Klipspringer Hiking Trail
A three-day loop through the rocky gorge country of Augrabies Falls National Park on the Orange River, open only in the cooler months.
At a glance
- Loop from and back to
- Augrabies Falls National Park
- Length
- 36 km
- On foot
- 3 days
- Countries
South Africa- Best months
- April–October
About the trail
Augrabies Falls National Park, in the Northern Cape of South Africa, protects the place where the Orange River plunges into a deep granite gorge on its way across the arid north-west. The Klipspringer Hiking Trail, named after the small antelope that bounds across these rocks, loops through the park's broken desert country away from the falls.
The first day, of 14.4 km, is the longest, but the second, of 9.9 km, is reckoned the hardest, and the closing 11.5 km is the easiest. In this hot, dry landscape the park warns walkers to plan for a rigorous trip.
South African National Parks gives 35.8 km over three days for groups of two to 12 people, and bookings must be made in advance. The trail is closed from 15 October to 31 March because of the summer heat.