Spirit of the West Adventures is pleased to now offer kayaking tours to the beautiful Bahamas! These 8 day tours have been designed to provide the perfect balance between kayaking and time spent lounging under a palm tree, snorkeling and generally just enjoying all that the Bahamas has to offer.

Our 2013 tours will take us to the Southern Exuma Cays as well as the world famous Land and Sea Marine Park. The two different routes both offer great kayaking amongst many sandy cays and incredible marine life. The Southern Exuma Cays route takes us into many places too shallow for larger boats and ripe for exploring. The Land and Sea Park route enjoys the protected status of a marine park which means a wealth of sea life to enjoy while kayaking and snorkeling in the crystal clear Caribbean waters.

Sun, Sand and Fun! The kayak is the perfect way to sneak between the numerous cays, often allowing us to access areas that sailboats and other travelers cannot access because it is too shallow for them to pass. Camping will be on long sandy beaches dotted with palm trees. We will pass by some private homes including the vacation homes of stars such as Johnny Depp and Faith Hill, but we will spend our time on shore on remote beaches.

For the Land and Sea Park route, we will meet in Staniel Cay, which is easily accessible from either Nassau or Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

For the Southern Exuma Cays route the meeting location will be Georgetown on Great Exuma Island, also easily accessible from Toronto via direct flight, Nassau or Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Land and Sea Park Route

2013 Dates- Feb 6-13 & Feb 15-22

Highlights of the Land and Sea Park route include snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto made famous in the James Bond movies as well as kayaking with the swimming pigs of Staniel Cay- yep swimming pigs, seriously unique wildlife. Other possible wildlife we may encounter include sea turtles, manta rays, gentle nurse sharks, countless reef fish and beautiful corals, sponges etc when snorkeling. This is the proposed itinerary for our trip, but it is flexible and may be adapted to suit the interests of those who join the trip.

Day 1: Depart your home for either Nassau or Fort Lauderdale. From there catch a smaller regional flight to Staniel Cay. You will be met by a Spirit of the West team member for a transfer to our local accommodation. A welcome dinner and the hotel this evening are included in the cost of the tour.

Day 2: We will get a good start on the day and begin exploring the numerous cays and bays by kayak of course finding time for beach combing, walks, snorkeling and generally just enjoying the sun, sand and warm weather.

Days 3 - 6: We will continue exploring the Land and Sea Park. Highlights, of which there are many, include visiting famous Thunderball Grotto, light hiking/walking opportunities on Wardrick Wells Island, checking out the iguanas that inhabit some of the islands and enjoying various other snorkeling hotspots. The extraordinarily clear waters here make for incredible snorkeling and even just watching fish and stings rays pass by right from your kayak. Each evening we will find the perfect campsite, nestling our tents into the soft sands of the islands.

Day 7: Today we will make our way back to Staniel Cay in the mid afternoon, in time to have a refreshing shower and then enjoy a drink on the beach while celebrating an excellent trip together. Accommodation this evening is included.

Day 8: Departure day. After a hearty breakfast your guides will ensure that you make it to the airport in time for your onward flight. If you are fortunate to have more time to spend in this area the guides will do their best to help you get ready for your next adventure. Breakfast and airport transfers this day, are included in the tour cost.

Please note: The itinerary is weather and group dependant. As with travel to any destination, logistics are vulnerable to weather and delays, so please plan your onward travel and post-trip obligations accordingly. We ask all guests to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance to help deal with the unexpected.

Southern Exuma Cays Route

2013 Dates- Jan 27-Feb 3 & Feb 6-13 2013

This route makes for a perfect getaway. Easily accessible via direct flight from Toronto, but still stunning and off the beaten path. This area is dotted with small islands located in shallow waters. The kayak with it's shallow draft makes the perfect vessel for exploring. While there are no swimming pigs here, we are sure you will not be disappointed with this stunning area.

Day 1: Depart your home for the Bahamas today or earlier if you wish. There are direct flights from Toronto to Georgetown or if coming from other locations, the easiest entry point is to arrive into Nassau. From here catch a short regional flight to Georgetown on Great Exuma Island (we would be happy to send you a more detailed travel document for details on booking these flights). Once in Georgetown you will be meet by a member of the Spirit of the West Adventures team and transferred to the hotel for a welcome dinner. Here we will discuss our plans for the next few days and get to know the others in the group. Then it's time for a good night's sleep.

Day 2: Time to start kayaking! We load up our equipment and kayaks and transfer to the North End of Great Exuma to a place called Barraterre. From here we launch and then kayak towards Norman's Pond Cay, apx 6 miles. Once there we will set up camp, snorkel and relax.

Day 3: After breakfast we will pack up camp and continue heading north towards Lignumvitae Cay, apx 7 miles. The campsite here makes for an excellent spot to base ourselves from for exploring the area including the German Castle.

Day 4-5: There are endless options for filling our days, boredom will not be a problem! Kayaking, snorkeling and beach combing will fill our days. There are numerous camping options in this area and we can determine the best campsites based on the desires of the group.

Day 6: Today we will cross over to a secluded and kayak only accessible stretch of cays known as the Brigantines. The water here is extremely shallow and regular boats can't access this region leaving it all for us! Mangroves here provide safe haven for all sorts of nursery baby fish, baby sharks, sting rays, turtles and more.

Day 7: From the Brigantines it is only a short paddle back to Great Exuma. After breakfast we will head back to Barraterre and transfer back to Georgetown. A warm shower and cold beverage await. Hotel accommodation this evening is included as part of the tour cost.

Day 8: Departure day. After a hearty breakfast your guides will ensure that you make it to the airport in time for your onward flight. If you are fortunate to have more time to spend in this area the guides will do their best to help you get ready for your next adventure. Breakfast and airport transfers this day, are included in the tour cost.

Please note: The itinerary is weather and group dependant. As with travel to any international destination, logistics are vulnerable to weather and delays, so please plan your onward travel and post-trip obligations accordingly. We also require all international tour guests to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

We look forward to kayaking with you in the beautiful Bahamas.

For further information or to speak with someone about this trip, please contact our office.