Kayaking in the Outer Banks  

Try a kayak tour on Outer Banks with the Kitty Hawk Kayak and Surf School,the Outer Banks leader in Eco-Tourism since 1984. Eastern North Carolina is one of the finest flat-water kayaking destinations on the East Coast of the United States. Surrounded by National Seashores, Wildlife Refugees, State Parks, Coastal Reserves, Nature Conservancy lands, the Currituck, Albemarle, Croatan, Roanoke and Pamlico Sounds and of course the Atlantic Ocean, there is no lack of spectacular places to paddle on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Allow us here at the Kitty Hawk Kayak and Surf School to show you the best places to paddle.

From the always-exciting Alligator River National Wildlife Tour where black bears, white-tailed deer, red wolfs and the alligators of North Carolina dwell, to our Full Moon and Sunset Tours. Or try our Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge or explore one of the last intact maritime forests of coastal North Carolina in the Kitty Hawk Coastal Preserve. Or if you are an experienced paddler looking for a privately guided kayak tour even further off the beaten path, let us show you some of the Outer Banks' hidden paddling gems or take a class from the Outer Banks only American Canoe and Kayak Association (ACA) certified kayak school. In fact, we train our competition's staff every spring according to ACA protocols so if you want to know who is the best on the beach, now you know. :)

Click here for a PDF of Kayak Tour Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

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Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Tour    
They don’t call it Alligator River for nothin’; gator sightings are frequent on this tour. But don’t fear, despite conventional wisdom to the contrary, gators are shy and elusive creatures and are not aggressive. This is one of our most exciting and beautiful tours; it is also our longest tour at 3 hours. Explore Milltail Creek, home to an old logging and whiskey distilling community during Prohibition amidst the spectacular natural beauty of the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Black bear, snowy egrets, great blue herons, and the once endangered red wolf all call this area home, so come check 'em out and paddle the refuge with us. $50.00 per person/ $25.00 for 12 and under in a double with an adult. Minimize your carbon footprint by carpooling with us to the put in. $5.00/person for a trip in our van or truck. Please mention this at time of booking.

Click here to see a calendar of the Alligator River Tour availability.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Tour - Outer Banks Kayak Tours - Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf Sc

 

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Salt Marsh Tour

This tour explores the salt marshes sound side in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. We frequently spot ospreys, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibis, terns, rails, skimmers, wrens, and warbles just to name a few. During the winter months this location is particularly abundant with migrating ducks, swans, geese and other water foul. We will tour the salt marshes of the Pamlico Sound and visit the old bridge joining Hatteras Island to the Northern Outer Banks across the now closed New Inlet. This is a two-hour tour, available at 7 AM, 10 AM and a 6 PM Sunset Tour. $45.00 per person/ $25.00 for 12 and under in a double with an adult. Minimize your carbon footprint by carpooling with us to the put in. $5.00/person for a trip in our van or truck. Please mention this at time of booking.

Click here to see a calendar of the Pea Island Tour availability.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Tour - Outer Banks Kayak Tours - Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School

Kitty Hawk Woods Maritime Forest Coastal Reserve Tour

One of our most popular tours, the Maritime Forest tour is excellent for first time and younger paddlers. The tour leaves from our store in Kitty Hawk and explores the North Carolina Coastal Reserve, one of the few intact maritime forest environments on the Outer Banks. We generally see many reptiles such as snakes and turtles, as well as many birds. This is also an excellent locale on windy days because of the shelter provided by Live Oaks and Loblolly Pine trees insuring smooth waters, even during Nor’easters!!! This is a two-hour tour, available at 7 AM, 10 AM and a 6 PM Sunset Tour. $39.00 per person/$25.00 for 12 and under in a double with an adult.

Click here to see a calendar of the Maritime Forest Tour availability.

Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest - Outer Banks Kayak Tours - Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School

 

Corolla Salt Marsh Tour

Come check out the most beautiful place to paddle in Corolla. Paddle around the sheltered islands, bays and canals of the Currituck Sound. Launch from Timbuck II shopping center and cruise around at a leisurely pace. See snowy egrets, great blue herons, and the occasional river otter. A great place to watch the sunset as well or check out the full moon at night. This tour is offered daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day at 7 AM, 10AM and 6 PM. $45.00 per person/$25.00 for 12 and under in a double with an adult.

Click here to see a calendar of the Corolla Salt Marsh Tour availability.

Historic Roanoke Island Paddle

Roanoke Island was witness to the first English settlement in the New World. Learn about the rich history on Roanoke Island while navigating its protected canals and waterways. Downtown Manteo is a great paddling environment located between the Outer Banks and the mainland and also provides an ideal activity to begin your exploration of Roanoke Island. $45.00 per person/ $25.00 for 12 and under in a double with an adult. Minimize your carbon footprint by carpooling with us to the put in. $5.00/person for a trip in our van or truck. Please mention this at time of booking.

Click here to see a calendar of the Historic Roanoke Island Tour availability.

Roanoke Island Kayak Tour - Outer Banks Kayak Tours - Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School

Full Moon Tours

Our full moon tours are an exciting night paddle guided by moonlight!!! This two-hour excursion is a great way to enjoy the coastal environments, observe bioluminescence (glowing fluorescent bacteria in the water!!!!) and howl at the moon on a summer evening. The water is usually calmer, the mood mellower, and the groups rowdier so come with us on a full moon. Obviously due to Mother Nature’s lunar cycles this tour is only offered during a full moon. Minimize your carbon footprint by carpooling with us to the put in. $5.00/person for a trip in our van or truck. Please mention this at time of booking.

Click here to see a calendar of the Corolla Full Moon Tour availability.

Click here to see a calendar of the Roanoke Island Full Moon Tour availability.

Historic Roanoke Island Night Paddle

Come paddle the Roanoke Island Sound at night. Check out bioluminescence, the lights of downtown Manteo at night and a mellow vibe for the evening.  Learn about the rich history on Roanoke Island while navigating its protected canals and waterways. The water is usually calmer, the mood mellower, and the lights from downtown Manteo will provide a gorgeous backdrop for our journey. Night paddling is a great experience so come check it out.

Click here to see a calendar of the Historic Roanoke Island Night Paddle availability.

Surf Lesson and Kayak Tour Package

Get the most out of the Outer Banks coastal environments with our Surf and Kayak Tour Package. Save 15% the regular price by booking both. Enjoy a morning Surf Lesson with an afternoon kayak tour. This can be scheduled for the same day or over the course of your stay on the Outer Banks. After this day you will be worn out, but grinning from ear to ear having learned how to surf and kayak all in one day!!!

$90.00 per person includes a kayak tour of your choice and a surf lesson. These activities can be scheduled any day during your stay. $75.00 per person for a child 12 years old and under.

Privately Guided Hidden Gem Tours

Locations of the put ins for these tours are kept secret. Call us to discuss your private kayak tour for an incredible paddling experience in tour areas even further off the beaten path. It is recommended that you have some prior kayaking experience or a strong sense of adventure to fully enjoy these tours. Full and half day options available. Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone. Price and schedule depends on location.

 

Ocean Kayak Tours

Check out our new sun rise and sunset ocean kayak tours. We shove off right from the beach in Kitty Hawk and paddle looking for dolphins, schools of fish, and the view of land from a kayak. We use unsinkable Ocean Kayaks for these tours that handle better in the open ocean environment. You will enjoy the unique perspective this gives you from the outside looking in towards the land. This is THE best way to watch the sun come up over the Atlantic Ocean. Offered Thursday mornings at 7 AM throughout the summer.

Click here to see a calendar of the Ocean Kayak Paddle availability.

Surf Kayak Lessons

We offer private and group surf kayak lessons for people who want to learn how to surf kayak, or as we call it, sedentary shredding. Helmets, life jackets, surf kayaks and paddles provided. The instructor will enlighten you on the dynamic ocean environment, paddling techniques, judging and catching waves and paddle bracing. Your instructor knows the best sand bars for beginner and intermediate surf kayaking. These 1.5 hour lessons will have you paddling out, catching waves and even turning.

$80.00 per person

 

Overnight Kayak Camping Trips

Overnight trips are an incredible experience for those who love to paddle and are interested in a wilderness experience in Coastal North Carolina. We offer overnight expeditions in several areas along the Roanoke, Cashie, Chowan Rivers and their tributaries, and the Albemarle Sound on platforms only accessible by kayak!!!! Theses area traverses great natural preserves of the Palmetto Preserve and the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge and other watersheds of the Albemarle Sound. Observe bald eagles, owls, white-tailed deer, black bear and the serenity of coastal North Carolina. You can choose from several tasty menu options to suite all appetites; you never knew camping out could taste this good!!! Call or e-mail for trip dates, availability and location to find a trip that will quench your thirst for a kayak wilderness adventure or e-mail us to discuss your own personal trip itinerary.

$200.00 per person. Discounts available for multi-day expeditions and large groups.

Click here to see a calendar of the Roanoke River Overnight Trips.

Roanoke River Overnight Camping Trips - Outer Banks Kayak Tours - Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School

Merchants Millpond Overnight Trip

One of the hidden gems of the North Carolina State Park system is Merchants Millpond State Park in Gates County. Described as "[a]n enchanted forest, [with] primitive species of fish relatively unchanged over millions of years, towering bald cypress trees with massive trunks, luxuriant growths of Spanish moss. Here, coastal pond and southern swamp forest mingle, creating one of North Carolina's rarest ecological communities. Together with upland forests, these environments create a haven for wildlife and humanity alike." It is a paddlers' paradise and one of the most unique camping locals in North Carolina. Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School offers guided overnight camping excursions to this majestic paddling mecca. We will paddle to our campsite, set up camp and begin to unwind in the natural beauty of the place. Explore the pond by kayak, hike the trails through the forest, paddle up Bennets Creek, the source of the pond, and camp along the shores. This is also a great place for family camping trips, couples and first time kayakers as the environment is very sheltered from the elements. Call for more information.

$200.00 per person. Discounts available for multi-day expeditions and large groups.

Click here to see a calendar of the Merchants Millpond Overnight Trips.

 

American Canoe/Kayak Association (ACA) Quick Start Class

This is a more thorough paddling, safety, kayak care and navigation course. Rescues, towing, gear, trip planning, wet exits and kayak touring specific problems are also discussed. This is a four hour tour made by appointment only for someone who is more serious about paddling in the future, and who would like to do some of their own touring safely and well-prepared. This course follows the curriculum of the American Canoe Association and is given by an ACA certified instructor. This is a four-hour class. For curriculum specifics on the Quick Start Class, visit the site: http://www.americancanoe.org/PDF/QuickstartYourKayak.pdf

American Canoe Association Quick Start Class: $100.00 per person