This is a fairly continuous section of the Umgeni River with excellent scenery. It goes through a pretty unspoilt valley with steep sandstone cliffs. Experienced K1-paddlers will do themselves a favour to explore this section.
- Ideal for: K1
- Grade: 2 to 3
- Length: 20km
- Duration: 3 to 4 hours
- Type: Pool-drop
- Put-in: Wartburg road bridge
- Take-out: Below weir at beginning of Nagle Dam, where road comes close to the water
- Dam controlled: Albert Falls Dam
- Permits: None
The rapids are mostly class 2 and quite tricky for a K1, with relatively short pools between the rapids. There are, however, no major obstacles to worry about on this section. The river splits up every now and then, where it will be safer to opt for the biggest channels, as the smaller ones can be a bit too rocky, especially at low levels.
This river description is taken from my book “Run the Rivers of Southern Africa”.
If you have any pictures or recent information on this section of river to share, please contact me:
blog@cellierskruger.com
I appreciate any contributions to keep this content up-to-date.