Day Trip Options
There are numerous day trip options in the Cape to blood your kloofing skills. The Palmiet offers an easy intro into river running, and also arguably rates as one of the Western Cape’s most pristine mountain rivers.
Kick off by carrying your Gecko Inflatable from the Kogelberg Nature Reserve office along scenic fynbos footpaths to launch into the bracing waters of the Palmiet, negotiating the narrow channels, small waterfalls and brisk rapids along the course of this near-pristine, lowland river.
Expect to go big when winter rain morphs this rollicking river into a raging torrent, or opt for a smoother summer ride to drift on tranquil pools and along mild white-water chutes. Play out your day with a massive rush through the aqua chaos of Judgement Day, then test your mettle with an eight metre cliff jump from the bridge.
Greyton Kloofing
The Greyton area also offers excellent kloofing and river-bashing opportunities to independent outdoor types. Relaxed river running with Geckos or Croc rafts is possible along stretches of the stunning Riviersonderend, while Noupoort Gorge is a piece of heaven few people ever get to know.
Expect hardcore kloofing with some extreme rope work thrown in, sometimes inside waterfalls and in one instance through a narrow chimney that is as slippery as the inside of a cow. Do it with a guide, as always.
Big Bend Canyon
Grabouw is one of the newer destinations on the kloofing block, and qualified operators recently got the go-ahead to run limited impact kloofing trips along a section of Big Bend Canyon, and this has become a huge hit with the adrenaline crowd.
Expect Adventure with a capital A when you kick off on a 2 km hike onto a remote cliff before abseiling down a slippery, 20 m rock face. A tannin-stained pool sucks you in as you come off the end of the rope, and you’re into your first swim before you know it. Fortunately you’ll be kitted out with wetsuits and helmets, so your body need not take the full brunt of the cold Cape mountain water.
From here, you have to think like a tahr as you negotiate the slippery boulders and rushing water gashing deep within the belly of the mountain. Rock-hopping and wading will get you most of the way, but occasionally the only way forward is to commit to a cliff jump into the darkling pools.
Rest assured – these jumps have been tested dozens of times by the guides, and if you’re really not comfortable, they will make a plan to lower you down by rope. And you better believe you’ll have one helluva story to tell people around the water cooler come Monday morning.
Survival School on Kloofing
Canyoning is a dangerous game, even in kloofs accessible to the public right here in our backyards. Here are a few basic rules that may help you stay safe: Slap on sun block, preferably an alcohol-based formula that is absorbed by the skin.
A wetsuit will protect you against scrapes, bumps and freezing temperatures. Fast-flowing kloofs may necessitate Personal Flotation Devices and helmets as well. Never jump or dive into pools without checking for obstacles first.
If you’re not qualified, always go with a guide. Foot entrapment is a danger in rocky rivers, so be careful in fast-flowing water. Always scout an escape route in case of flooding. Never assume the level of equipment required; check with someone who knows the canyon. Always get an area-specific, three-day weather forecast.
If you’re in search of the perfect blend of adventure, leisure and culture, the Western Cape is your Holy Grail of African travel. From th...