A Symi kayak tour takes you along the coast of Symi in a sea kayak, with a picnic lunch and a snorkel stop on the way. Every other trip in the country is listed from our Greece Tours homepage.
Below you find the tour to book, the launch point, the route, the fitness level, the lunch, the months and winds, the safety steps, longer paddling trips and answers to common questions.
What is a Symi kayak tour?
A guided sea kayak day on the coast of a small Dodecanese island. An expert guide supplies the boats and the gear and leads the group. The GetYourGuide listing for this outing lasts six hours from start to finish.
Symi sits in the Dodecanese chain, about 24 km north of Rhodes. The island covers 58.1 square kilometres of mountainous ground. Its nearest land neighbours are the Datça and Bozburun peninsulas of Turkey.
Our Symi guide covers the island on land, while this page stays out on the water. Here the focus is the guided paddle and the sellers who offer it.
A Symi kayak tour swaps the ferry deck for a low seat just above the sea. You see cliffs and coves at eye level and move at your own steady pace. The day mixes paddling with time to swim, snorkel and eat.
Each Symi kayak tour listed here is a guided outing, not a kayak rental. The guide runs a safety briefing first and then hands out the kit. The day ends when you hand the equipment back.
Two business names appear behind the day trips found for this page. GetYourGuide lists Trekking Hellas Rhodes as the activity provider. Manawa names Trekking Rhodes as the organiser of its own listing.
Which Symi kayak tour can you book?
GetYourGuide sells “Symi: Sea Kayaking Tour with Picnic Lunch and Snorkeling” as a private group outing. It lasts six hours, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
The itinerary of this Symi kayak tour has two parts. A safety briefing takes the first 30 minutes. Picnic and kayaking then fill 5.25 hours before the group arrives back at the start. The instructor speaks English.
The meeting point is Pedi Beach, at Kamares Coffee. Start times show on the listing only after you check availability for a date. Manawa lists transport to the meeting point as excluded, so plan your own way to the beach.
The GetYourGuide listing names these items as included:
- an expert guide and a safety briefing
- tandem sea kayaks with a rudder, plus the other equipment needed
- dry bags for your things
- a picnic lunch and a drinking water supply
- snorkeling gear, a mask and tube
- taxes and photos of the day
Free cancellation is the rule when you book this Symi kayak tour on GetYourGuide. The listing marks the outing as a private group, so your booking is for your own party.
Three other sellers appear in search: two list a day trip, and one lists a longer journey. Each line below follows only what that seller’s own page states:
- trekking.gr, “Sea Kayaking Day Tour Symi”: Trekking Hellas runs it on a private basis. It needs at least two guests and uses English-speaking guides.
- manawa.com, “Sea kayaking excursion from Pedi beach in Symi”: a six-hour outing by Trekking Rhodes. Guides speak English and Greek, and cancellation is rated “Super flexible”.
- explore-share.com, “Sea Kayaking Dodecanese”: an eight-day group trip that sets off from Rhodes and includes Symi.
The Manawa list of inclusions also names a life jacket, a paddle, snacks and water. Its exclusions add personal expenses. On trekking.gr, you send a request through a “declare interest” form rather than paying at once.
Pick the seller by how you like to book. A booking on GetYourGuide or Manawa covers one day only. Every Symi kayak tour sold for a single day meets at Pedi Beach. The explore-share.com trip, by contrast, spends a week kayaking between islands, caves and villages.
Where does a Symi kayak tour start?
Pedi Beach is the launch point, with the group meeting at Kamares Coffee at 10.15. Trekking Hellas runs the trip, and its guide fits each paddler to a kayak before anyone pushes off the shore.
The same café appears as the meeting point on both the Trekking Hellas page and the Manawa listing. On GetYourGuide, the start is marked by the map code JV65+W3. The day ends back at that same spot, so you return to where you left your things.
One travel writer who joined this Symi kayak tour reached Pedi on a quick bus ride from Symi Town. The Manawa listing leaves transport to the meeting point out of the deal. Plan that short trip yourself and arrive on time for the fitting.
This Symi kayak tour spends its first half hour on land. Trekking Hellas sets aside 10.15 to 10.45 for kayak fitting and the briefing. GetYourGuide lists the safety briefing at 30 minutes. On Manawa, the order is clear: meet the instructor, hear the safety and activity talk, then collect your gear.
The kit hand-out covers the basics for a day at sea. According to Manawa, each guest gets:
- a kayak and a paddle
- a life jacket
- a dry bag for small items
- a mask and snorkel for the swim stop
On one spring outing, the guides also handed out spray skirts. These attach to the kayak and kept the paddlers’ legs safe from sunburn and splashes. Drinking water and snacks are part of the package too.
Which stretch of coast does a Symi kayak tour paddle?
From Pedi, the route runs along the coast to St George Disalonas Bay and back. The full loop is 16.9 km, or 9.1 nautical miles. Out of the six-hour day, about four hours are spent paddling.
On the Trekking Hellas timetable, paddling and the lunch break fill the hours from 10.45 to 16.00. The activity closes at 16.15 on the beach. GetYourGuide shows the picnic and kayaking part as 5.25 hours.
The stages of this Symi kayak tour follow a clear line on the map:
- Launch from Pedi Beach after the briefing
- Pass St Nicholas beach within the first minutes
- Leave the sheltered water of Pedi Bay for the open sea
- Land at St George Disalonas Bay for the swim and lunch stop
- Paddle back to Pedi to hand in the gear
The early part of the trip stays close to the shore inside the bay. Beyond the bay, one trip report found a light breeze on the open sea. It was nothing serious on that calm day. Along the way, paddlers look up at the sharp limestone cliffs of the coastline.
St George Disalonas Bay is the main goal of the day. Manawa names it as the target of the paddle, with a stop to snorkel, swim and eat. Trekking Hellas and GetYourGuide also give it as the destination of the day.
A longer option depends on the group. If the paddlers are strong enough, a Symi kayak tour from Pedi can go on to Nanou Bay. Trekking Hellas says that from there you can view the Turkish coastline. According to one trip report, Nanou sits on the eastern shoreline of the island.
The order of the stops can change on the day. On the trip in the report, the group reached Nanou first and had lunch there. They then backtracked to St George Disalonas Bay for a swim before the paddle home.
Weather shapes the line of a Symi kayak tour too. Manawa states that the length and the itinerary of the activity depend on the weather. On the reported trip, the plan included Nimos, an empty islet north of Symi. Rising winds made the group skip it and turn back.
The return leg ends where the day began. Back at Pedi, the guides lift the sea kayaks onto the roof of a van. Over the full loop, a Symi kayak tour is a real workout, not a short splash.
What fitness level does a Symi kayak tour ask for?
Basic fitness, swimming skills and past sea kayaking experience are the three entry rules from Trekking Hellas. Every guest must be at least 14 years old, and the operator grades the day at difficulty level 3.
Manawa sells the same outing and tags it as sporty at times. Its page asks each guest to be in basic good condition. It also expects you to manage the full paddling distance of the route. This Symi kayak tour is a long day in the boat, so arrive rested and well fed.
Body size counts as well. Trekking Hellas cites safety reasons and the kayak maker’s guidelines, and sets a top weight of 100 kg per paddler. The tallest guest allowed stands 1.95 m. Manawa adds that every minor must come with an adult. It also does not recommend the trip for pregnant or disabled people.
The boats are two-seat craft. The operator lists tandem sea kayaks with a rudder and names the model as the Dag Biwok Evo Tandem. No single kayaks appear on the equipment list. The paddles are two-part Carlisle models. The company says team spirit matters, since two people steer and power each boat together.
A sea kayak has a covered deck that takes a spray deck. The Symi kit list includes Beluga spray skirts. A sit-on-top kayak is different. It seats you on an open, shallow deck above the water line. On a Symi kayak tour you sit inside a closed cockpit instead.
The rudder runs on lines from foot pedals in the cockpit. It helps the boat hold a course when wind or waves come from the side. The listings do not describe stroke drills. The basic kayak stroke uses a double-bladed paddle, pulling front to back on one side, then the other.
What lunch and snorkel stop come with a Symi kayak tour?
A beach picnic at St George Disalonas Bay, joined to a swim and snorkel break, is the main stop. Trekking Hellas brings the lunch, extra snacks, drinking water and a mask and tube for every guest.
The GetYourGuide listing for this Symi kayak tour promises a picnic lunch on the beach with your fellow paddlers. Trekking Hellas calls the meal a traditional Greek picnic. None of the three listings names the dishes. Ask the operator at booking if you have a food allergy.
Manawa sets out the day in steps. After the briefing and the hand-out of kit, the group paddles out and makes one stop. That single stop covers snorkelling, swimming and lunch. Then the group returns, hands back the equipment and the activity ends.
No page gives a fixed length for the lunch break. The GetYourGuide itinerary joins the picnic and the paddling into one block of 5.25 hours. Trekking Hellas also puts paddling and lunch time into a single slot that runs into the late afternoon.
Snorkel gear on the Symi kayak tour means a mask and a snorkel tube. Fins do not appear on any inclusion list, so bring your own pair if you want them. Dry bags come with the boats and keep towels, phones and spare clothes away from splashes.
Drinking water is part of the package. Trekking Hellas also asks each guest to carry a personal bottle. The company aims to stop using plastic water bottles. Photos of the day are included too. You keep both hands on the paddle and still take home pictures of this Symi kayak tour.
Which months and winds suit a Symi kayak tour?
April to October is the paddling window. Trekking Hellas runs its day trip on Symi in those months, upon request. For calmer seas, June and September beat the peak summer weeks, when the meltemi wind blows harder.
The sea warms slowly through the year. Average water near Symi drops to about 16.5°C in March, its coldest month. By August it climbs to around 26.6°C, the warmest monthly average.
In late spring, the water off Symi averages 19.7°C, so the first swim feels fresh. A Symi kayak tour in October still meets water near 23.2°C on average. That makes autumn a mild time to paddle and swim.
The meltemi is the strong summer wind of the Aegean. The ancient Greeks called it the Etesian wind. It blows with clear skies from the end of late spring to the start of October.
In the southern Aegean, these winds come from the northwest. They can rise in clear weather without warning and reach force 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale. Sea channels between islands make the wind even stronger.
Timing matters on the water. The Etesian winds reach their top speed around early afternoon. At night, the meltemi weakens a great deal. For this reason, an early start on a Symi kayak tour gives the calmer part of the day.
Islands also shape the wind. In a strong meltemi, calm pockets can form on the sheltered side of Aegean islands. Islands and mountain gaps, by contrast, channel the wind into sudden gusts and eddies. Ask the guide which stretch of coast is sheltered before a Symi kayak tour sets off.
June and September bring a weaker meltemi than July and August. Paddlers who want flat water and warm seas together can aim for those two shoulder months.
How do guides keep a Symi kayak tour safe?
Certified guides, life jackets and a firm weather rule keep the day safe. Trekking Hellas states that all its kayaking guides hold BCU certification. Each of them also carries a first aid certificate from the Hellenic Red Cross.
The kit list is short and sound. Manawa lists a life jacket for each guest on this Symi kayak tour. Trekking Hellas names its buoyancy aids as Feel Free Basic models with CE marking. The firm also fits Beluga spray skirts and maintains all its gear.
Weather has the final word on every Symi kayak tour. Manawa notes that the length and route of the trip depend on the weather. If bad weather cancels the outing, its weather guarantee gives free rescheduling or a refund.
Group size counts as well. Before you book, ask the operator about the number of paddlers each guide leads. A small group stays close together, and the guide can reach anyone quickly.
Strong sun is a real risk on a summer Symi kayak tour. Symi gets around 13 hours of sunshine a day in July. On average, that month has no rainy days at all. Paddle at a steady pace, rest in shade at the stops, and drink before you feel thirsty.
Harbours bring another hazard. Ferries, taxi-boats and yachts move in and out of busy bays. Stay in a tight line near the shore, follow the guide, and cross harbour mouths without stopping.
Manawa asks every guest to pack these items for a Symi kayak tour:
- Swimsuit and towel
- Bottle of water
- Hat and sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Shoes that can get wet
Trekking Hellas asks for eco-friendly sunscreen. It also wants guests to carry their own water bottle, as the firm aims to stop using plastic water bottles. Light, quick-drying clothes with long sleeves add extra cover from the sun on a long day at sea.
Can you join a multi-day sea kayaking trip around Symi?
Yes. Explore-Share sells an eight-day Dodecanese sea kayaking trip from April to October. Two of its paddling days are on Symi. The trip is graded intermediate, so it asks more of you than a single-day Symi kayak tour.
The trip is based on Rhodes, the main island of the group. Guides from Trekking Hellas lead the week, starting with a welcome meeting at the hotel. Each paddling day lasts around five hours. Hats, sun cream and good fitness are on the list of needs.
The package lists six sea kayaking trips over the week. Guests sleep six nights in a double room at Faliraki. One more night is spent at Pedi, each at a named hotel or a similar one. Breakfasts, lunches, two dinners, ferry tickets and local transfers are part of the deal.
Paddlers share tandem sea kayaks fitted with a rudder. Dry bags, a mask and a snorkel tube come with the trip. The company also moves the kayaks across to Symi for the group. On day four, the multi-day Symi kayak tour starts straight from the ferry landing at Gyalos.
The itinerary sets out the two island days like this:
- Day four: a one-hour local ferry, then paddling to St George Disalonas bay, a cove reached only by boat. The day covers 8.5 miles with 3.5 hours of actual paddling. It ends with a barbecue beside the chapel of St George and a night at Pedi.
- Day five: an early start from Pedi, past Gyalos and Nimporios, to the uninhabited islet of Nimos. The day covers 9.5 miles with four hours of paddling. Lunch is in the courtyard of the small church of Panagia Ipakoi, and an afternoon ferry follows.
Luggage goes ahead to the night’s lodging on day four. Compared with a one-day Symi kayak tour, this version adds a second paddling day and a night ashore.
The other paddling days of the week start from Rhodes and nearby islands. Anyone who wants just one day on that coast can look at a Rhodes kayak tour instead.
Which questions do travellers ask about a Symi kayak tour?
Travellers ask about swimming ability, body size limits, pregnancy, cameras and the ferry home after a Symi kayak tour. The answers below come from the Trekking Hellas page, the Manawa listing and the Explore-Share itinerary.
Can non-swimmers join a Symi kayak tour?
No. The Trekking Hellas day tour lists swimming knowledge among its participation requirements. Learn to swim with confidence before you book a seat in the kayak.
Is there a weight or height limit in the kayaks?
Yes. The limits follow the kayak maker’s guidelines and exist for safety reasons. Paddlers on the Trekking Hellas trip must not go over 100 kg in weight or 1.95 m in height.
Can pregnant travellers take part?
The Manawa listing says the activity is not recommended for pregnant or disabled people. Talk to the operator before you book this Symi kayak tour if either point applies to you.
How do you keep a phone or camera dry on the water?
Dry bags are on the Trekking Hellas inclusion list, so a phone can ride sealed inside one. The same list includes photos, so you need not paddle with a camera in your hand.
Can day trippers from Rhodes catch the boat back after a Symi kayak tour?
The Trekking Hellas day ends at 16.15. The Explore-Share itinerary gives one hour for the ferry between Rhodes and Symi. Check the return sailing time for your date before you book, and leave time to reach the harbour.