The Umzimvubu is a relatively unknown wild river and has been paddled by a few intrepid adventurers. The lower section from the N2 down to Port St Johns has been described in Celliers Krugers’ book “Run the rivers of southern Africa”: these stretches are for experienced paddlers only.

The wits explorers society did a hairy first descent in a 10 man raft in 1990, see their account at www.explorationsociety.org

A 2010 expedition explored some of the deeper gorges in the vicinity of the falls, see thenileprogression.blogspot.com

The upper section from its source near St Bernards peak Hotel has been paddled when seasons and volumes allow by local attorney / paddler Mark McLeod and cohorts, and has tight  technical creeking, long K2 training stretches on the flats above Cedarville and  large boulder strewn wild stuff in steep dolerite gorges, something akin to a small Zambezi in mid summer peak flows.

Video:- Nicky and Deirdre shooting Speed Queen rapid on the Kinira above confluence with Umzimvubu near Mt Frere