卡克洛夫瀑布(Karkloof Falls)位于南非夸祖鲁纳塔尔省的米德兰兹地区,高度约105米,比著名的豪伊克瀑布还要高出大约10米。这里隐藏在萨皮(Sappi)私人林场内,距离德班市中心大约1.5小时车程。相比豪伊克瀑布那种商业化程度较高的景点,这里没有成排的纪念品摊位,也没有嘈杂的人群,只有纯粹的流水声和茂密的原始森林。如果你在寻找一个既能野餐又能深度接触自然的地方,这里比大多数攻略推荐的打卡点都要靠谱。
很多游客跟着导航走会直接开到死胡同或者林场的作业区。正确的做法是先定位到豪伊克(Howick),然后沿着 Karkloof Road 往北开大约15分钟。你会看到路边有萨皮林场(Sappi)的标志,顺着那条碎石路开进去就行。虽然路面不算平整,但普通家用车慢慢开也能进去,完全不需要专门租四驱越野车。开到底就是一个简易的停车场,旁边就是瀑布的顶部区域。
目前卡克洛夫瀑布是不收门票的,这在南非的高质量自然景点里相当少见。不过因为它在私人林场里,所以开放时间受限,通常是从早上6点到傍晚6点。入口处有时会有看守员要求登记车辆牌照,这是为了管理林火风险和安全,如实填写就行。虽然不花钱,但千万别指望这里有高级厕所或者便利店,进去前记得在豪伊克镇上的超市买好水和干粮,不然真得饿着肚子看风景。
瀑布正上方有一大片平整的草坪,视野开阔到能看见远处的河谷。这里有几个石头垒起来的烧烤坑,当地人最喜欢周末带着冷却箱和炭火来这过节。说真的,坐在百米落差的边缘吃三明治,那种风声在耳边刮过的感觉比在饭馆强多了。如果你想拍出那种令人震撼的垂直俯瞰图,建议上午11点到下午2点之间来,这时候阳光能直射进谷底,水雾里甚至能看到彩虹。
从停车场旁边有一条隐蔽的小路可以下到瀑布底部。这条路挺陡的,坡度大约有30多度,如果是雨季过来,路面会非常湿滑,必须穿专业的徒步鞋或抓地力好的运动鞋。下到谷底大概需要20分钟,那里有一个巨大的深潭。夏天(12月到次年2月)很多年轻人会跳进去游泳,但水里的岩石形状复杂,水温即便在盛夏也挺凉。如果是带着孩子,在岸边踩踩水就行,别轻易往深处游。
很多人担心南非的户外安全,卡克洛夫瀑布在这方面口碑不错。因为它深藏在林场腹地,闲杂人等进不去,停车场相对比较安全。不过财不外露是基本准则,别把笔记本电脑或者昂贵的相机包直接扔在座椅上,一定要锁进后备箱。相比豪伊克瀑布周边偶尔出现的尾随现象,卡克洛夫这里的氛围要松弛得多,你可以放心地带着相机到处走动。
如果你觉得只看瀑布太单调,开车10分钟就能到著名的卡克洛夫丛林飞跃(Karkloof Canopy Tour)。那是在古老森林的树冠层之间滑索,总共有12个平台。这个项目非常火爆,尤其在节假日,不提前三天预约基本抢不到位子。看完瀑布再去滑个索,正好凑够一天的行程。另外,这片区域属于卡克洛夫自然保护区,占地约936公顷,路边经常能看到罕见的蓝鹤或是灌木羚,开车时慢一点,会有意外惊喜。
南非的雨季是从11月持续到次年3月,这段时间卡克洛夫瀑布的水量最壮观。建议选在连续大雨后的两三天造访,那时落差105米的水流击打底部的轰鸣声在几百米外都能听见。如果是在7月或8月的旱季过来,瀑布会变成纤细的水流,视觉冲击力会大打折扣。
瀑布核心区内严禁宿营,萨皮林场对火源管控极其严格。如果想住在附近,最佳选择是豪伊克(Howick)镇上的民宿或者是米德兰兹腹地的农场旅馆,价格通常在每晚800到1500兰特之间。那里距离瀑布不到20公里,开车半小时内就能往返。
完全不需要。卡克洛夫瀑布的路径非常直观,从停车场到观景台只有不到200米的步行距离,下到底部的小路虽然陡但方向明确。只要你具备基础的自驾能力和户外常识,自己开车过来完全没问题。如果有人在路口主动说要带路并索要费用,礼貌拒绝即可。
林场深处的信号非常不稳定,Vodacom 在停车场附近偶尔有一两格信号,但下到瀑布底部后基本就处于断网状态了。建议提前下载好离线地图,并把具体的往返路线截图保存。万一车在林场里抛锚,没信号确实挺麻烦,所以出发前检查胎压和油量是必须的。
Alexis Beautiful views, has great picnic spots, good swimming when water isn't high. Toilets are clean and have cool street art. Perfect affordable date if you're willing to drive.
Samikelisiwe khumalo It is such wonderful place for clearing your mind and listen to nature 😌 ✨ 💕. The place is well kept 👌 and clean . You need a bigger car to access the forest.
Khetho Sithole Great place to visit, bring along a drone for good pictures. Picnic area for relaxing, beautiful place for pictures, away from urban area good to connect with nature.. road slightly not suitable for small cars..
Jitendra Vijay Nice waterfall, accessible directly using car. Area maintained by SAPPI and they charge you small fee to visit. I have attached picture for charges and timings. Once you enter security gate, drive down 7km which will take you directly to water fall view point and picnic site. There is small stream at picnic area also. Road is okay to manage with any car. I went there with my sedan. However be careful at few places if u r driving low clearance car. Waterfall is really amazing. We could see vapour rising from fall and going towards sky in form of clouds. There are hiking trails to waterfall also managed by Karkloof country club where u need to pay a fee and can go.
XStacyzn #Gr8treks The Karkloof country club has various trails for cycling, hiking and runs. The trails are marked out with different colours. We did the 8km forest trail leading to the waterfall. It was a day fee if R80 to do the trails. The last sign was broken so we were not sure whether to go up or down and ended up on the dirt road route at the end. The river was splendid and so nice and clean as is the picnic spot. It is a pity that there is no route to walk along the river to the bottom of the falls. You can only see the falls from the top. It would be great if the alien weeds werr removed for better viewing of the falls. Beautiful spot nonetheless.