a la carte restaurant on our way back to #47 we suddenly saw to big ears not more far aways than five meters in our torch light.
“Klippy what are you doing here?”
“On your way to the fresh green grass near the restaurant?”
We watched each other for a while, not moving and then it decided to continue its way. Never been so close to a klipspringer before.

9th November

This morning only the dassies and me were enjoying the sunrise.




Look at the clouds…


After breakfast time has come to say “Good bye” … maybe for another year...

view from the takeaway restaurant

Excitement … today we are going to Twee Rivieren … another first time visit in our holidays.