| Orange River - Raap en Skraap |
|
|
NOTE : NO PASSPORTS REQUIRED Starting between Kakamas and Onseepkans in the Northern Cape, this section of the river offers a mainly flatwater trip, with a few small rapids. There are no major rapids, which makes it ideal for families with younger kids, school groups or anyone who wants a relaxed river trip with minimum thrills and spills.
We use inflatable two person boats that are easy to paddle and steer. We may also have rafts that are very stable and perfect for less confident paddlers (dependent on water level). We usually cover around 25kms during the trip so there is ample time to relax, read your book or explore the camp surroundings. If we have high water conditions, we use a higher put in point, extending the trip by another 15kms or so. Each trip is run as a self-contained expedition - we carry everything we need and take everything back out again at the end. We make our way down river, choosing a different campsite each night. All you need to provide is your personal gear and drinks of your choice. All meals are included, as are qualified guides, groundsheets, boating and safety equipment. On the evening before your trip begins, you will be welcomed to the Raap en Skraap base camp by your guides. Relax and enjoy the view over the river. You'll enjoy a light supper under the starry night sky around the campfire. Next morning, after a hearty breakfast, your guides will give you advice on how best to pack your drybags for your trip down river. Unlike other trips, you will start with a transfer up to the put in point. (This will mean quite an early start as well as a 2.5 hour drive upstream. The advantage to this approach is that the logistics are taken care of at the start and you can then relax on river, paddling into base camp at the end of your fourth day.) Before getting on the water you'll also have a thorough safety briefing and some paddling instruction. Then, it's time to get going for four days of relaxation and fun! The river is mainly flat open water with a few flowing channels and small rapids. The bird life is abundant and the scenery is wild and unspoilt. This trip is not run by many other operators so you shouldn’t see any other groups on the water. Your trip will end back at Raap en Skraap where you will enjoy a final meal around the campfire. The trip can also be run over 4 days but this includes 10km of flat water which will suit some groups.
Prices valid from 1st October 2009 Q & A’s Are you a member of SARA- now APA? Yes, we are Operating Members of APA and our guides are APA members, trained, qualified and experienced. How do I get up to the river? You will need to make your own way up to the basecamp. The road is a good tar road all the way up from Cape Town and takes around 8-9 hours. The road is also good tar coming in from the Gauteng direction. The last section to the camp is usually a good dirt road. This road does, however, become difficult after heavy rain (not common in this area). We recommend that you contact the Pofadder Police Station (tel: 054 933 0022) or Onseepkans Police Station (054 951 0002) or Raap en Skraap Camp (082 393 3422) to check the condition of the road. Full directions will be supplied on confirmation of booking. We can also make accommodation arrangements for you if you’d like to do the drive over two days. We can arrange a bus and driver and fly in tours can also be arranged. Do I need my passport? No, you don’t. The trip starts and ends on the South African side so no border crossing is required. What are the camping facilities like? The basecamp is a grassy site on the riverbanks equipped with flush toilets and showers. On river, we’ll be free camping – all catering equipment is supplied. Tents, sleeping bags and roll mats/lilos can be provided if required – be sure to let us know as soon as possible. Where do we camp on the river? We camp each night at a different location on the banks of the river. You can free camp, bring a tent or hire one of our tents, lilo's and sleeping bags. Below is a picture of the tents we use, they are basictwo man tents which are compact and light when packing.   What do I need to bring? A full kit list will be supplied on confirmation of booking. Remember that whatever you choose to bring will get very dirty so don’t bring your new clothes! Will my clothes & sleeping bags get wet? There are no guarantees on a river trip but it’s extremely unlikely - you will be supplied with a dry-bag, which will keep your clothes dry even if the bag lands in the water. You can also pack your clothes into black bags inside the dry bags to make sure. Your guides will explain to you the best way to pack your bags. Space is sufficient but limited so don’t bring too much with you. Can I bring my camera? Yes. Although there can be no guarantees on a river trip, we do provide watertight dry buckets for cameras, binoculars etc. It is also worth considering buying a disposable waterproof camera. Do I need to be fit? What if I’m not a strong swimmer? This section is pretty laid back so you don’t have to be an athlete to do the trip. A reasonable level of fitness and good health is required, though. There is no age limit but you should familiarise yourself with what the trip entails and make an informed decision on your ability to participate, based on your own fitness. Each client is issued with a PFD (’Lifejacket’) and is instructed on how to handle him or herself in the water. Small children are provided with correctly fitting jackets. You don’t need to be a strong swimmer but please let us know if you are not confident in the water. You also have the option of requesting a very stable raft, which is steered by a guide (dependent on water level). Is it difficult to steer the boats? Will I fall out? We use 2 person inflatable ‘crocs’ that are very stable and easy to paddle, even for beginners. This section of river has no big rapids. There is therefore quite a good chance that you’ll have at least one swim! You will be equipped with a PFD (‘lifejacket’) and will have been given instruction on exactly how to behave if you fall out of your boat. We also use only highly trained guides who will be on hand to rescue you if required. You also have the option of requesting our very stable 5-person raft, which is steered by a guide (dependent on water level). Is it safe? What about if I hurt myself? Whilst there is an inherent element of risk in every adventure, running rivers with our professional guides should not be considered dangerous. Our guides are all trained in First Aid and we carry a First Aid kit. It is your responsibility to inform the guides about any allergies or medical conditions you may have and to make sure you have any personal medication with you (e.g. asthma pumps, allergy medication etc.). This trip does take place in a remote wilderness environment but we have put plans in place to cope with any emergencies. What about my drinks? Gravity provides all meals but you can bring your own choice of drinks. We will supply you with cooler boxes but if you intend bringing a large amount of canned drinks, it is worth it to bring your own cooler box as well. It’s also a good idea to bring drink mix such as Game, which can be mixed with water - water purification tablets will be supplied. Is the water safe to drink? Generally, the water is clean enough to drink but we use water purification tablets to be on the safe side. What will the weather be like? In summer (September-April), days are very hot (30-40 degrees) and the nights are also warm. In between seasons, the days are still warm but the nights can be quite cool - a change of warm clothing and a good sleeping bag are required. In winter (June-August), days are warm (20-25 degrees) and nights are cold. The rainy season is autumn but since this is a semi-arid region, rain is not a frequent occurrence. What will the meals be like? We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the best in bush cuisine. All meals are prepared fresh on the river and consist of hearty, healthy main courses, followed by desert. Sundowner snacks are also served. Why restrict group sizes? We generally limit our group sizes to less than 24 per group - small groups are easier to control and, therefore, safer and the negative impact on the environment is minimised. Finally, we have found that a small group size results in a better and more intimate trip for our clients. Any other restrictions? The APA code of safety requires us to warn you against consuming alcohol or drugs in the 8 hours preceding the trip as well as at all times on the water. How do I book? To book, we will need a completed booking form as well as a 25% deposit into the following account: Gravity River Tours, Standard bank, Mowbray branch, account: 071301216. You booking is NOT confirmed until we have received both completed the form and payment. Please make sure to reference your deposit with your name and the dates of your trip e.g. “Smith Gorge Dec 12-15”. This is what your boat will look like.  DIRECTIONS TO ORANGE RIVER – RAAP EN SKRAAP From Cape Town (about 820km) 1. Take the N1 in the direction of Paarl 2. Take the Malmesbury turn off – you’re now on the N7 3. Drive past : Mooreesburg, Piketburg, Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Klawer, Van Rhynsdorp, Bitterfontein, Garies, Kamieskroon and turn off at Springbok. 4. Gravity clients get 10% off food at Titbits Takeaways if you sit down and eat. Good toasted sandwiches! Melkboschkuil restuarant has a lovely atmosphere and also offers Gravity clients a discount. 5. Drive through Springbok town following the main road. At the bottom, carry on through past the Engen garage. 6. Drive 160km to Pofadder. 7. Drive through Pofadder – do NOT take the turn off to Onseepkans from town. 8. Continue driving approximately 50kms and take the next Onseepkans turn off to your left. There is a sign saying “Karsten Gasteplaas” 9. Continue until you reach the Raap en Skraap turn off on your right. 10. If the road turns to dirt, you have gone too far. 11. Continue about 26kms on the tar road until you reach the Raap en Skraap entrance gate, where you’ll be asked to sign in. 12. Continue 4 kms on gravel until you reach a turn off to the left marked “Kampering/Rivier:. It’s just before you reach the farm’s guesthouse. 13. From here, it’s 600m to the river and your guides should be waiting for you. DIRECTIONS TO ORANGE RIVER – RAAP EN SKRAAP From JHB (about 1071km) 1. From Jo- Burg make your way to Upington. 2. Continue for about 180 kms through Kakamas and continue till you reach the Onseepkans turn off to your right. There is a sign saying “Karsten Gasteplaas” 3. Continue until you reach the Raap en Skraap turn off on your right. 4. Continue from point 10, above We recommend that you check local conditions before setting out - although this is a semi-arid area, when rain does fall, it can cause damage to the roads. Raap en Skraap farm: Petro: 082 393 3422; Pofadder Police: tel: 054 933 0022 or Onseepkans Police Station 054 951 0002. Gravity: 021 683 3698 DRIVE SAFELY AND SLOWLY – you’re on HOLIDAY! More Questions? Give us a call! Tel: (021) 683 3698, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or go to www.gravity.co.za |
|||||||||||||||||
| < Prev |
|---|
