Great kayaking experience. Josh knew about the animals and ecosystem, and explained it all during our trip. It was a fun way to see the salt marsh.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- See wildlife including Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles, and assorted waterfowl
- Kayaking Equipment (Kayak, Paddles, Personal Floatation Device)
- 2-Hour Guided Kayaking Eco Tour in Charleston
- Professional Guide
- Dry Bag to keep phone or other personal belongings dry
Excludes
- Gratuities
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Follow Bowens Island Road to the end and park in the gravel parking lot located to your right. Make your way to the water and check in with the COA office located on the dock.
Return
- Follow Bowens Island Road to the end and park in the gravel parking lot located to your right. Make your way to the water and check in with the COA office located on the dock.
Itinerary
Before departing from our private launching area on Bowens Island, your group will participate in a brief instructional session, safety discussion, and an explanation on how to use the foot driven steering system on your kayaks. During your 2-hour guided eco-tour, you will explore Charleston’s iconic tidal creeks and saltmarsh. While paddling through the estuarine waters behind Folly Beach, your local guide will introduce you to the area's wide variety of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins gracefully playing and feeding, wading birds exploring the shallows, crabs and invertebrates crawling on mudflats, and pelicans diving! Your guide will also discuss the value and functions of the area's major ecosystems.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
I had an absolutely fantastic time on my kayak eco tour at Bowen’s Island in Charleston! Josh was an incredible guide who made the experience even more special with his awesome commentary about the local ecosystem, wildlife, and birds. His knowledge and enthusiasm really brought the area to life. The highlight of the tour was definitely seeing the jumping shrimp! It was such a unique and memorable experience that made the trip even more fun. The scenery was beautiful, the wildlife was fascinating, and the entire tour was both relaxing and educational. Josh made the experience enjoyable from start to finish. If you’re visiting the Charleston area and want to experience its natural beauty from the water, I highly recommend this kayak eco tour. A must-do Charleston experience!
Sunscreen is a must along with water and sunglasses. Enjoy the beauty and the knowledge of your guide.
Paddling was not super strenuous but was vigorous. Lots of information given continuously. We enjoyed ourselves.
It was great. The weather was raining so at last minute we changed to a boat trip. The guide was wonderful and accompanied g. Saw many dolphins and pelicans and also info on the filming of the Outer Banks series.
Fun kayaking trip with beautiful weather. Josh was our guide and very knowledgeable about the whole ecosystem. Kayaks were in great shape.
Great experience! Lots of wildlife. Very peaceful
I’m so glad we did this tour! Very relaxing and educational!
Such a fun experience and the staff was great. Madeline at the front desk was super friendly and helpful! Mason was our kayak guide and was so knowledgeable about the area. We learned a lot about the area and he also gave some great tips for the rest of our trip!
Wow! What an incredible guide! Mason was patient, knowledgeable, and so personable. We absolutely loved all the information he shared throughout the tour. He was also incredibly compassionate and went above and beyond to make everyone feel like they were crushing it and enjoy the experience!! Even booking was a breeze! The kind soul that looked at wind heloed us pick the right time spot!! Thanks again!!
We had such a great experience! The guide was so knowledgeable. Dolphins came within 8 feet of us! Remarkable! Thanks for a great time.
Beautiful way to spend the morning! The tour was great for nature lovers - full of info on the wildlife we saw and delighted we saw some dolphins. It was at an easy pace so I still felt good at the end of two hours.
Such a wonderful tour of the salt marsh! Loved our guide! She was so so kind and knowledgeable of the area. The wildlife was beautiful and was lucky enough to see dolphins so close to the kayak! Highly recommend 💯💯💯💯
This is something you must do, whether you’re experienced or first time kayaker. Max our guide was so interesting to listen to as he explained the marshes and the history that went along with it. I would recommend going earlier in the day before the heat hits. Loved it!!
What an experience! Seeing dolphins up close was really nice, but the tour guide set this experience apart. So much interesting knowledge about the area and wildlife. Also a really enjoyable pace and route. So glad we picked this tour and had this memorable experience!
Great customer service! They were very helpful in communicating with us about storms in the area.
This was such a fun experience! Our tour guide Margo was great, kept us safe, and had a lot of fun facts as we were going along. We got to see some dolphins and birds, and it was a relaxing kayak adventure.
Kelly was an excellent kayak guide on our Eco tour.
Our family of six had a great time, despite varying levels of experience/skill kayaking. The marsh was beautiful, and the tour was super relaxing but also a decent workout. It was cool to check out so much local wildlife. Our guide Kelly was super friendly and knowledgeable. We have been to the area several times and would count this as one of our top all-time experiences. Highly recommend.
So awesome and fun! Super friendly and knowledgeable staff!
Mads was a wonderful guide and we were able to see several dolphins as soon as we left the dock!! She knew so much about the area and the wildlife we saw. Definitely recommend this tour!!
Great kayaking trip in the marsh with plenty of pretty sights. At times can be a good bit of paddling against the current but well worth it.
My husband and I had a wonderful time!! It was fun and informative and we got to see dolphins which was amazing! We will definitely do this again with our kids. Great tour! You should Book it!!
It was a lot of fun. He was very informative throughout the whole time. He explained everything well. Thanks for a great time.
Was a great morning adventure...Max was very knowledgeable. Good workout as well, came across a dolphin too.
It was a beautiful kayak excursion out and back through the reeds. We saw dolphins and lots of birds. It was just the right length and not too hard to paddle.
This was a really great experience. We live in Charleston and are absolutely doing this tour again. Our guide was easy going, very knowledgeable. He was laid back and we didn’t feel rushed. We were able to explore the marsh at a good pace.
This was an amazing experience. Kelly was the best guide!! So friendly and knowledgeable about the ecosystem of the area. Very reasonable price. Book it!
We had a great time, me and my families first time kayaking. CJ was a very energetic, confident guide that I would recommend every time. Enjoyed the history, wildlife and the company we kept with the group. We saw dolphins and an osprey on the nest. Thanks for a great time!
Awesome experience! They helped my husband find the right kayak for him and personalized our exploring.
Great experience, knowledgeable guide and great for all levels of kayakers. Didn’t see dolphins but saw a lot of other wildlife
We enjoyed lacking in the marsh. The guide Katie was amazing. She was full of information about the area. Plus a fun personality.
My son and I took the 2 hour morning kayaking tour. KD was our tour guide. She and everyone there, including Marky the dog, were fantastic. All the equipment was provided, including an airbag so we could take our phones and snap a few pictures. KD clearly loves her job and has a passion for the environment. I was a little skeptical that we would see dolphins in such a shallow area but we did, twice, we also learned a bit about the ecosystem and history. Definitely a must do if you are in the area ! Also bring treats for Marky. He's a good boy 🐕❤️
the guide (Jason) was very knowledgeable about the eco system of the area. a pleasure trip, as well as educational.
Learned about the ecosystem and was very interesting Luke was a very good guide and showed us lots of things
Our family had never been kayaking before and Luke, our guide, was very patient and helpful. The kayaks were easy to maneuver. We saw several different birds and dolphins during our tour.
Sean made the paddle fun and shared all about the wildlife and their behaviors. It was very peaceful to be out on the water. We loved how he took the time to let the animals do their thing and not interfere with them. We would highly recommend this trip.
It’s nature therefore it’s unpredictable. What a wonderful way to get up close and personal with nature. Winds changing direction gave us a workout!
This was a great experience. The equipment was all in great shape and well cared for. The staff was excellent.
It was so much fun!! Being out on the water is so relaxing, and there is so much wildlife to see as well. The tour guide was a super chill dude well. I would 100% do this again
We loved our kayaking tour! The sunset was beautiful and Erik was a phenomenal guide. He was so incredibly knowledge about the ecosystem and the wildlife. We can't wait to do this next time we are back in Charleston!
Just beautiful. Mason was a great explainer of the flora, fauna, ecosystems, local history. The kayaks were really nice and easy to maneuver. We enjoyed it and learned so much about the area.
Katie was awesome. She has so much knowledge about all of the salt marsh habitat. We learned a lot and had fun!! What a great teacher and guide!!
We had Aiden and he was observant to how we handled our kayaks before we took off, it was high tide, and windy. so he made sure that I had one I could handle and kept a good eye on this senior last. He was full of all kinds of interesting facts about lots of factors, the birds, the water and just a lot of anecdotes. He talked a lot without being boring. It was great to go thru the oyster beds, and he warned us that they can be razor sharp. We saw old shrimp boats where the ospreys nest, and learned some of the folk lore involved with that area. I would recommend it to anyone.
Great experience lots of knowledge and lots of fun. Highly recommend this and very easy to do for first timers
Fantastic kayaking experience in the marshlands. We saw some wildlife and learned a bit about boats, oysters and their shells, and some of the conservation efforts in Charleston. Katie was amazing!!
Loved this kayaking excursion in the marshes! Beautiful setting with many birds. Excellent tour guide who shared many interesting fun facts throughout the tour. Our tour guide navigated us in the best areas to avoid the windy conditions. Highly recommend if you’re in the Charleston area!
Make this part of your Charleston/Folly Beach vacation! They cater to beginners and advanced kayakers and split tours into small groups so you get plenty of attention. Katie was an AWESOME guide! Gave us a wonderful rundown on the history of the area, aquatic life, and flora/fauna. Tour was very fun and catered to our group’s interests!
This was a great tour and our guide, Aiden, couldn’t be more enthusiastic, energetic, and fun to be with! He was so good at giving us some really good information and history sound bites, and the time flew by because it was so much fun. This was a great time and so worth the money. Great job, Aiden!
Margo was friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable about the area. We had first time kayakers who were immediately at ease working with her. A must do
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
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