The Touw River flows through the Garden Route National Park near Wilderness in the Western Cape, offering calm, navigable waterways suitable for paddlers of all experience levels, including beginners and families. The river winds through indigenous forest and reed beds before connecting to a broader network of waterways that includes the Serpentine River, Island Lake, and the Wilderness Lagoon.

The primary Fairy Knowe Hotel access point for paddlers is the Fairy Knowe Hotel, where canoes can be hired. The SANParks conservation fee is required and can be paid at the same location. Single and double canoes are available, and each comes equipped with a large waterproof bucket suitable for storing cameras, picnic supplies, and most daypacks.

Three main routes are available from this launch point. The most popular leads upriver toward the Touw River Waterfall, involving approximately 40 minutes of paddling over roughly 3 kilometres through indigenous forest, followed by a 2.5-kilometre walk along a boardwalk to the waterfall itself — a common spot for picnicking and swimming. The second route heads down the Serpentine River to Island Lake, a 3.5-kilometre paddle taking 1.5 to 2 hours one way, passing through meandering reed beds with abundant birdlife. A picnic site is located on the left upon reaching Island Lake, and the full round trip takes 4 to 5 hours. The third option is a shorter 30- to 40-minute paddle to the river mouth, where the river widens and the banks become more developed.

An alternative starting point for exploring the same waterway system is the Ebb & Flow Rest Camp, from which paddlers can travel downstream to the Wilderness Lagoon. The waters throughout this network are calm and generally well-suited to leisurely paddling. Birdwatching is a notable draw, particularly on the Island Lake route through the reed beds. The area is also described as a gateway to the Garden Route National Park, and the combination of forest, lagoon, and river environments gives the paddling experience a varied natural character.