A winter kayak trip to the Caribbean sounds nice, doesn’t it? What if your idea of a kayak isn’t a resort sit-on-top? What if you might like to paddle some distance, play in some surf and maybe do some snorkeling? How about a place where you can do all that in genuine enthusiast kayaks (think Nigel Dennis) with solid coaches and local guides. Add in 5000-foot mountains, waterfalls, rivers, clear water, jungle excursions, direct flight access from Miami, English speaking natives and a water trail and you have a winner!
Dominica lies nestled between Guadeloupe and Martinique down South of the Virgin Islands. It is served by American Airlines by direct daily flights from Miami and Puerto Rico. Unlike other destinations in the West Indies, this island is not home to myriad all-inclusive resorts and carpeted with beach goers. Dominica is a natural paradise of mountains, tropical forest, waterfalls, rivers and NATURE, which is a resource they protect and show off. A crew of ambitious locals got together with Nigel Dennis to bring in a superb fleet of expedition kayaks in all shapes and sizes to access a new national water trail that shows off its western coastline, with stops at guesthouses along the way. It showcases hiking, sea and river paddling, some river bars for surfing, diving, snorkeling, local tropical cuisine, three national parks and some interesting historical sites. We may even call one of those home for a night or two. Oh yeah, did I mention sleeping in beds, showers and cold drinks in the evening? Not a camping trip.
Intrigued? Here’s a sample itinerary:
Sample Itinerary
ARRIVAL DAY
- Trip Briefing, and Welcome Dinner
- Overnight at Soufriere Guesthouse
DAY 2 – Welcome to Dominica Paddle
- Welcome to Dominica, orientation paddle and snorkel
- Overnight at Soufriere Guesthouse
DAY 3: Soufriere to Roseau/Loubiere
- Paddle Segments Two and Three (10km)
- Snorkeling at the famous Champagne Beach
- Lodging: Sea World Guesthouse
DAY 4: Paddle to Batalie, passing colorful villages
- Paddle Segments Four, Five, Six, and Seven (approx. 20km)
- Kayak Surfing at Layou River
- Accommodation: Sunset Bay Club
DAY 5: Kayak to Portsmouth stopping at Secret Beach
- Beautiful coastline to explore every nook and cranny (approx. 20km, Segment 8-12)
- Lunch along the way at Secret Beach
- Lodging: Fort Shirley
DAY 6: Explore the Indian River and Cabrits National Park
- Paddle up the Indian River and hike Cabrits National Park (Segment 13) (approximately 5km)
- Lodging: Fort Shirley
DAY 7: Segment 14 to the Guadeloupe Channel!
- Paddle the final segment to Guadeloupe Channel (approximately 15km)
- Celebrate at Peter’s Bar, Capuchin
- Final Dinner and celebration
- Lodging: Fort Shirley
Day 8: Depart: Breakfast and transfers back to airport
Dates for 2025
- March 8-15, 2025
What’s Included
- Airport Transfers on Dominica
- Double occupancy lodging (single supplement available)
- Uncommon Adventures paddling coach and a local guide
- The best fleet of kayaks found anywhere
- Breakfasts and lunches and some dinners
- Activity and trail fees
What’s Not Included
- Airfares to and from Dominica
- Pre and post trip lodging and activities
- Travel Insurance (Highly recommended)
- Guide gratuity (5-10% suggested)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Dinners out at local restaurants along the trail
Personal Items: Be sure to review the packing list: It is important that you review this list early on in case you have questions or need to order gear.