Kayaking Tour “Cypresses, Blue Springs, Alligators & Birds”

These swamps and rivers are home to countless bird species, deer, rabbits, raccoons, turtles, other beautiful animals, and Florida’s infamous gators. With that in mind, always be alerted to encounter them many times during our tour!

You will get a chance to explore the area as you have never even imagined it before. I will lead you to my favorite places around the cypress swamps, rivers, and springs.

Physical Difficulty: Moderate. This Workshop Involves kayaking at the cypress lakes and rivers.

Fitness Level: Like any outdoor activity, a reasonable degree of fitness is ideal. We will not be engaging in any strenuous physical activity.

Airport: Jacksonville, FL.

Transportation: included in the tour’s price

Lodging: hotel and simple forest cabin lodging is included in the tour’s price (2 people per room/bedroom). Each forest cabin has two queen beds with linens, towels, blankets, and pillows. Also, each cottage has a shower, coffee machine, and tabletop stove. You can upgrade your stay to single occupancy for $580 (subject to cabin availability). 

Meals: are not included in the tour price. For the first two nights of our tour, we will live close to the lake in comfortable forest cabins. We can cook for ourselves (there are several options, such as grilling, stove-top cooking, and the age-old microwavable food).

Canoeing/kayaking:  Your tour’s payment includes a two-person canoe, so you will ride it with another participant. You can upgrade it to a single ride (canoe or kayak) for an additional $320.

No level of kayaking experience is necessary for participants. Whether you are just beginning or are an experienced kayaker, I am happy to help you operate your Canoe (kayak).

Day 1. April 12, Wednesday

Our group will meet at a car rental facility near Jacksonville International Airport from 1 to 2 PM, where we can meet everyone and get to know each other. After a short introduction meeting, we will go to a local supermarket to buy some food — for the next two days, we will cook for ourselves.

For these two days, we will live close to a vast cypress swamp full of cypress and alligators in comfortable forest cabins. Most likely, this evening, we will have a BBQ dinner.

Night in a forest cabin

Day 2. April 13, Thursday

After breakfast (we have to cook it for ourselves), we launch our canoes and start paddling into the swamp’s remote part to see thousands of cypress, birds, and alligators. Our trip today can be described as out and back, so we don’t have to paddle some certain distance. We will go when we feel comfortable returning to our cabin. It would be approximately 6-8 miles round trip with a prolonged water current. In other words,  we will spend almost all day on the water. 

In the evening, we again will grill (cook) some delicious dinner for ourselves and enjoy a glass of wine or bottle of beer.

Night in a forest cabin

Day 3. April 14, Friday

After breakfast, we check out from our cabins and, one more time, launch our canoes to the swamp. 

Like yesterday we are going out and back, so we will paddle until we have enough time to get to our next hotel before sunset. Most likely, it would be a 4-5 miles paddling trip. 

We will drive to our next destination for about 1.5 — 2 hours. Depending on our arrival time, we have short hiking options along the river’s bank or even a few paddling short trails on the Santa Fe River.

Night in Hotel in Lake City, Fl

Day 4. April 15, Saturday

That morning we will get in our canoe at about 8 AM to start the adventure on one of the most impressive Florida rivers with countless springs along the river banks.

Believe it or not, but for about 6 miles, the water would be blue and crystal clear, so you will be able to see the river’s bottom almost all the time throughout our journey on the water.

First 4 miles, we will paddle our canoe through the natural wilderness full of egrets, herons, ibises, hawks, ospreys, deer, turtles, and maybe even some tiny gators. 

Another 2 miles bring us into a unique small township on both sides of that river with picturesque piers, docks, boardwalks, and beaches (swimming places). We will have lunch there (you need to bring your lunch with you), and if you want —  you can swim in that crystal clear warm water too!

As soon as we pass that township, we must paddle another 6 miles on brown water sharing the river with small motorboats and pontoon boats. Along these 6 miles, we will have a chance to watch for different birds and again for some gators.

Day 5. April 16, Sunday

After breakfast, we will check out our rooms and load all our luggage into our cars in the morning. We will explore the Santa Fe River with countless springs and unique cypress scenery this day. Perhaps we will see fewer birds and reptiles than yesterday, but we definitely will make more stops at many of Florida’s springs. We will genuinely enjoy Florida’s experience other than beaches and palm trees.

Today again, we will roughly paddle downstream for about 6-7 miles. And like yesterday, everyone needs to take lunch to the canoe. Even if you didn’t swim yesterday today, everyone likely wants to try to swim in some warm spring. All year round, the water temperature in these springs is 72°F, so you wouldn’t be cold.

We will return to our cars by 1 — 2 PM, and by 3.30 — 4 PM can be at Jacksonville International Airport, and our trip will be officially over.

Recommended Personal Gear:

• Rubber boots or water shoes — you might step into the water to get into a canoe or get out from it.
• Dry bag to care for your  gear and lunch in the canoe
• Waterproof sleeve or case for your phone
• Rain jacket and rain pants
  
• Fleece jacket
  
• Extra warm clothing for possible cold weather conditions including long underwear, hats, and gloves
  
• sunglasses
• sunscreen
• anti-mosquito repellant