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South African Canoeing Adventure Orange River

An a unforgettable African Canoeing Adventure. Canoeing on South Africa’s largest river through pure wilderness and overnight under the starlit African sky. The Orange River, South Africa's largest river - rises in the Drakensberg range some 15 km's south of Mont-aux-Sources and flows 2340 km's westwards until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund.

No prior experience needed and only a moderate level of fitness is required

Under the guidance of experienced and qualified staff, you will enjoy a 4 day - 4 night adventure not easily matched.

The days are spent on the Orange River where we will explore this magnificent desert eco system. Our guides will take you through some fast flowing water and guide you with knowledge and experience to ensure our enjoyment of this magnificent River. You will also have the opportunity to experience some wave surfing in your boats, hiking and fishing that provides fun for everyone.

We will encounter from fast flowing water with rapids to still open water where we will relax, swim and have time to admire the beautiful gorges and scenery. The expedition is not a race and along with our carefully planned route and itinerary it allows us to have maximum time to complete our expedition.

The adventure has been designed to be as natural as possible and this tour classify you as an adventure traveller and not a tourist.

Two qualified river guides, equipped with the necessary experience will guide your expedition through the Richtersveld Desert Reserve.

Dates: Year round.

YOUR PASSPORT! All foreigners, please check for multiple entry visa. * Check expiry date. Minimum 3 months until expiry date ASWELL as 3 blank pages.

Typical Itinerary

YOUR ITINERARY (4 days & 4 nights) Arrival at the river (base camp) will be the night before you set off paddling (4 Days), try and be at the base camp before 20:00. Dinner served at 20:30.

DAY 1

Today our expedition starts with the launching of our rafts and we say farewell to our base camp for the next few days. We will be camping on the banks of the Orange River under the stars of the southern hemisphere

07:00 - You will be woken up early but coffee and tea will be waiting for you, followed by a briefing session for the mornings' events.

07:30. Breakfast will be served. Packing procedure will be demonstrated and explained during breakfast. 09:00. Safety speech will be delivered and demonstrated.

10:30. You should be on the water by now.

13:00. Lunchtime! A great lunch will be prepared for you! lasting for +/- 1hr 30min.

Back on the water until +/- 17:00, by which time the river camp will be set up.

20:00. and dinner served.

DAY 2 & 3

07:30 Coffee Tea and breakfast.

10:00. Another day on the river start.

13:00. Lunch and leisure time for 1,5 hrs

17:00. out of the canoe and more leisure time!

20:00. A real good and well deserved dinner!

DAY 4

07:30. Our last day start. Breakfast

09:00. Time to be on the river. 2 hours of canoeing today.

11:00. The drive back to base camp will take approx. 2hrs including border clearance for the group.

13:00. Lunch will be served in the base camp. You will have the chance to freshen up before you depart or you have the option of staying for an additional night, if you made the necessary arrangements.

Included in the program

• 3,5 days of Canoeing under guidance of experienced and qualified river guides

• Accommodation for 4 nights.

• Great food made by real cooks, 3 meals a day with 1st meal on arrival

• Juice during lunches

• Safe parking for your vehicle

• Mohawk canoes

• Paddles

• life jackets and bailers

• Safety equipment and medical kit

• Watertight containers for personal gear

• 48L Cooler boxes and ice (limited amounts)

• All utensils & crockery, Braai wood & briquettes

• Toilet paper included

· Transport back to the base camp

· Packing tips!

Not included in the program

• Help with custom clearance

• Soft drinks and alcohol (take your own or buy at the bar)

• Snacks for in-between meals

• Tents are welcome, although not needed. We do however suggest it for the following months (JUNE to AUG).

• Transport and travelling costs to and from base camp.

• An additional evening and catering for that night.

Why Xtreme Gap

Our partner has over 20 years experience. The guides are all highly skilled, professional individuals that have a perfect balance between fun and making your holiday safe and memorable. All you have to do is get there safe, they do the rest. You just relax and enjoy your well deserved adrenaline shot filled with adventure, swimming, fishing, birding and short hikes. On the trips they provide 5 Star freshly-made bush cuisine and our guides have pride in what they serve. Our partner provide ALL your cutlery & crockery and the guides do all the washing up! Isn’t that GREAT ;) If there isn’t shade, they make it with big shade shelters and even have a plan if it rains. The guide ratio is much higher per trip than the required industry norm, so you’ll always feel safe. They do our best never to make the trip sizes too big to lose that personal touch and by doing so better campsites are available. So why not spoil yourself and come to the River with a Touch of Class.

Orange river price list

4 days and 4 nights tour in South Africa: €299

FAQ

» What is a good time of year to go the Orange River?«

Anytime… depending on how much heat you can take! The summer months are hot, with temperatures ranging from 30 to 45 degrees centigrade. For sun lovers, this is the perfect time of year, and it also gives you a good excuse to spend all day in the water. The winter months are cooler but never too cold. The temperatures can range anywhere from 20 to 35 degrees during the day and can go down to 10 degrees at night, making the campfire a pleasantly cosy part of the evenings. Fall and spring are the most temperate, with temperatures ranging between the highs and lows of summer and winter. Rain should not be a problem any time of year, as tents (which you can bring) or the tarpaulin (that we supply) offer enough protection from the occasional and rare drop or two. If anything, rain, if you are lucky enough to experience it, only adds to the adventure experience…

» What about bugs and other creepy crawlies!?!?!«

Firstly, it is good to remember that when camping outdoors we are invading their space, and not the other way around. Generally speaking, the nastier bugs and creepy crawlies, such as scorpions, snakes, etc., tend to try to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them! However, precautions do need to be taken and the guides on the trip will tell you about some simple do’s and don’ts that will help prevent unnecessary and unwelcome encounters. Mosquitoes on the other hand, and other flying irritants, can sometimes not be avoided. At base camp mosquito repellent and/or mosquito nets (to sleep under), can come in handy. However, these insects do not join us on the river, and the three nights away from base camp are usually mosquito-free. Nevertheless, there is plenty of space to bring nets and repellents, and you are welcome to bring them along. More serious encounters with scorpions or snakes are rare, and if you follow the do’s and don’ts these encounters are highly unlikely.

» Can we drink the water from the river?«

During the summer months drinking lots of liquids is essential, and no, beer does not count! To prevent dehydration and heat stroke we recommend that you drink 3 to 5 litres of water a day, minimum, and anything with lots of sugar or caffeine does not do you any favors. So, although you are welcome to bring 20 liters of water along with you, you can also drink the water from the river. Although we can offer no guarantees with regard to its cleanliness (we have done spot checks that showed the water was good to drink, but more comprehensive checks would be required to offer any definitive guarantee), clients and guides have been drinking the water for many years without any adverse affects.

» How far do we go? And do we need to be physically fit to do the trip?«

We cover approximately 60 kilometers in four days, which means that we do between 15 to 20 kilometers per day. How much paddling we do depends primarily on the level of the river. If the river is high, the current does most of the work for us. If the river is low, it means that we will need to paddle a bit more. At an average level, we spend about 4-5 hours on the water, broken up in the middle of the day with a lunch stop, and with lots of time spent floating in our boats and swimming in the river. Generally speaking, just about anyone is fit enough to do the Orange River, as it does not require great physical strength or endurance. First and foremost, the Orange River trip is a pleasure cruise, with a bit of adventure thrown in, where the emphasis is on relaxing and enjoying the environment.

» What happens to our personal drinks? Do we have to fit that in our personal buckets, do we have to bring our own cooler boxes?«

We supply all the equipment you need, including cooler boxes. Our coolers have been designed for a nice fit in the boats. As far as your drinks are concerned, we generally pack everything you bring, either into coolers, or in barrels to restock the coolers as we go along. The coolers will have the ice, so every night you can enjoy your ice cold beverages, and then restock the coolers from the barrels for the following day.

» Does it ever rain on your trips?«

No, it does not, we have a written contract with the weather man to not predict any rain, ever! JUST KIDDING! Unfortunately we are still out in nature and are exposed to all the elements, rain included. The Richtersveld is not renowned for it’s abundance of rain, but it does pour down occasionally, bringing about a more memorable trip for everybody involved. The rain mostly takes the form of thunderstorms, but frontal rain from cold fronts also sometimes peers it’s ugly little head.

» Must I bring my own tent?«

Whether you need a tent or not would depend on the time of year you are doing the trip. In the summer, it stays rather warm at night, and tents might be a bit hot. In the winter months the temperatures tend to drop a fair amount during the night, bringing about dew as well, so then a tent will not be bad idea at all. A lot of people bring tents only to keep the crawling part of nature out of their sleeping bag, which also isn’t a bad idea. Tents in general have gained popularity over time, probably because of its affordability these days, and more and more people tend to bring them along. We also have tents for hire. Just see the section on rentals on our website, or contact the office for further details.

» Are there toilets and other camping facilities on the river?«

Apart from at the base camp, the answer is no. On the river we make camp as we go along, and we bring enough cooking equipment and other camping gear to impress even the dedicated outdoorsman. But apart from the river itself, there are no showers or baths, and the toilets consist of a spade, toilet paper, and a friendly brown paper bag for the toilet paper. If we do not dispose of the toilet paper ourselves, it will stay in nature for up to 30 years. On the other hand, the toilet facilities on the river have stunning views! If you intend on taking a bath, please remember to bring biodegradable soap and shampoo to use in the river. Don’t feel bad if, until now, you weren’t thinking about taking a bath!

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