Page 38 - Waterfall City Issue 11 November 2024

Waterfall City Travel

CONQUERING

The Mighty Orange

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

T he Orange River is the longest bucket list footsteps. Especially when decamp and do our business in the

in South Africa, with 2,432km
bush, I think that’s the least they can do.
their adventure includes camping and
your one and only camping experience
extending from Lesotho into
South Africa and Namibia
Thunder Alley in Hopetown, Northern
to the north. This I discovered while consists of mosquitoes, mud, and We have chosen the route starting at
missing tent poles. But when someone
Googling ‘Orange River’ having just else’s bucket list is the Orange River, it’s Cape. Fun fact: Hopetown is where the
agreed to go paddling down – or an opportunity you just can’t refuse, Eureka Diamond and the Star of South
is it up, the Orange River, I thought camping and all. Africa, were discovered between 1867
it was the least I should know. and 1869. Depending on where you
And so, the planning commences. The live in SA, the trip here is around 843km
Paddling the Orange River seems to supplied kit list involves several days, from Cape Town, 602km from JHB and
be on everyone’s bucket list. Just ask if not weeks, of shopping and ranges a whopping 1,022km from White River
any good adventurous South African, from hats and sunscreen to pillows from where this brave and foolhardy
and it’s right up there with hiking Fish and foam mattresses. There are a lot of group of paddlers hailed.
River and doing the Otter Trail. For this companies that can take you paddling.
author, I had never given paddling the We used Gravity Tours, which I cannot We arrive at Point A on a Sunday night.
Orange River much thought, in fact, no recommend enough. However, you Rain and chilly weather greet us, and
thought, until that fateful day, around can shop around as long as they have we are immediately relieved that we
a dinner table, when a friend said, ‘let’s excellent safety records. We chose had booked a chalet on our first night.
do the Orange River together.’ And I Gravity because they offer a gourmet Super basic accommodation but
said yes! dining experience and do all the dry and warm. And we happily drink
cooking. And let’s be serious, since we wine and eat braaivleis alongside the
It’s not easy following in someone else’s have to paddle, carry all our gear, camp, mighty Orange.

36 Waterfall City Issue 11 2024