Cyclade's Circumnavigation

For those that are in need of a healthy dose of adventure, this is the trip for you. Beginning on Naxos, one of our favorite haunts, we will head south along the coast to a cluster of small Cyclades islands, circumnavigating four of them before returning to Naxos. As we glide through the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, we will discover the beauty held within the remote islands of the Cyclades. Wild landscape, clear waters, isolated beaches and traditional villages will surely make this an experience unlike any other The Northwest Passage has ever seen. With waters as tranquil as the culture, we will have time to enjoy the remote beaches and hike inland and explore the landscape. When is the last time you experienced a place so perfectly calm and unhurried by the world around it? We've been all over, so we know how rare places such as these are...

Day 1:  Arriving by ferry or plane to Naxos, a Northwest Passage Guide will meet and transport you to our hotel.  Exact meeting times will be determined once travel arrangements have been made. We ask that you arrive before the afternoon so that we can explore the town of Naxos. In the late afternoon, we will introduce our fleet of kayaks and paddling equipment. Depending on the weather, we will then paddle in the Bay of Chora. As evening falls, we will get to know one another and discuss the planned itinerary over sunset drinks and a delicious dinner on the coast. (D)

Day 2:  After a restful night and a hearty breakfast we will begin our first full day out on the water.  Heading south, we will experience the landscape that characterizes this part of Naxos; rocky peaks jutting out between long stretches of golden sandy beaches.  After stopping for a traditional Greek taverna lunch in Mikri Vigla, we continue on towards the village of Agiassos where we will end our first day of paddling.  After exploring almost 14 miles of coastline, we will refuel with a group dinner on the serene shoreline. (B, D)

Day 3:  After an early start, we will depart the island of Naxos and make our first open water crossing to Irakleia.  The planned route for the day covers almost 20 miles, and allows us to circumnavigate the entire island of Irakleia.  As this is a long day, we will keep the structure of the afternoon flexible, packing a picnic lunch and resting on secluded beaches as we see fit.  The destination for the day is the main town of Agios Georgios.  In the evening we’ll enjoy a hearty dinner and peaceful rest in town.  (B, D)

Day 4:  We will depart Irakleia, crossing a short stretch of open water to our next island, Schinoussa.  Once we have enjoyed lunch and had time to enjoy Schinoussa harbor, we will spend the day exploring the coast to the south.  The mileage for today will be low, as we are spending the night on the island, so we can investigate at our leisure.  We will spend the night in the main village of Chora.  As it is located right at the heart of the tiny island, you can walk to every beach on Schinoussa. The village is perfect for morning walks or for watching the brilliant sunset over the sea. (B, D)

Day 5:  In the morning we depart Schinoussa, heading for both Keros and Koufonisia.  The earlier part of the day will be spent exploring the stunningly pristine and uninhabited island of Keros.  Its varied coast of rocky formations and sandy beaches will make for an exciting day of exploration, and the clear waters around Keros are great for dolphin spotting.  Before departing this unique island we will enjoy a picnic lunch at the beach of our choosing.  From Keros, we will head north to Koufonisia, where we will spend our evening in the main harbor town.  (B, D)

Day 6:  After an early start, we will begin our exploration and circumnavigation of Koufonisia.  This small islands is known for its natural beauty, amazing beaches, wild landscape and intriguing sea caves.  After completing our circumnavigation of Koufonisia we will begin paddling back to Irakleia, passing along the way the small island of Kato, with coastline almost identical to that of Koufonisia, and the northern coast of Schinoussa.  Once again we will spend our evening in the town of Agios Georgios, enjoying the Greek hospitality, food and culture.  (B, D)

Day 7:  On our last day of paddling we will return to Naxos, a place that will surely feel like home at this point.  Departing Agios Georgios, we will immediately head north towards the coast of Naxos.  Another sublime day secluded beaches, swimming and paddling awaits us.  We will stop half way to enjoy one last taverna lunch.  Once we are fed and refreshed we will continue on to Naxos.  Tonight we enjoy our celebratory dinner and reminisce on all our favorite memories from our adventure in the Cyclades. (B, D)

Day 8:  After breakfast we gather our belongings and say goodbye to this incredible island. We transfer you to the airport so that you can make any connecting flights. (B)


* Note: This is our intended itinerary. As with any adventure travel, the forces of nature can be unpredictable, causing us to make adjustments and changes to the itinerary. Rest assured that our many years of exploring have provided us with numerous options if changes need to be made. If it is too windy to paddle, various hiking, cultural and historical options will make you glad for the winds.

This is all you will need - anything else is unnecessary baggage and will only be extra weight to carry.

• 3-7 t-shirts, some synthetic for paddling
• 1 shirt, long sleeved
• 2-3 pair shorts (some quick drying)
• Sun/rain hat
• Sneakers/cross trainers hiking; some prefer hiking in Tevas or other sandals with socks
• Rain gear just in case! (Paddling jacket works well as an alternative, or windbreaker jacket)
• 1 pair sport sandals; Tevas, water socks, etc. (Paddling booties are great!)
• Bathing suit(s)
• Underwear, socks
• Casual clothes for evenings (shorts/summer dresses are fine!)
• Clean change of clothing for the trip home

Miscellaneous

• Passport (be sure to check expiration date)
• Toiletry kit- toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, sunscreen, face cream, nail clippers, moleskin, baby powder, soap, washcloth (most hotels don’t provide them) etc.
• Personal medication kit- ibuprofen, aspirin, vitamins, band-aids, Dramamine®, cold/sinus meds if prone to colds
• Daypack/fanny pack for hiking options
• Collapsible walking stick for optional hikes
• Sunglasses Chums/Croakies® to keep glasses on your head are imperative
• Water bottle (optional- bottled water is plentiful and cheap)
• Small dry bag with carabiner clip (clear ones are very useful)
• Headlamp for sea caves
• Camera, film, waterproof container
• Paddling gloves (for the tender of palm- not neoprene but any open fingered glove can help e.g. biking gloves etc)
• Small towel (e.g. PackTowel® works well)
• Small travel alarm clock

Optional Equipment

• Guidebooks
• Mask and snorkel (can be purchased inexpensively)
• Field glasses – binoculars
• Your own Paddle/PFD- we will supply paddles and PFD’s for group but, if you prefer your own paddle and PFD, feel free to bring them along
• Ziploc® storage bags (to keep stuff extra dry in dry bag)