The roaring South African waterfall that supposedly hides a fortune in diamonds

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Deep within a rugged, desolate landscape lies the Augrabies Falls, a powerful cataract on the Orange River. Known to original inhabitants as the place of great noise, this site has inspired legends of serpentine monsters and riverbeds paved with diamonds, while its sheer force dwarfs the mighty Niagara Falls.

The Augrabies Falls, situated within a national park established in 1966, is a testament to the raw power of the Orange River. While the waterfall itself measures about 56 metres in height, the surrounding canyon walls reach up to 146 metres. The gorge carved by the river is a remarkable geological feature, spanning 18 kilometres in length and reaching depths of 240 metres, serving as a striking example of granite erosion.

The site carries a rich history of exploration and folklore. Hendrik Jakob Wikar, a Swedish mercenary, became the first European to document the falls in October 1778. Later, in 1826, traveler George Thompson bestowed the name King George Cataract upon the site. By the early 1920s, adventurer Deneys Reitz famously claimed to have survived a swim into the cavern hidden behind the cascading water. Local myths from the early twentieth century suggest the plunge pool is a treasure trove of diamonds washed down by the river, and some tales even describe it as the dwelling place of a mythical creature known as the Grootslang.

The sheer volume of water moving through the falls is staggering. During the 1988 floods, the river recorded a flow of 7,800 cubic metres per second, a figure that exceeds the all-time record of Niagara Falls. Despite the danger, the site has seen rare instances of survival; a tourist survived a fall into the gorge in 1979, and a man survived being swept over the edge in October 1981. However, the site remains treacherous, with over 20 fatalities recorded in the gorge since 1966, including individuals and livestock swept away by the relentless currents.

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