Amazing South Africa Safari, following the Orange River to the ‘Place of Great Noise’ October 3, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Africa, Botswana, Cape Town, Museum, Tour, Trails , trackbackAugrabies is a place of striking contrast. In a land of little rain the surging waters of the Orange River create a ribbon of life, then thunder over one of the world’s mightiest waterfalls. This drive leads from Upington to the Augrabies Falls National Park, passing through Keimoes and Kakamas. All but a few kilometres of the route is tarred.
Our first stop of the day is Upington’s famous avenue of palms at the Eiland (island) holiday resort. To get there,
Drive south-west along Schröder Street, passing on your left the old mission complex that now houses the town’s museum. Turn left at the stop sign, noting your kms. After some 200 m you pass on your left an irrigation canal and a bakkiespomp (bucket pump).
Cross a bridge over the northern channel of the Orange River and after 800m turn left at the ‘Research Centre’ sign. Turn left again immediately to reach the entrance to the resort area (a small entrance fee may be charged at weekends and during holiday seasons). The main avenue through the resort is said to be the longest palm avenue in the world, and has been declared a national monument.
When you drive out of the resort area, turn left and note your kms. You cross the southern arm of the Orange, and at 1,2 km turn right onto the tarred R359 for Louisvale. The road leads after a short distance through irrigated fields and vineyards — this is the northernmost wine-making region of the Cape. After a little over 14 km you pass through the small farming settlement of Louisvale.
26,9 km after leaving the resort, turn right, staying on the tar. (The road ahead leads to Neilersdrif, and the surface changes to gravel.) You now pass on your left a Voortrekker centenary monument and a Roman Catholic mission, then cross the 400m single-lane Eendragbrug (unity bridge) to Kanoneiland. As you cross the bridge you can see the river tumbling over a prominent weir on your right.
Kanoneiland to Augrabies
At 28 km you reach a road on your left that leads to the village on the island. Unless you wish to call in at the village, drive on past this turn-off, crossing the Manie Conradie Bridge over the northern arm of the river and then two sets of railway lines. When you reach the T- junction with the R27, turn left for Keimoes — which you reach after a further 13 km.
As you enter Keimoes, turn right into Hoofstraat. On your left you pass a bakkiespomp at work in an irrigation canal, and on the opposite side of the road from this, just a few metres back, you can see the Dutch Reformed Mission Church that dates from 1889.
Continue along Hoofstraat, which becomes the R64 to Springbok. Roughly 5 km from Keimoes you pass a road on your right that leads to the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. After this the road moves away from the river, the irrigated fields are left behind, and the country takes on a desolate appearance.
About 33 km from Keimoes the road draws close to the river again, as you approach Kakamas. Watch for a small sign on your right to ‘The German War Graves 1914-18′ (a few hundred metres before you pass a small cemetery set back from the road on your left). To visit the war graves and a monument commemorating the 1915 Battle of Kakamas, follow this sign onto a narrow gravel road and drive straight, crossing the cattle grid and following the main track. The monument soon becomes visible ahead of you and to your right, and you reach it after 1 km on the gravel road. There is a good view over the Kakamas Valley from the top of the hill.
Return to the tarred R64 and turn right, noting your kms. After 700m you pass a road on your right that leads to South West Africa/ Namibia and the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Shortly after this you cross a bridge over the Orange River and enter Kakamas. 2,9 km after re-joining the tar you come to a crossroads. Turn left here to see, in the course of roughly 2,5 km, a number of the old-fashioned bakkiespompe still at work supplying the irrigation canals — making a picturesque scene.
Return to the crossroads and turn left to continue your journey on the R64 /R359, noting your kms as you turn. After 8,2km turn right on the R359. 4,5 km along this road you pass the small town of Marchand on your right. Here and there you will see some of the sloping cement ‘floors’ that are common in this region. They are used for drying fruit in the sun — mainly sultanas and raisins.
9,1 km beyond the turn-off into Marchand you pass the small Augrabies village on your right. Roughly 11 km later, turn right, and after a further 4,6 km, in the course of which you cross one of the channels of the Orange, you reach the entrance to the Augrabies Falls National Park (small entrance fee; no animals and no motor cycles allowed).
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