[1] From its source, the river descends through indigenous forest in a deeply incised channel, flanked by rock cliffs up to 120 metres high.

After only seven kilometres, the river faces its first obstruction, the small Maden Dam, built in 1910 (114 years old).

The other important tributary is the Yellowwoods River, which flows from the north directly into Laing Dam.

Small streams on the northern bank bring runoff directly into Bridle Drift Dam from Mdantsane, the second largest township in Eastern Cape province.

From Bridle Drift Dam, the Buffalo River flows through low altitude coastal forest for twenty kilometres and forms the northern border of the Umtiza Nature Reserve, before entering the Indian Ocean through the estuary harbour of East London.