By Lianne, responsible for the Spanish market and content/translations at SeaBookings:
On our holidays we went kayaking with dolphins in Tenerife. I never sat in a kayak before, so that was pretty exciting already, and the idea to see dolphins was even more amazing!
Earlier in the week, it was a little stormy, and many tours were cancelled or rescheduled due to strong winds. But luckily enough, today was a sunny day and the sea was nice and quiet. As we went kayaking in the winter (still nice and warm) they gave us wetsuits so we would feel more comfortable during the tour. I was really happy I had one because it can be windy out at sea, and you never know as it was still my first time kayaking I could end up taking an unexpected dip into the sea.
After we changed, we walked towards the beach where the kayaks were waiting for us. On the beach, Nikola gave us a few instructions on what to do and what not do on the kayak. If you are with two people in the kayak it is very important you synchronize while paddling because otherwise, you can’t go forward at all. I can tell you, this was quite challenging at the beginning but then you get the hang of it.
As there were always small waves we needed to do our best to keep up with Nikola. She is doing this every day but still, she was on her own and we had the power of two people! It’s a whole workout! This kayak tour is the most ecological and friendly way to discover the ocean. No loud motor noises, only now and then the person behind you saying you are not doing it right… but that’s ok!
After about 20 minutes we could see some dolphins already further into the distance. Two by two they were swimming curiously around us. It is very impressive to see these wonderful creatures so close but still in their own environment. Nikola told us before the tour that she couldn’t guarantee that we would see the dolphins, but 95% of the time they were successful in seeing them, and so we did!
It is quite an amazing experience because you never know where they will show up. On a couple occasions, they came really close to our kayak!! You really don’t have to be afraid you will frighten them or that you disturb their natural habitat as they can, of course, go wherever they want! It is almost impossible to take pictures of the dolphins (unless there are a lot of them and you have experience in taking snapshot photos). But no worries, Nikola also took amazing photos and she sent them afterwards to everyone in the group. That way we could just sit back and enjoy the moment without worrying about taking photos.
Besides the fact that you get to see these remarkable creatures, kayaking with dolphins in Tenerife is also a very nice way to explore the area along the coast of the island. If you are lucky, the waters are very clear and you can see fish swimming. We were even lucky enough to see a sea turtle swimming under our kayak!
Kayaking with dolphins in Tenerife took about 2.5/3 hours and that was more than enough! Afterwards, you are pretty tired of kayaking all the time. This work-out made us hungry! The owners Paul and Diana were happy to give us some good advice about the best restaurants in the area of Los Cristianos. It was so nice to have this experience, we will definitely never forget it. Thank you Nikola for the amazing tour, you were an awesome guide to have with us. And thank you Paul and Diana as well for this unforgettable experience and all priceless tips you gave us.
We highly recommend kayaking with dolphins in Tenerife, feel free to book here.
