Kayak and lilo up the Storms River Gorge, only 60 minutes drive from Jeffreys Bay (JBay)

1. Kayak across the ocean & under the Storms River suspension bridge

We paddle from the harbour (next to the beach) across the ocean, passing underneath the suspension bridge (because, hang in there – this is where the suspense begins…) and from there up the beautiful Storms River gorge.

2. Forest hike to the suspension bridge

If sea conditions do not allow for ocean paddling, it won’t rock our boat – we simply adapt the adventure. In such cases, we take a short guided hike through the captivating Tsitsikamma forest and over the famous suspension bridge and start our kayaking trip from inside the calm river mouth.

3. Paddle up the Storms River Mouth

After waving to all the wobbly-legged and somewhat jealous tourists photographing you from the suspension bridge, we continue the kayaking voyage up the river. And this is where the true adventure starts – paddling up the glorious Storms River, the ultimate treasure of Tsitsikamma National Park where you are about to go treasure hunting! We continue right into the bats’ cave and spend time gazing up in awe at the spectacular cliffs all around us – all from the comfort of our double sit-on-top kayaks.

4. Lilo deeper up the Storms River Gorge

At the low-water point, we say goodbye to our kayaks and hello to our floater friends – the lilos. (A short information break for those who do not know: A lilo is a small inflatable boat and our unique ones are specially designed for this trip to access the narrow parts of the gorge). From here on we walk over a short section of rocks and then simply float deeper up the river on the lilos, weightlessly relishing in the serenity of this paradise and feeling insignificantly small as we ogle up at the sky-scraping cliffs surrounding us.

Upon reaching our destination, we make a U-turn and float back down river to our kayaks, glad that the exceptional experience is far from over.

5. Cliff jumping

After all the tranquillity of floating, we have to keep the balance and add a healthy dose of adrenalin! On the trip back, you will be given the exhilarating opportunity to leap off the overhanging cliff walls of the gorge into deep pools. This offers not only a good test of your bravery, but also some good occasions for laughter (or nervous giggling), friendly encouragement (or daring) and one-of-a-kind photo opportunities (because you will need to brag to your buddies at home!). Although cliff jumping is not compulsory – you can simply enjoy the spectacle as you leisurely float on the long pools below – we do recommend not missing out on the thrill!

We’ve had kids as young as 5 and grandparents as old as, well… grandparents take the leap and enjoy the time spent on the water, so this is family-friendly fun that truly floats everyone’s boat.

As you can probably comprehend – this unique Storms River adventure is our most popular and best recommended trip by local and international tourists. Be sure not to miss the boat!