Page 36 - Intra Muros November Issue 2024

TRAVEL

CONQUERING THE MIGHTY ORANGE

Article courtesy of Nicky McArthur, Muse Magazine, www.musemagazine.co.za

he Orange River is the longest in South And so, the planning commences. The We arrive at Point A on a Sunday night. Rain
Africa, with 2,432 km, extending supplied kit list involves several days, if and chilly weather greet us, and we are
Tfrom Lesotho into South Africa and not weeks, of shopping and ranges from immediately relieved that we had booked
Namibia to the north. This I discovered while hats and sunscreen to pillows and foam a chalet on our first night. Super basic
Googling ‘Orange River’ having just agreed to mattresses. There are a lot of companies accommodation but dry and warm. And
go paddling down – or is it up, the Orange that can take you paddling. We used we happily drink wine and eat braaivleis
River, I thought it was the least I should know. Gravity Tours, which I cannot recommend alongside the mighty Orange.
enough. However, you can shop around as
Paddling the Orange River seems to be on long as they have excellent safety records. Monday is our first day on the water, and
everyone’s bucket list. Just ask any good We chose Gravity because they offer a the heavens open. By the time we get to
adventurous South African, and it’s right up gourmet dining experience and do all the camp, everyone is soaked thanks to item 11
there with hiking Fish River and doing the cooking. And let’s be serious, since we on the kit list – the all-important raincoat –
Otter Trail. For this author, I had never given have to paddle, carry all our gear, camp, comfortably packed at the bottom of our dry
paddling the Orange River much thought, decamp and do our business in the bush, I bag. A rocky start to our much-anticipated
in fact, no thought, until that fateful day, think that’s the least they can do. trip. But the Gravity team jump into action,
around a dinner table, when a friend said, put up a gazebo, light a fire, and feed us.
‘let’s do the Orange River together.’ And I We have chosen the route starting at Top points to them. The kids, ranging in
said yes! Thunder Alley in Hopetown, Northern ages from eight to 12, seem unbothered by
Cape. Fun fact: Hopetown is where the the rain and set up camp in the wet sand
It’s not easy following in someone else’s Eureka Diamond and the Star of South to see who can build the largest sandcastle.
bucket list footsteps. Especially when their Africa, were discovered between 1867 and After a few sips of someone’s brandewyn,
adventure includes camping and your one 1869. Depending on where you live in SA, the grownups are perkier too. We collapse
and only camping experience consists of the trip here is around 843km from Cape into bed slightly damp that night, smelling
mosquitoes, mud, and missing tent poles. Town, 602km from JHB and a whopping like smoke and with sand in our teeth.
But when someone else’s bucket list is the 1,022km from White River from where
Orange River, it’s an opportunity you just this brave and foolhardy group of paddlers “Mom, you almost fell off your boat,” yells
can’t refuse, camping and all. hailed. Luke, my eldest. He looks smug on the

34 | INTRAMUROS NOVEMBER 2024