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The Orange River rises on the western slopes of the Drakensberg in Lesotho and courses westward for over 2250km to the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay. For most of this distance it flows through arid semi desert landscapes, forming the natural border between South Africa and Namibia for the last 450km.
Two South African national parks are located along its course: the Augrabies Falls National Park, site of the Augrabies Falls, one of the largest cataracttype falls in the world and the Richterveld National Park, a mountainous desert.
The name Augrabies is derived from a Bushman phrase meaning 'place of great noise'. The first White man to see the falls was a Swedish born soldier by the name of Hendrik Wikar, an army deserter who travelled along the Orange an arrived at the falls in 1778.
The river was named in honour of the Prince of Orange in 1779 by a Scots officer in the service of the Dutch East India Company. The area boasts 179 bird species but being on a natural waterway system one can often see rare sightings that are not listed for this area. Several game species, reptiles and amazing fauna can be experienced.
It is South Africa's longest river, and because of it's isolation, unique scenery, predictable climate and absence of malaria, the Northern Cape section is a tremendous holiday destination for those people looking for something out of the ordinary.
At Augrabies the Gariep or Orange River stops its meandering and plunges over the Augrabies Falls, the eighth largest falls in the world, and into the gorge, a valley of stark desert rock lanscapes.
It is in this pristine wilderness region that we operate professionally guided river trails, and the opportunity to experience a unique adventure.
Both our Orange River Rafting and Canoeing trips are run on an uncommercial stretch of river where we offer exclusivity with very little or mostly no river traffic.
Some useful info about our trips below;
- You do not need passports for any of our adventures.
- We carry full insurances with SATIB insurance and offer Cas Evac facilities.
- You can arrange an exclusive group if you want to.
- All multi day trips are based from the Augrabies Falls National Park and we include your first nights camping in the price.
- We cater for everybody from vegetarians to the meat eaters.
- We do take a portable toilet with on every trip for comfort.
- You need to bring your own personal medications and small medi kit but guides do carry first aid kits and are qualified up to level 3.
- You can fish on the river but we support the Fish for tomorrow campaign and release all fish back into the river.
- Peak summer from Mid Jan to beginning March can reach daytime temperatures of 45 plus degrees.
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