If you’re most at home in a boat, our fantastic rivers will ensure that you’ll be spoiled for choice.

• For canoeing, kayaking and rafting enthusiasts, the Orange River is a favourite destination. It's a long, green-fringed oasis running through the mountainous desert area known as the Richtersveld all the way to the border with Namibia. Incredibly scenic, the Orange also has a few gentle rapids although The Gorge section is a lot more technical and has some high-volume rapids.
  
  
• The Vaal, a tributary of the Orange, has gentle rapids, for those who prefer a more laid-back ride. Being close to Johannesburg, means that it’s a popular destination for corporate team-building trips.
  
  
• The Crocodile River (also near Johannesburg) offers a pleasant day out with some small and mildly challenging rapids.
  
  
• The Doring River in the Western Cape has a short river-rafting season towards the end of winter, and offers fantastic white water rafting opportunities (but be warned -  it's also pretty cold).
  
  
• Also in the Western Cape, the Palmiet River is an excellent destination. It runs through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve and has fantastic technical rapids and wonderful scenery. The trip offered takes one day and includes all meals (and sometimes a visit to a winery).
  
  
• The Western Cape’s Molenaars is a very technical, white water river that only works for a few days immediately after heavy rain in its catchment area (so it's not easy to plan a trip). The Sonderend River is a smallish river where you can do a fun day trip or overnighter.
  
  
• Still in the Western Cape, there are two trips on the Breede River: A one day ‘wine tasting’ trip near Worcester, (which is really just an excuse to have a lovely picnic and sample some local wines), with a little bit of paddling thrown in. Lower down, near Swellendam, two-day trips are run on some small rapids and quite rocky sections. This section is used mainly for corporate trips.
  
  
• There is some fun canoeing to be enjoyed in the lake areas of the Garden Route, especially Wilderness and Knysna Lagoon.
  
  
• Other enjoyable flatwater trips include the two self-guided excursions near Port Alfred, one of which is up and down the conveniently tidal Kowie River. The other is a short paddle up the Kleinmond River to a wonderful overnight spot, called Kayak Camp.
  
  
• In KwaZulu-Natal, a luxurious option would be an escorted trip through the spectacularly beautiful and biologically unique Kosi Bay lake system. Also in the Maputaland area of northern KwaZulu-Natal, there are thrilling escorted one-day trips on Lake St Lucia, where you may see crocodiles and hippos, and on Lake Bhangazi, also part of ISimangaliso Wetlands Park(formerly St. Lucia).
  
  
• The Umkomaas River on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast offers fantastic paddling with some challenging but not too technical rapids.
  Just north of Durban, the Umgeni has some delightful little rapids. The section paddled is part of the gruelling two-day Dusi Marathon.
  
  
• The historic site of the Buffalo River used to be the border between the kingdom of Zululand and the British colony of Natal. It's a lovely river with some rather challenging rapids. Standard trips are two days. The Buffalo is a tributary of the nearby Tugela River, which also has some pretty impressive white water with some very challenging rapids indeed.
  
  
• The Blyde River in Mpumalanga is probably one of the most beautiful rivers in South Africa - a somewhat hectic, technical alpine-style river with a steep gradient. A second trip on a tamer section of the same river is far easier, and the nearby Sabie River also offers an easy day out.
  
  
• The Olifants River, also close by, has some wonderful, big but not too technical rapids and also traverses some beautiful scenery.

Links:

• Amadiba Trails offer canoeing as part of their fantastic horseback, hiking, cultural trail on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Province. Visit: www.amadibaadventures.co.za
• Aquatrails offer camping trips on the Breede and Orange rivers. Visit: www.aquatrails.co.za
• Chalupsky Paddle & Adventure School offers gentle white water trips on the Umkomaas and Umgeni Rivers, and sea kayaking off Durban. Visit: www.durban.gov.za for the details.
• Dolphin Adventures does fun sea kayaking trips from Plett to see dolphins and whales, and scenic bird-watching and oyster tasting trips in the Knysna Lagoon. Visit: dolphinadventures.co.za
• Felix Unite is the oldest river running company in South Africa and runs on the Orange River and the Breede (which is mainly but not exclusively for corporate groups). Visit: www.felixunite.co.za
• Gravity River Tours runs somewhat more exclusive trips for small groups on the Orange (including the whitewater gorge section), the Doring, the Palmiet and the Molenaars (when conditions permit). Visit: www.gravity.co.za
• Intrapid Rafting runs trips down the Orange, including the Gorge, the Doring and a unique trip on the Sonderend River. Visit: www.raftsa.co.za
• Isibindi Africa run two-day trips on the Buffalo River and also paddle the beautiful Kosi Bay lake system - either on a multi-day canoe trip, or as a day trip from their luxury lodge nearby. Visit: www.paddlesa.com
• Otter's Den offers wonderful trips on the Sabie, Olifants and Blyde Rivers, stay over at the rustic river lodge: www.ottersden.co.za
• River Rafters offer trips on the Breede, Doring and Orange rivers. Visit: www.riverrafters.co.za
• Sunwa Ventures based in Parys on the banks of the Vaal River and offer mostly corporate trips. Visit: www.sunwa.co.za
• Wildthing Adventures operate on the Orange, Breede and Doring rivers. Visit: www.wildthing.co.za
• Zingela Safaris run seasonal white water trips from their camp on the banks of the Tugela River. www.zingelasafaris.co.za

Note - You can also use our search facility to locate canoeing and rafting operations and other watersports activities countrywide.