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| >> Richtersveld National Park and the Orange River << |
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Introduction
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| The Richtersveld National Park borders the popular Southern African tourist destinations of South Africa and Namibia. The park has a dramatic landscape appearing treacherously barren at first and yet incredibly beautiful upon further examination. |
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What to Do and See
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Orange River
 | The Orange River flows through relatively gently through the Richtersveld National Park on it's way into the South Atlantic. It's a great river with beautiful scenery. The river is home to plenty of fish which the local fish eagles depend along with the other animals dependent on it as a valuable source of water. |
| Flowers | Every year after the winter rains, between the months of June and October, the South African desert flowers come into bloom and the landscape of the Richtersveld is transformed into a multicoloured carpet of vibrant wild flowers. |
| Hike | There are many trails available to hikers. These are:
 Vensterval Trail
Lelieshoek-Oemsberg Trail
The Kodaspiek Trail
The trails are controlled by South Africa National Parks and permission must first be obtained. It is also highly recommended that a qualified tour guide accompany any hiking groups. Ensure you have plenty of water, people know your intended route and have plenty of food and medical supplies for your adventure. |
| Fish | The river is a great place to try your hand at yellow fish and barbel - catfish. Make sure you have the proper permits if you intend on fishing. |
| Star Gaze | The night sky in the Richtersveld is ideal for star gazing. The nearest major source of light is miles away and even the close towns don't put out enough light to affect the view of the stars. |
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Where to Sleep
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| River Banks | The Orange River has many banks to set up camp along the shoreline under trees and set up shop for the evening. It is important to keep your campsite clean for the next visitors and to avoid dirtying the river as well. Pick up or burn your garbage and use an environmentally friendly soap to wash yourself and your dishes. |
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How to Move
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| Canoe | Canoe along the river for a few days and take in the arid beauty of the Richtersveld. The Orange River flows through the Richtersveld quite gently towards the Atlantic. It's a great way to visit the Park but make sure you know where you are going, someone else also knows and you can make your way back from there once off the river as you won't be able to paddle your way back upriver. |
| Roads | The few main roads in the Richtersveld are gravel and a 4X4 vehicle is highly recommended on this type of rugged terrain> You might also want to do a bit of off-roading while in the area. It's important to have a good map of the reserve and a GPS, local information and a few spare tyres for the almost inevitable flat. |
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What to eat
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| Cooking | The Richtersveld restricts visitors to braaing and barbecuing or cooking over an open fire. There are no supply stores in the Richtersveld, it is nature at its most awesome and unforgiving. Bring all the food, water and firewood or charcoal needed along with you prior to entering the park. The water from the Orange is drinkable but boil it or bring water purification tablets with you just to be on the safe side.
Specific campsites are hard to find in the area so a nice shore spot with trees will be just about as good as it gets. You can barbecue or braai, but be careful with your fires. |
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