Activity · 2.5 hours · {N(25000)} a person
Dawn mangrove kayak
Leave the jetty in the blue light before sunrise and paddle into the root tunnels as the creek fills. Our most loved trip, and the reason many guests come.
The route
Six kilometres, four creeks, one sunrise
We leave at 5.45am on a rising tide, cross the home bend, and slip into Ekpo creek where the red mangroves meet overhead. By the time the sun clears the trees you are in the heron colony, with coffee waiting on the floating platform.
- 5.30amTea and plantain chips on the jetty. Safety briefing.
- 5.45amLaunch on the rising tide. Head torches off by the first bend.
- 6.30amRoot tunnels of Ekpo creek. Mudskippers and fiddler crabs.
- 7.00amHeron colony at sunrise. Coffee on the floating platform.
- 8.15amBack at the lodge for breakfast.
Stable kayaks
Sit-on-top single and double kayaks, easy for first-timers.
High tide only
Runs on mornings with a rising tide, about four days in five.
What you may see
Malachite kingfishers, grey herons, monitor lizards, mudskippers.
Group size
Up to six guests with one guide and one safety boat.
From the water
Questions
About the dawn kayak
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. The water is calm and sheltered. Your guide teaches the stroke on the jetty before you set off.
What if the tide is wrong on my dates?
On low-tide mornings we run the bird hide instead, and offer the kayak in the late afternoon if the tide allows.
Can children come?
Children aged six and over in a double kayak with an adult.
What does it cost?
₦25,000 a person, including coffee, guide and safety boat. Example rate.
When you are ready
Be on the water at first light.
Add the dawn kayak to a morning with a rising tide in the stay builder.