White Water Rafting
The Bushman's River sources in the high Drakensberg of Giant's Castle as
does the Tugela River in Royal Natal National Park. At altitude, its crystal-clear
rock pools refresh overheated hikers. Lower down the Bushmans River feeds
the Weenan Canal and then later hoins the Tugela River.
While the Bushmans River rushes and tumbles over rocks, the canal is much
less imposing. Only a metre deep and no more than a few metres wide. But
it's 12 kilometres long, traversing rough and hilly terrain.
Your river guides will have everything ready for you. Lie back in your boat.
And bob. It's warm in the sunshine but cool in the shade. You've got paddles
but you don't need them. En route there are three not-so-large steel pipes
through which the water has been channeled. You either stop, pick up your
boat and portage. Or you lie back with the steel tunnel only inches from
your face. It's dark and you can feel the heat radiating from the surface.
Grit your teeth. Go with the flow. Breath relief when you suddenly pop out
into the sunshine again.
There's a driverless boat behind you. This is the drinks trolley. And very
welcome it is too. At around lunchtime you'll come upon a feast spread out
on a group of rocks next to the canal. Scotch eggs, asparagus wrapped in
ham, chicken wings, quiche, salad, fruit, and cheese. The lunch fairy's been
and gone.
After lunch you move into the Weenen Game Reserve. The sharp, mountainous
Drakensberg terrain has given way to undulating thornveld valleys. The canal
rejoins a now fairly sluggish and narrow Bushman's River. You need to paddle
a little, and duck under the odd tree as you drift through a spectacular
gorge. There's a huge diversity of bird life and antelope. Buffalo and black
and white rhino. Being on the water means you're less noticeable, and less
of a threat to the bird-life and the animals. So you can get close without
startling them.
Once through the Game Reserve, you disembark just before the main road into
Weenen.
Your river guides have arranged transport back to your starting point.
Your other option is to travers the 4x4 trail to Zingela on the banks of
the Tugela River. Once there you hop aboard your 2 man or 6 man rubber raft
and head out for white water. And there is plenty of white water on the Tugela
River as it tumbels over rocks and more rocks. The white water rafting is
more exciting than the canal trip and both are exceptional experiences
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