For a few years during my childhood, we made the trek up to the Orange River in South Africa to paddle it. My memories are of long days spent on the river, my uncle always making the biggest splash with his paddle to soak us (something us kids were determined to master), jumping off the boats for a swim and sleeping under the stars.

Funny enough, I don’t remember much of the birdlife. That passion came later in life. But I remember the stars, the smell of the campfire and that excited feeling of adventure. Long, fun days of doing very little other than paddling, playing and having the best time. Pretty perfect childhood memories, really.

I’ve always wanted to take my own kids on this trip. I wanted to go in October, just as we used to, but living in Spain and working around school holidays meant that wasn’t going to happen. Then, this past August, we found ourselves back in South Africa.

Yes, it was winter. And yes, October could have been better. But I had a sudden realisation that waiting for the perfect moment was a pretty good recipe for the trip never happening at all. So, seize the moment, and the moment was now.

We booked the trip with Felix Unite, the same company we’d travelled with all those years ago, and my brothers jumped on board too. We were warned that late August could be cold and that we should bring a tent. I was slightly disappointed, my favourite memories involved sleeping under the stars, after all.

As the date approached, I started wondering whether I was setting myself up for disappointment by trying to recreate the exact same experience. Could a childhood memory ever live up to the real thing?

Spoiler alert: this trip was about to exceed every expectation I had. That rosy childhood memory was about to get a whole lot of technicolour highlights, stars and smiley faces.

Back to the Orange River

Felix Unite’s base camp is a dream. There’s a gorgeous big pool, incredible views, a great restaurant, friendly staff and, most importantly for us, lush green grass to pitch our tent on.

My brothers drove up from Cape Town to meet us, took one look at our tent and scoffed.

“What are you doing? We sleep under the stars!” they announced.

I smiled. Yes, THIS was exactly what I wanted.

No more overthinking, no more worrying about the weather or whether it would be cold. The kids eagerly laid their sleeping bags out on the grass, and that night we closed our eyes beneath a billion stars.

Honestly, if we’d packed up and gone home the next morning, I think I would still have been content. The magic had already begun, and we hadn’t even got on the river yet.

The next morning, we packed our canoe buckets for the river and off we set. You know that feeling when you’re so excited that you get goosebumps? I had a ridiculous grin plastered across my face. This was it. We were finally doing it.

And we still had three more nights to go!

Fishing, campfires and life in the slow lane

We’d bought the kids a fishing rod from the shop at base camp, and before long they were lined up along the riverbank, rods in hand, with the occasional gleeful squeal as someone felt a tug. They had surprisingly good luck, and by the end of the trip all would have managed to catch, or almost catch, a catfish.

Catch, kiss and release, with a quick photo in between, of course.

Our two guides turned out to be master chefs as well as wonderfully patient with the kids. That first night, we camped on the South African side of the river. We set up our mattresses along the sandy riverbank, with the most beautiful views and absolutely nobody else around.

The guides then introduced us to the all-important toilet arrangements, which the kids found particularly fascinating. During the day, there were Dougie and Sparky: a spade and a lighter. Once the sun went down, Lulu made her appearance, usually tucked away in a secluded spot a comfortable distance from camp, with a paddle to indicate whether she was occupied or available.

Travelling with boys, that conversation didn’t end there. But this isn’t that kind of blog. Haha!

The first morning we woke to the wind having blown sand over pretty much everything, so slightly crunchy but with big smiles all round the adults made their way to the campfire to make a coffee. The kids immediately got back to fishing, and a Fish Eagle called from somewhere nearby.

And that was it. Just us, in the middle of nowhere, sipping on a hot morning coffee surrounded by nature.

No rushing off to the next activity, no plans to squeeze in before the day ended, no distractions. Just a river, a campfire, the sound of birds and a whole lot of time.

And so our days went. Paddling, jumping out of the boats for a swim, splashing, racing, birdwatching, chatting and relaxing. And, of course, the kids perfecting the art of making the biggest splash with their paddles, a skill their uncles had well and truly mastered. Watching history repeat itself, only with a new generation of splash-makers. Happy déjà vu.

There were some great rapids along the way, enough to get the adrenaline going and keep everyone on their toes, but there was just as much time to slow down and enjoy the river.

How often do we really get to slow down and be fully present? Properly present, without half our minds already thinking about what comes next?

An Orange River canoe trip doesn’t leave much room for anything else. And that, I think, is part of its magic.

Back to Namibia

On our second night, we camped in Namibia. That afternoon, we hiked up to an old green fluorite mine, collected a few stones and were told to keep them safe for the last night.

We were treated to the most magical sunset, another incredible meal and an evening around the campfire. It’s funny how quickly you settle into this sort of life. Days follow the rhythm of the river, and the simplest things become the highlights.

Something else struck me as we watched the kids pottering about. Out in nature, they seemed so completely at ease. There were no arguments or complaints about being bored. They were off creating dens, trying to catch fish, exploring their surroundings and finding their own adventures.

These were some of my very best childhood memories, and seeing my kids enjoy the same kind of freedom was probably the best part of the whole trip.

Mornings often started with the kids sitting on the riverbank with their Zwela journals, filling the pages with stories from the day before. With the river flowing beside them and the mountains all around, they had plenty to write about, from the rapids they’d conquered to the fish they’d caught and the ridiculous things their uncles had got up to. It was lovely watching them turn their own adventures into stories, capturing the little details that might otherwise get lost in the excitement of the next day.

And their favourite activity? One of mine, too, all those years ago.

Nappy runs.

For the uninitiated, this involves turning your lifejacket upside down and letting yourself bob down the rapids. Ridiculous? Absolutely. Fun? Without question. The kind of thing that has kids (and grown-ups) lining up to do it again and again.

Some things never change.

Shambok: the highlight of the rapids

By our third morning, we’d tackled a few good rapids and were well and truly into the swing of river life. But Shambok was the one we’d been building up to: the most exciting rapid of our trip.

The difficulty of the rapids depends on the water level. With a fair amount of water flowing through, the technical difficulty wasn’t too high, but the current was fast. You needed to concentrate, pick your line and be ready.

Our guide took us to survey Shambok before we attempted it, which only added to the excitement. He showed us the line we needed to take, then headed off to set up river safety in case anyone decided to take an unexpected swim.

One by one, the boats went down, cheered on by everyone watching from the rocks nearby.

We’d made a deal that anyone who tipped over would be declared “Shamebok” and would have to make the next morning’s coffee. Fortunately, everyone made it through, so there were no shameful coffee-making duties to assign.

What a rush! A little nervous anticipation, a lot of concentration and a whole lot of cheering. Exactly the sort of adventure we’d come for.

Nature’s fireworks and a little paddle competition

That evening was our last night on the river, and it was time to discover why we’d been told to keep those green fluorite stones from our hike.

We brought them out and added them to the campfire. As the stones heated up, glowed green and popped and cracked like nature’s very own fireworks display.

Then our guides introduced another challenge: paddle tricks.

They demonstrated a few moves and invited everyone to have a go. We were the only people for what felt like a million miles, and I can only imagine what someone stumbling upon our little campfire gathering would have thought: a bunch of people cackling like hyenas as they tried to bend their bodies around their paddles.

My super-flexible brother quietly and confidently took the title.

It was one of those evenings when nobody was in a hurry to go anywhere. We had a campfire, an incredible setting, a sky full of stars and a group of people who’d spent four days sharing the same little stretch of wilderness. We were having the best time.

The final stretch through the Richtersveld

Our last day took us into the Richtersveld National Park. The landscape was just as remote and beautiful as the days before, but one striking mountain in particular caught our attention. Locally named the Witch’s Hat, it isn’t difficult to see how it got its name.

Happily, there was time for one more super-fun nappy run before we tackled the final stretch of paddling to our take-out point. And just like that, four days on the river were over.

A wonderfully old-school bus was waiting to collect us, and before long we were back at base camp, enjoying a hot shower and a cold beer. Simple pleasures, but after four days of paddling, camping and living outdoors, they felt pretty special.

That evening’s dinner was filled with laughter as we relived the adventures, retold the stories and remembered all the little moments that had made the trip so special. We were already talking about doing it all again in two or three years. Maybe sooner. Definitely not in another decade or two!

Taking the perfect moment when it comes

I went into this trip hoping to share a little piece of my childhood with my kids. I thought I’d be happy if it came anywhere close to the memories I’d carried with me for so many years. Instead, we made a whole new collection of memories, full of laughter, stars, fishing, rapids, campfire meals, and river games.

The birdlife? I noticed plenty more this time around, too, as did my kids.

But what I’ll remember most is the feeling of being completely present, watching the kids discover the same kind of freedom and simple joy I’d experienced as a child. Days without schedules, nights under the stars and adventures that didn’t need much more than a river, a paddle and a sense of humour. And August turned out to be perfect! We had good weather and did not see another group on the river during our whole trip!

Four days on the Orange River, a lifetime of memories, and one very important lesson: don’t wait for the perfect moment. Sometimes, the moment is now.

And if you’re considering an Orange River canoe trip with kids, take this as your sign. Go.

Planning an Orange River canoe trip with kids: the practical details

We travelled with Felix Unite, based on the Namibian side of the Orange River. Having used them as a family when I was a child, it was lovely to return all these years later and find ourselves setting off on the same adventure.

Here’s what might help if you’re planning your own trip.

Base camp and accommodation

Felix Unite has a lovely campsite with lush green grass, a swimming pool, restaurant, well-stocked shop and chalets for those who prefer a proper bed. We booked a chalet for the night we returned from the river, which made for a wonderfully relaxing evening before an early departure the following morning.

The shop was surprisingly well stocked and reasonably priced. We bought a fishing rod and broad-brimmed sun hats for the kids there, for less than we’d seen them selling for in the bigger shops in South Africa.

When to go

Felix Unite runs scheduled departures throughout the year and also offers private trips for groups of 12 or more. We travelled in late August, during the Southern Hemisphere winter, and were advised to bring a tent because nights could be cold. We were lucky enough to sleep under the stars, but come prepared for changing temperatures.

The boats and buckets

The trip is done in two-person fibreglass Mohawk canoes. Each boat gets three buckets: one per person for clothes and a shared bucket for sleeping gear. There’s also a fourth bucket for wet items, which was perfect for the kids’ fishing gear and river shoes.

You also get a cooler box to stock with drinks before setting off, with an ice resupply on the second day.

Water and supplies

You’ll need to carry enough drinking water for yourself. The recommended amount varies depending on the season and conditions, so check the current guidance with Felix Unite before departure. There’s space to store water on the boats.

What we loved most

For us, it was the combination of being properly out in nature, having guides who were brilliant with the kids, delicious meals around the campfire and enough freedom for everyone to find their own kind of adventure. The kids could fish, explore, swim and try their hand at the rapids, while the adults got to slow down and enjoy it all alongside them.

And, of course, sleeping under the stars.

If you’re looking for a family adventure in southern Africa that goes beyond the usual road trip or safari, paddling the Orange River is a wonderful way to spend a few days together. Just don’t forget your sense of adventure (and perhaps a spare change of clothes for any aspiring Shameboks). And of course your Zwela Journal