It was foggy on the January morning the Africa Revolution Tour circled the Drakensberg mountain range to the North and entered the independent kingdom of Lesotho, on a mission to become the first team ever to run the 15 km gorge below Semonko Falls on the Malets-Unyane River. 
On the drive to the put-in
On the drive to the put-inThe Malets-Unyane River is located in central Lesotho and plunges off the 700 ft Semonko falls before entering a steep remote sandstone canyon. The first decent was organized by Guy Anderson and Mike and Brett Pennyfather, who arranged the logistics the week before. The team was rounded off with Andrew Pollock and Dave Fisher.
The team prepares to hike into the canyon
After a 30 minute hike into the put-in, the team was met with a spectacular view of the waterfall dropping into a nice gorge with a slide and a 25 ft waterfall.
Guy Anderson running the first drop below the 700 ft. Semonko FallsBelow the put-in drops the river steepened for 5 km before the team camped for the first night under a clear, cold Lesotho sky. The next morning we let our two Lesotho guides who were accompanying us by foot try out our kayaks over a 3 ft ledge. They were all smiles for their first kayak experience.
Local Guide Valentine and Efrom jump in the kayaksThe next day the team paddled the remaining section of boulder gardens before taking out at a small village at the mouth of the canyon.
After resting the night at the house of the village chief the team began the long hike out of the gorge which took two hours over two different passes and through numerous villages, clinging to the sides of the mountains.
Night falling as the crew returns from a successful first descent
Night falling as the crew returns from a successful first descentIn all the run took two leisure days through a windy and steep canyon that dropped around 1500 feet in total. Low water made the rapids scrappy and higher flows would make the run more ideal.
After the successful completion of the river, the team made the long journey out of beautiful Lesotho, bound for the Transkei region of South Africa.
A tired team still deep in the Lesotho Mountains
A tired team still deep in the Lesotho Mountains
1 comment:
And where are the pictures? We are but gluttons for visual stimulus out here in snow pack land. Of course I am a hypocrite since there are not photos from us shredding Red Mountain.
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