Wit Els River

About

One of those isolated rivers that demands a strenuous hike to the put-in and can easily turn into an epic. Running the river from the top requires hiking in via the UCT Ski Club Hut from the south side — a serious full-day hike with a kayak. From there, expect an overnight trip unless the river is well known. Access to the trail must be pre-arranged with the UCT Mountain Club, who control this part of the mountains. The alternative put-in is from the north, starting from a farm called Merwede on a trail known as Adderley Street. This hike is also demanding and reaches the river halfway down; obtain permission from the farm for access. The river is extremely continuous. The top section below the first put-in is very tight, opening up after a few kilometres but remaining continuous class 3 to 4. Most of the section can be scouted via eddy-hopping if the paddler is competent, but some rapids require bank scouting. Several class 5 rapids must be watched for, along with two unrunnable boulder chokes. One rapid runs through a roughly 50m-long natural tunnel. The final section before take-out steepens again for solid action. Remote and prone to cold weather, the river should only be attempted by very experienced paddlers. The best trip-planning strategy is to befriend a helicopter owner before the rainy season starts.

Access

Permits

Permission for both put-in points

Recent sessions