Kalahari Region Travel
Augrabies Falls National Park
Augrabies is the 6th largest waterfall in the world and forms the climax of the Orange River as it thunders into a granite ravine 56 meter below. Beside the falls, the national park also offers wildlife sightings of giraffe and klipspringer, and there is also 15 000 hectares of riverine ecosystems that you can explore. Some activities are the game drives, biking trails, night drives, and much more. Travelers can rest at one of the many luxury resorts complete with curio shops and a la carte restaurants.
Orange River
The Orange River, or Gariep River as it is sometimes called, makes up the border line between South Africa and Namibia.
It is also the longest river in the country covering 2200 kilometers. Starting in the Drakensberg Mountains in the Kingdom of Lesotho it makes its way to the Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund in Namibia and Alexander Bay in South Africa. Within the river there are major hydroelectric constructions. The main dams are the Gariep Dam and the Vanderkloof Dam from which water is irrigated for farming further inland and used for electricity. This river is also known as being the river of diamonds as many have and are still being found along the banks, although certain areas are prohibited for even getting out of your car on the Namibian side.
The Roaring Kalahari Route
This route comprises of exciting nature reserves, towns and cities starting at the Kuruman Oasis through various mining town and reaches the Botswana border and then makes its way back through the large town of Upington. You will pass the stunning Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park covering 3.7 million hectares where you can see the Big Cats including the Kalahari black-maned lion, leopard and cheetah. This park is the culmination of the Kalahari Gemsbok Park in South Africa and the Botswana Gemsbok National Park making it one of the largest conservation areas in the world. The route ends at Griquatown and there are plenty of hotels, resorts, game farms and lodges to stay at. Kuruman at the start of your journey is a town that is a natural oasis with lush vegetation and plenty of water from a constantly bubbling spring called the Eye of Kuruman. This spring produces over 20 million liters of water per day.
