Sea Kayaking Expedition – Greece

Start / Finish: Nafplio is a beautiful, ancient coastal town just two hours from Athens. In the early 1800’s it served as the first capital of modern Greece. Full of Venetian, Ottoman, and Greek architecture in the old town, it is overlooked by the impressive Palamidi Fortress, the island castle of Bourtzi just off the waterfront.

Geography:  The coast is marked by steep, rocky cliffs with secluded beaches and secret inlets.

Climate: June marks the beginning of summer, characterised by hot, sunny, and dry weather, making it an ideal time for paddling. Average daytime highs of 25°C to 30°C with average nighttime lows of around 19°C – 20°C. The sea water is warm and inviting, averaging around 22°C – 24°C, perfect for swimming. Rainfall is very rare, with an average of only 1-2 days throughout the entire month, days are long and sunny, with an average of 11 to 12 hours of sunshine per day. Winds are generally, light in the mornings, building to moderate breezes in the afternoons, which can occasionally be a hinderance, but can be refreshingly cool.

Flora and Fauna: In June, the Argolic Gulf in Greece is a vibrant, bustling ecosystem where many marine species enter shallower waters to spawn, and land flora is in full summer bloom. It is a critical, biodiverse area for endangered marine life and Mediterranean flora, including extensive Posidonia seagrass meadows. 

Loggerhead sea turtles are active and occasionally seen when paddling. Mediterranean monk seals are rare, and dolphins are occasionally spotted.

Snorkelling is amazing. Schools of black and white nuns and tiny sardines are abundant. Other marine life includes squid, octopus, small sharks, and seahorses, which are often found in seagrass beds.

Terrestrial Vegetation: The surrounding landscape features olive groves, vineyards, and citrus orchards. June is a time for lush, warm-weather vegetation, including fragrant herbs like oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

Accommodation: The first night of the expedition will be spent camping at Alex’s basecamp, with pool, showers and toilet facilities. Allowing time to recuperate from the flight, cover the initial safety briefs, have a beer, eat and relax. Alex’s mum is an amazing chef, so expect some superb authentic Greek food.

The next five nights will be spent either in bivi bags or small tents, looking up at the stars, camping on remote beaches. On the trip you will be expected to make discrete personal cat-holes as latrines. While wild camping is frowned upon in Greece, putting up tents at last light on a tucked away beach, and leaving just after first light leaving no trace is tolerated.

The final night will be back at Alex’s base to ensure everyone makes their flights home, with an evening meal and a few drinks at the outdoor kitchen. There is time to explore Nafplio on the last morning before minibus transfer back to Athen’s airport. (Though we would recommend staying an extra day to explore Athens at the end)

Meals: All of the food on the expedition will be cooked outdoors on gas stoves.

Food will be largely seasonal, local and where possible organic, ideally with some of the fish either being caught by us or purchased from local fishermen. Vegetarians / vegans are also well catered for.

Last year, we arrived late on a tiny beach with a little authentic taverna grilling fish outside and folks elected to buy their own suppers, instead of an expedition meal. It was well received, so maybe bring a few euros in case.

The same happened for the last lunch of the trip when we reached our final destination. Folks elected to buy their own meal in the little medieval fortress town, instead of eating ion the beach. These two meals will be at your own expense (but are not expensive).

Spending money: It is best to withdraw some Euros in small denominations for making purchases in tiny coastal villages.

Time difference and jet lag: Greece is only two hours ahead of the UK in summer, so jetlag is not a problem.

Water: Tap water town is generally safe, if chlorinated. On the paddle we will use bottle water as there is virtually no surface water.

Alcoholic Drinks: You will be expected to pay for your own alcoholic beverages.