Komodo Kayaking

Life’s a beach…visit them on a kayak!

Join us on an amazing adventure through the Komodo National Park aboard our custom made Kayaks. Only groups of 4 paddlers per guide…all the while with a private guide. While the famous life on the islands (Dragons!) are world famous – the marine life is simply stunning.

Located at the point where the Pacific and the Indian Oceans meet…the water is incredibly rich in nutrients and life. Manta Rays are year-round visitors and are often seen breaching. Pods of dolphins pass through daily. But above the water is some incredible scenery. The bays and coves of the islands, the mangroves, the beaches we pull up on….all magnificent.

As of October 2015 all our Komodo Kayaking trips are now performed by our partners Wicked Adventures. Please contact them for full details!

Komodo Kayaking is more than just paddling!!! We add in may different activities to make this trip extra-special. Visiting the Villages en-route, snorkeling these secluded bays, climbing hills and cliffs for scenic viewpoints, watching the bats and more.

What’s Included

Your Komodo Kayak Tour includes the following:
– 2 nights camping in Marmot expedition tents 
– Pick-up/drop-off at hotel resort in Labuan Bajo
– Custom built kayak use with all safety gear including vest, paddle etc
– Snorkel and fins in current sizes
Support boat with radio and satellite phone contact throughout
– National park fees
– Professional guide 
– Ranger and local guide fees
– Toilet tent during the kajaking part of the expedtion
– All meals on expedition 

About the Boat

There are strange rules in every country, but in Indonesia there are some explicit guidelines about importing Kayaks. You wouldn’t have thought it an issue…but it means imported kayaks are extremely expensive, or you must bribe local officials. But now – a solution has been found!

Our Komodo Kayaks!

The kayaks we use are built in a fiberglass workshop from specially designed moulds, gifted by Kaskazi Kayak in South Africa. This workshop has been set up in Papau, Indonesia to train local craftsmen and encourage job creation. They build both sit on top and sit-inside designs, but due to safety considerations we only offer the traditional sit-inside option. The kayaks are constructed of modern hand layup fiberglass. Each kayak is hand built under the instruction of the resident fiberglass expert, and the Papuan team is involved with the construction of their own kayaks and at the same time learning valuable new skills for the future. Upon using these kayaks and seeing the quality and detail – we decided we found our new supplier!

The purchase of these kayaks give directly back to the local community members, which require the addition of lifelong skills which can offer alternative livelihoods. As is the Wicked Diving way…we try to support local projects and communities, and this is one great project!

Technical Specifications:

  • Length: 5300mm
  • Width: 580mm
  • Load capacity: 160kg
  • Weight of kayak: 30kg

Safety and Medical Info

We try to assure the comfort of all our guests equally. If you have any dietary restrictions – we must be notified of this before your arrival. Due to the remote location and nature of the trips – we can not guarantee that they can be met. In many cases we are happy to prepare meals and food stuffs that are brought on the boat and we recommend purchasing these in Bali or the in locations with a far larger range of dietary options.

Due to our remoteness, the activities we undertake and, most importantly, the well-being of our guests – we have strict policies regarding health and safety on our Komodo Kayak Tours.  If someone suffers from severe allergies or medical conditions – we must strongly urge you to re-consider your options for joining these trips. The medical facilities are minimal and evacuation to the nearest major hospital (Bali) can take 12-24 hours in good conditions. Please learn more about these (Please note – this link takes you to the Wicked Adventures page, which operates these tours) 

 

Prerequisites/Experience Required

Our Komodo Kayak Tours are suitable for the beginning kayaker and those who are very experienced.  Our custom made kayaks are safe, and able to meet the demands of the hardy paddler or the relaxed wanderer. The support boat is always at hand, so should you prefer, you can climb aboard…or paddle to your hearts content.