Storms River Kayak & Lilo

Storms River Kayak & Lilo

Description

“Our favourite!” The 2 hour Storms River Kayak & Lilo Adventure is our most popular adventure activity in Tsitsikamma National Park! If you are keen to explore deeper into the Storms River Gorge in Tsitsikamma, and experience the long, deep, quiet pools, then the Kayak and Lilo trip is for you!

Activity Breakdown
When the ocean is safe to kayak over the trip will involve in total: 10 minutes briefing, 20-30 minutes of ocean kayaking, 30-40 minutes of river kayaking, 40 minutes on Lilo and +/- 20 minutes Cliff Jumping, swimming and some time in between of just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful view. If the ocean is unsafe to kayak over, the trip will involve in total: +/- 40 minutes of hiking through the forest, 10 minutes of briefing, 30-40 minutes of river kayaking, 40 minutes on Lilo and +/- 20 minutes Cliff Jumping, swimming etc. as above.

Provider: Untouched Adventures

Duration: Open Ended

When: Seven days a week, all year round, subject to availability.

Where: We are located INSIDE Tsitsikamma National Park, at Storms River Mouth. Our office overlooks the Storms River Mouth and ocean, and we are tucked nicely underneath the restaurant. From Plettenberg Bay we are approximately a 45km drive down the N2 towards Port Elizabeth. Take the RIGHT hand turn “Tsitsikamma National Park”, and drive to the Park Gate. From the entry of the National Park there is only one road, so you can’t get lost! Follow this road to the very end, park in the carpark and follow the red Untouched Adventures signs underneath the restaurant to the Storms River Harbour. From Jeffreys Bay we are approximately 1 hours drive down the N2 towards Plettenberg Bay. After you drive over the Storms River Bridge and pass the petrol station, pass Storms River Village, and turn LEFT at the “Tsitsikamma National Park” sign and drive to the Park Gate. (This left hand turn is before the toll gates – so if you’ve passed the Bungy and are at the Toll Gates, you’ve gone too far!). From the entry of the National Park there is only one road, so you can’t get lost! Follow this road to the very end, park in the carpark and follow the red Untouched Adventures signs underneath the restaurant to the Storms River Harbour.

Weather: In the event of big swell or strong winds, the trip will automatically be transferred to a Hike, Kayak and Lilo. This can take up to 2 hours 30 minutes, with +/- 40minutes of forest hiking. The group will be guided to the Storms River Mouth along a board walked hiking trail and start the kayak and lilo adventure from the safety of the river mouth. Weather is constantly monitored and the trip will be cancelled if safety is a concern.

What to Wear: Mask, Swimming costume, shirt and closed toe shoes (on the colder days bring warm clothes) – wetsuits and water shoes available for rent

Things to Bring: Mask, Swimwear, warm clothes, Towel and Change of Clothes

Guests or Spectators: For the guests not going on the adventure, there is a restaurant and beautiful hiking trails to do while you wait.

Requirements

Minimum Age: 5 years
Fitness Level: No Fitness Requirement
Qualifications: Not Applicable
Maximum Weight: 170.0 kg
Certification: None Required
Experience Level: No Experience Requirement

Inclusions and Exclusions

Inclusions: Guides escort each group, and the following gear is provided – Kayak, PFD, Lilo’s, and Paddles.

Exclusions National Park Conservation/Gate Entry fees are not included. Please bring your own Mask and wear the mask at all times during the activity.

See Itinerary for more info

Itinerary

We paddle from the Harbour next to the small beach across the ocean, then under the Suspension Bridge and up the beautiful Storms River Mouth. Please note that if the sea is rough, you have to hike to the Suspension Bridge (along a boardwalked trail), where we then hike along the river from the suspension bridge up to the jetty to where you then get on onto your kayaks. This 80m hike is over rocks and difficult terrain.

This is where the true Kayaking adventure begins – paddling the Storms River, the pinnacle of Tsitsikamma National Park. After waving to all the tourists photographing you from the Suspension Bridge, we continue the kayak trip up the Stormsrivier. We paddle right into the bats cave and spend time gazing up at the magnificent and spectacular cliffs all around us, all from the comfort of our double sit-on-top kayaks.

At the low-water point we disembark our kayaks and we jump on our unique Lilo’s. (a Lilo is an inflatable mattress that we’ve had specially made for this trip). From here we walk and float over a short section of rocks and simply wade deeper up the river on the Lilo’s. What a stunning view it is, laying on a Lilo at water level, and gazing up to cliffs that touch the sky! At reaching a certain point, we simply turn our Lilo’s around and float back down river to our Kayaks!