Program

A sea kayaking trip is always dependent on wind and weather, and a plan is never more than a plan. The following program, along with paddling distances, is therefor preliminary:

Day 1

Day of travel. You are responsible for your trip to Kefalonia, Greece. We will meet you in Argostoli, the main town of Kefalonia, check in at our hotel, and spend the evening exploring and dining in town.

Day 2

Our first day on the water. After breakfast and preparations in Argostoli we transfer to Saint Theodore lighthouse on the northern tip of the peninsula where Argostoli is situated. On the small beach we trim and pack our kayaks to get a good setup for the coming week. Today’s trip goes south along an amazing coastline of eroded limestone rock where we wind our way in and out of caves, arches and imaginative formations. Great fun. After a lunch break on a beach somewhere along the way we finish at Spasmata beach and get picked up for a transfer back to Argostoli, where we will finish our day off with a dinner at one of the nice local restaurants.

Paddling distance, ca 12 km.

Day 3

Today we aim for the south coast, where the cliffs get higher and the slopes plunging down into the water gets more impressive. The rocky coast are broken up with nice deserted beaches perfect for a lunch break and a swim. We might be lucky to spot golden eagles soaring around the hilltops or the endangered monk seal playing in the water. Depending on weather conditions we get picked up further east along the coast for a drive to our next destination, Assos. A perfect ending to an eventful day is a dinner on a small waterfront tavern in the picture perfect little village.

Paddling distance, ca 18 km.

Day 4

In the morning it’s hard to leave the fabulous accommodation we have in Assos, but a short stroll to the beach gets us to our kayaks and onto the water. Leaving the little bay surrounded by the village, and continuing north leads us to a deserted and dramatic part of the coast. High limestone cliffs hiding more caves and formations offers amazing kayaking as far north as we want to continue. Perhaps we aim for the small beach at Aqua Café, the only inhabited place along this part of the coast before we head back again. With a sunset view from the terrace of our guest house we might end the day with a Kefalonian feast of traditional local dishes cooked to perfection by our guest house host, Gerasimos, a former London high end chef. A definite culinary highlight.

Paddling distance, ca 15-20 km.

Day 5

Depending on the weather we might want to start with a nice paddle around the peninsula protecting Assos from westerly winds and continue south to a lunch break and a turquoise swim on the most famous of the Kefalonian beaches, Myrthos beach. Perhaps we feel it’s a good idea to make a short and rewarding hike up the top of the peninsula, to the remnants of the venetian castle, overlooking the village with historic vibes. Back again we will pack up for a transfer to our next destination Fiskardo, where we sum up the day’s adventures on one of the seaside taverns.

Paddling distance, ca 12 km.

Day 6

Fiskardo, in a sheltered bay on the island’s eastern side, is possibly the most popular village of Kefalonia, with old Venetian houses, waterfront restaurants and a nice setting. We stay virtually on the water, in a guest house with a beautiful setting, run by the energetic and lovely Stavroula. From the beach just next to where we stay we enter our cockpits for a day of exploration to the south of Fiskardo. The strait between Kefalonia and Ithaka where we paddle is the setting of dramatic events in the story of Odysseus. For us it’s a (very often) wind protected area that makes for a nice and calm day trip in beautiful surroundings. Back again in Fiskardo we might feel it’s time for a seafood dinner in the evening sea breeze.

Paddling distance, ca 12 km.

Day 7

Our last day in the kayaks. Paddling north around the headland protecting the bay of Fiskardo we get great views of Lefkada and the islands north of Kefalonia. A nice day leads us to the beautiful bays and beaches of Kamilia and Dafnoudi, where a 23 degree Celsius October swim seems both inevitable and fair. Back in Fiskardo we get picked up for a transfer back to Argostoli and our last evening and final dinner, with great, half true stories  about the week’s achievements.

Paddling distance, ca 15 km.

Day 8

Breakfast and packing. Transfer to the airport. Departure.