Augrabies Falls
   Northern Cape, South Africa

Augrabies Falls is the major waterfall of the Orange River in South Africa. The falls are commonly cited as being 480 feet tall, but this appears to be a figure quoting the change in elevation from the top to the bottom of the canyon - over a stretch of about 4 1/2 kilometers. The main part of the falls in actuality stand about 183 feet tall. In full flood, the Orange River fills the canyon below the falls - in many places almost 500 feet deep - nearly to the brink, and in truely epic events, the falls themselves can be almost submerged. It has been reckoned that 95% of the flow of the Orange River goes over the falls in low water. In flood, 80% is said to go over the falls. The remaining water forms 19 minor falls, most of which exceed the main fall in height. The name Augrabies comes from Aukoerebies, a Khoi name meaning "the place of the Great Noise".

HISTORY AND NAMES

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• Also Known as: King Georges Cataract, Aughrabies Falls
• Augrabies Falls is the Official name of this waterfall

Our thoughts

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Augrabies Falls is certainly among the major large-river waterfalls in the world, so notable in fact that Edward Rashleigh wrote extensively of the falls in his 1935 book "Among the Waterfalls of the World". However, despite the factors making this such a great waterfall, because the volume of the Orange River varies so greatly between the wet season and the rest of the year, and ultimately because its so hard to appreciate the falls from the ground, Augrabies Falls can't be considered more than a second-tier world class waterfall.

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Augrabies Falls is shown in the center. The 10 closest waterfalls within a 8km radius are shown as well (if any). Click any icon or see the list below for more information.

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