Experiences
Sea Kayaking on an Expedition Cruise.
The same activity, four completely different boats and suits, depending on whether you're paddling past ice or over coral.
Sea kayaking is offered as a ship-launched excursion on most expedition voyages, either from a marina deck or from Zodiac tenders in sheltered coves. It ranges from closed-cockpit drysuit paddling among polar ice to open sit-on-top kayaks over warm coral lagoons. Spaces are limited and it is one of the first things to sell out, so book it at the time you book the voyage.
What it was like for us.
We've kayaked in four regions that run from polar to tropical, and the range is the point. In East Greenland we paddled Schested Fjord in a closed-cockpit kayak among floating ice, water flat enough to hear the ice crackle, and a tidewater glacier calving across the fjord while we sat in the kayaks. Later an iceberg rolled over at a safe distance — the spectacle first, then the displacement wave lifting our hulls a few seconds later.
In Scotland, on a Hebrides voyage, we paddled through kelp fields off the Isle of Gigha — a tiny, community-owned island where the pace is set by the seven-mile coastline rather than a schedule. In Alaska we went out in a misty, glacier-carved fjord, waterfalls coming straight off the rock, bald eagles in the trees along the shoreline, and otters passing close enough to watch them work at something in their paws. At Tikehau, in French Polynesia, the same activity became a single sit-on-top kayak over coral and a pink sand atoll, paddling out around the motu in flat, warm water.
Nothing about the paddling itself changes much between those four places. Everything else — the suit, the boat, what's under the hull — does.
What does an expedition kayaking outing involve?
A guided outing, usually ninety minutes to two hours, launched either directly from the ship's stern marina or from a Zodiac carried to a sheltered bay. Groups are small, typically eight to twenty paddlers, with a safety Zodiac on the water and guides in VHF contact with the bridge throughout.
What's provided?
In polar water this means a Gore-Tex drysuit, neoprene booties, spray skirt, PFD, paddle, and often pogies (insulated paddle mitts) — you paddle in your own base layers underneath. In warm water it's a rashguard and a standard PFD over swimwear, paddling an open sit-on-top rather than a closed cockpit.
What does it require of you?
Basic paddling ability and the willingness to get in and out of a kayak from a Zodiac or a marina platform, which is less graceful than it looks the first time. No prior kayaking experience is required for the sit-on-top outings; the closed-cockpit polar sessions on some ships are reserved for paddlers with prior experience.
Ship-launched excursions, run by the ship's own certified kayak guides with a safety Zodiac on the water, are a different proposition from kayak rentals booked independently in a port town such as Ushuaia, Juneau or Reykjavík. The land-based rentals use local gear under separate permits and aren't part of the ship's programme — worth knowing if a shore day looks free and you're tempted to book something yourself.
Which regions does it work in?
Offered across polar, temperate and tropical itineraries alike — Antarctica, Svalbard, Greenland, Norway, Scotland, Alaska, Baja California, French Polynesia, and the Galápagos among them. What changes by region is the boat (closed-cockpit versus sit-on-top), the exposure suit, and what you're likely to be paddling past.
For the Arctic specifically, see our regional guide to kayaking in the Arctic — this page is the cross-region view; that one is the regional detail on ice conditions, drysuit fit and Svalbard-specific wildlife distances.
How the expedition lines compare.
Programme structure, group size and gear vary by line and by ship. This is what each currently offers.
| Line | Programme |
|---|---|
| Quark Expeditions | Two formats: a Sea Kayak Club for experienced paddlers going out repeatedly across a voyage, and a one-time Paddle Excursion using stable sit-on-top inflatables for beginners. Drysuits, booties, spray skirts, PFDs and a dedicated safety Zodiac are provided. |
| Aurora Expeditions | Guided polar kayaking aboard the X-Bow ships (Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle, Douglas Mawson), kept to roughly twenty paddlers with a 1:10 guide ratio. Gore-Tex drysuits with waterproof socks, Werner paddles, pogies and dry bags are supplied. |
| Oceanwide Expeditions | Field-focused kayaking on select Antarctica, Svalbard and Greenland sailings aboard Hondius, Plancius and Ortelius. Double sea kayaks and drysuits, generally pre-booked before embarkation and aimed at experienced paddlers. |
| Lindblad Expeditions | Carries single, double and sit-on-top kayaks fleet-wide across both polar and tropical itineraries, including Alaska and the Galápagos — full thermal layering and paddle suits in cold water, rashguards and PFDs in warm water. |
| HX | Guided sea kayaking and sit-on-top excursions in Antarctica, Greenland, Norway and the Galápagos, with drysuits for polar water and safety-escort Zodiacs led by the expedition team. |
| Viking Expeditions | Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris have a stern marina ramp that launches kayaks directly into the water, with double kayaks and cold-weather drysuits. Viking has no dedicated page on our site yet. |
More on kayaking and paddling.
Read the full log of nine days in Southeast Greenland aboard the National Geographic Resolution, which includes the Schested Fjord paddle, or our voyage through the Scottish Hebrides aboard the Spitsbergen, which covers the Isle of Gigha. Also see two weeks in French Polynesia, including the Tikehau paddle out to the atoll's motu.
Related experiences: Zodiac cruising, diving and snorkelling, and wildlife viewing. Back to all experiences.
Written by your expedition advisor
Erika Commisso · Travel Experience Architect
CLIA Elite Cruise Counselor · ASTA Verified Travel Advisor · Signature Travel Expert
Chris and Erika have sailed ten expedition voyages and toured seven more expedition ships. Favorite explorations so far: Antarctica, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Alaska, the Galápagos, the Scottish Hebrides, Churchill and French Polynesia.
Last updated .
From our journal
Ten Days in Southeast Greenland Aboard the National Geographic Resolution
5–14 July 2026 · Lindblad Expeditions
In July 2026 we sailed Lindblad's National Geographic Resolution round trip from Reykjavík on a new itinerary into the fjords of Southeast Greenland, some of them mapped as we sailed. We saw three polar bears, four sperm whales and about thirty pilot whales. A guest's medical emergency sent us north to Kulusuk, and gave us an unplanned day in Tasiilaq.
Want a voyage with real kayaking time?
Tell us which region and we'll check the programme, not just the brochure line.
Request a Quote