Sea
Kayak Ireland's Northwest Coast
Detailed
Itinerary
August
8: International flight
to Dublin.
August 9
Upon your arrival at the airport in Dublin, you will be greeted
by your guides for the trip. Shortly thereafter, we will climb aboard
a small plane and fly approximately one hour to our destination in Dungloe,
County Donegal. Once we have checked into the local Inn/hotel you will
have some time to relax or walk around the town.
August 10
Jet lag hurts! This is a layover
day to help you get acclimated to this new region. An optional day trip
to bike or hike around Aranmore Island is planned or you may choose to
meet some locals in and around town or at the local pub. We'll meet up
for dinner in town and then begin packing gear for the trip. Anticipate
waking up late.
August 11 (Sea Kayaking: approx.
4 miles):
A van shuttle mid morning will take us to
our put-in near Burtonport. After a brief orientation on land to the
gear and equipment, we'll begin our sea kayak voyage heading southeast
to Inishfree Island where we'll set up camp amidst ruins and enjoy the
panoramic view of Ireland's craggy and diverse coastline.
August 12 (Sea Kayaking: approx
12 miles):
An early morning start finds us meandering
our way northwest along Aranmore's western shore and then continuing
north to Owey Island and its recently deserted village (left occupants
left circa 1980). Round Owey if seas are decent; great caves, sea-stacks
and passages. Set up camp leaving time to explore the island. A quick
paddle to the north tip of Cruit Island to re-supply our water is optional
for those wanting a bit more paddling time.
August 13 (Sea Kayaking: approx.
6 miles):
We'll head East into Inishfree Bay, then
north to Gola Island. There are some thirty or so abandoned houses on
Gola, a thriving little island community until the 1960's. Weather permitting,
we'll take a side trip into Magheranagall Bay, a deep glacial enclave
dug into the island's western shores. We'll spend a bit of time walking
the elevated western shore of the bay, which offers spectacular bird
watching and great views!
August 14 (Sea kayaking distance
to be determined):
This is a layover day providing opportunities
to just kick back and relax on the island, explore the island by foot,
or hop back into your sea kayak and explore Gola from the cockpit of
your kayak, paddle to nearby Umfin Island, or push north all the way
to Inihsmeane or Inishsirrer if we really feel ambitious.
August 15 (Sea Kayaking: approx.
8 miles):
Time to head back; we'll plan on camping
on Inishillintry, a small and wild island at the north end of Cruit Bay.
Let's hope the winds are turning back also!
August 16 (Sea Kayaking: approx.
8 miles):
We'll plan to sea kayak round the north
end of Cruit Island and then head south to Eighter or neighboring Illanagall
Island. Should the seas be too rough, we'll travel south along Cruit's
eastern shore rounding the island at its southern tip and thread our
way through the narrow "inland" passages to Lahan Island.
August 17 ( Sea Kayaking: approx.
2 miles)
We'll meander our way back to our original
put-in; take-out and unload; and take a shuttle back to our hotel to
clean up, relax, and rest before heading into town for our celebratory
dinner and a visit to the local pub owned by the famous artist ENYA's
uncle!
August 18
After breakfast, we'll pack up and head
to the airport in Carrickfin for our flight back to Dublin. Our final
night stay in Ireland will give us the opportunity to walk the streets
of Dublin, mingle with the Irish, and sample the local cuisine.
August 19
After breakfast, we'll head to the airport
for our afternoon flight back to the states.
Note: This is only an overview
of our itinerary; daily plans are always subject to changes due to
developing weather patterns and other environmental factors, as well
as due to the group's wishes, strengths and weaknesses.
Cost: $3200 per person. (7-10
members) $3400 per person (5-6 members)Single supplement, add $300
Rates quoted are per person, based on sharing double accommodations.
Contact our office to book your trip:
1.888.488.9082
What's Included:
Professional
guides
All sea kayaking gear
Group camping gear (tents, cooking apparatus,
etc)
All accommodations in Ireland
All transportation in Ireland
What's Not Included:
Transatlantic
flight to and from Dublin
Insurance of any kind
Excess baggage charges
Items of a personal nature (sleeping bags,
pads, clothing, etc.)
Detailed
Itinerary
Sea
Kayak Japan's Inland Sea
Detailed
Itinerary
This is truly an exploratory trip for
adventurous paddlers who wish to immerse themselves not only in
the interesting sea kayaking opportunities that exist here but
also in the complete cultural experience obtained each day through
our interactions with the local areas that we visit along the way
and what they have to offer. Our scouting team dropped into the
area last September and are prepared to lead you through Japan
's spectacular island thoroughfares, guide you through its cities
and villages, and help you to enjoy the adventure of the country's
rail system! So follow us as we guide you along this itinerary;
we hope you'll consider joining us.
May
16 October 18
Upon arrival at Kansai airport
in Osaka , Japan 's second largest city, we will meet our team of guides.
Once through Customs, we will head to the ancient capital of Japan ,
the historic city of Nara , where our accommodations will offer western
comforts and Japanese hospitality. It will be evening in Japan and after
a good night's rest we'll be ready for our adventure to begin.
May
17-18 October 19-20
To truly gain an appreciation of
the history, significance and beauty of the historic city of Nara and
nearby Kyoto and to give us time to acclimate to the time change we'll
spend these two days visiting the Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, gardens,
palaces, and museums that lie within each city's boundaries. Kinkaku-ji,
the fabulous Golden Pavilion perched on the edge of a lake; Ryoan-ji,
the ultimate Zen garden; Kiyomizu-dera temple famous for its sacred waters;
Todaiji Temple the largest wooden structure in the world housing the
Great Buddha; Nara park where thousands of deer roam freely day and night;
will all be destinations visited over the course of these two days. We'll
stroll the streets, visit the shops, and immerse ourselves in Japan 's
historic past. The evenings will find us enjoying Kabuki theater and
dining on traditional Japanese cuisine in one of the many fine eating
establishments in the city. (B,L,D)
May
19-20 October 21-22
Once we have gotten the feel for
the country and our internal clocks on track, we'll begin the journey
to the Inland Sea . We'll depart Kyoto station by Shinkansen , Japan
's famous bullet train, as we head west to the island temple precinct
of Miyajima. Miyajima is the site of the famous red Torii gate rising
out of the sea separating the everyday world from the spiritual realm
of the adjoining floating temple compound, the Itsukushima Jinja shrine,
a symbol of Japanese culture and spirit. Upon arrival, we'll check in
to our Inn and then spend some time exploring the village and temple
compound at sunset. After a good night's sleep and a traditional Japanese
breakfast, we'll be ready to hit the water and view the temple compound
from a different perspective. Depending on the tides we'll also have
a chance to climb Mt. Misen either by foot or by cable car to gain a
bird's eye view of the Inland Sea and its environs. Our accommodations
for the two nights will be at a local Ryokan known for its wonderful
cuisine; of special note is the local delicacy of eel. (B, L, D)
May
21 October 23
Departing Miyajima, our sea kayak next destination will be the
National Park island of Ohkunoshima where we'll be greeted by cheering
school children and the local contingent of rabbits that inhabit the
grounds on our short walk to our hotel. This palm tree shaded paradise
is surrounded by forested islands that rise up out of the ocean to surprising
heights, often with small shrines perched on their hillsides. After we've
checked in and grabbed a quick lunch, we'll get in our sea kayaks and
circumnavigate this island jewel in the midst of the Inland Sea . Be
sure to indulge in the hot baths, Onsen, that the hotel has to offer
for a relaxing soak before dinner and a restful sleep before a full day
adventure on the morrow. (B,L,D)
May
22-24 October 24-26 (three days)
Grab your cameras and get ready
for a fun-filled day as we launch our sea kayaks and begin our paddle
through the waters where pirates once raided, worshipped, and hid their
treasures. We'll make landfall on Omishima Island , to explore its famous
pirate shrine, Oyamazumi Jinja, and visit the Treasure Hall, a National
Museum that holds 80% of the nation's samurai armor belonging to some
of the great heros of Japanese history. We'll also have the opportunity
to enjoy the local festival of Spring which takes place at the pirate's
Shinto shrine. Nearing the end of our day, we'll venture back to our
island by kayak under the late afternoon sun and enjoy a relaxing bath
before our evening meal. (B,L, D)
Waking
to a Japanese style breakfast we will plan the day’s journey to Osakikama shima, an island about
7 miles away. Packing our gear into our boats we’ll head out
to our next lodging destination, the Seifukan hotel and spa, perched
high on a hill overlooking the Inland Sea. Here you’ll find
a wonderful indoor and outdoor onsen with a spectacular view of the
islands and the waters we explored the previous day. We’ll
dine in authentic Japanese style as we talk about adventures of the
day and those to come. (B, L, D)
The
Akashi Strait lies ahead, offering the possibility of some dynamic
tidal currents as well as the wildlife that thrives
in such areas. Our destination will be Osakishimo Shima island, provided
conditions permit, where we’ll taste fresh mekan, clementine-like
oranges which are deliciously sweet. We’ll also have a chance
to sample some of the freshly harvested sea salt indigineous to this
area and lunch in the village of Mitarai with some local friends
who live in the village. (B, L, D)
May
25 -26 October 27-28
Our next sea kayaking destination
will be the smallest of Japan 's four main islands, Shikoku . first stop
will be the city of Matsuyama presided over by towering Matsuyama Castle
, one of the best preserved medieval structures in Japan . Just 20 minutes
out of town are the famous Dogo Onsen hot springs , renowned for their
curative powers and the main attraction of this area. There will be time
to explore the castle, city, and the hot springs as well as the outlying
areas known for exquisite crafts and other indigenous commodities. A
short train ride leads us to the town of Uchiko which has one of only
two old Kabuki theaters left in Japan with a revolving stage, cranked
by hand, and the old masu-seki seating in wooden squares on the floor.
At the end of the day, we'll travel to the southern coast of Shikoku
to prepare for our final paddling day a raft trip down the Yoshino
river. (B, L, D)
May
27 October 29
This final day on the water will
take us from the sea to the rivers where we'll enjoy an exciting run
down the Yoshino River hosted by our friends at Montbell , Japan 's premier
outdoor clothing and equipment supplier. The Yoshino is one of Japan
's last wild and scenic waterways and offers thrills and excitement for
all, no matter what your skill level. (B, L, D)
May
28 October 30
Leaving the islands behind we'll
find our way back to Kyoto for the evening, celebrate our adventure with
a sayonara finale dinner and prepare for our departure to the US . (B,
L, D)
May
29 October 31
Depart Kansai airport, Japan for
US
Cost: $4950 per person (5-8
clients)
With less than 5 clients, there is an additional
charge of $200 per person. Costs are based on shared occupancy. Sorry,
single accommodations are not available for this trip.
Contact our office to book your trip:
1.888.488.9082
* These costs are subject to change due to the
volatility of the exchange rate between the Japanese yen and US dollar.
Should an adjustment need to be made to reflect any major differences
from the time we figured these costs to the time of the trip, we
will notify you 60 days from the trip start date so that you can
include any adjustment in your final payment.
What's Included?
All
accommodations in Japan as noted on itinerary
Meals as noted: (B
= Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
All ground transportation once in Osaka
and outlined in itinerary
All sea kayaking gear and safety equipment
Qualified and highly trained kayak guides
Translator and tour guide
What's Not Included?
International
airfare ( U.S. to Osaka )
Any meals not specified on itinerary
Fees for optional activities
Airport departure taxes
Additional hotel nights that may be
needed due to airline schedule changes or other factors
Insurance of any kind
Excess baggage charges
Items of a personal nature (laundry, alcohol,
snack foods, etc.)
NOTE: We try to be as accurate as we can with
our itineraries but certain factors out of our control can cause
the itinerary to change. We appreciate your flexibility and trust
in us to provide you with a safe, enjoyable, and memorable experience.