Iriomote Island Kayaking Eco-Tour Including Sangara Falls Hike
Ishigaki, Japan
Trip Type: Kayaking & Canoeing
Duration: 9 hours
Explore remote Iriomote Island on this leisurely paced full-day active tour. The jungle-clad island teems with incredible wildlife, and this kayaking and hiking adventure is the eco-friendly way to see it. After a ferry from Ishigaki, paddle along Nishida River until you reach a hiking trail that leads to Sangara Falls for a swim and bento box lunch. On this tour, limited to 10 people, you'll learn about the efforts to keep this unspoiled part of Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park healthy and thriving.
More About This Activity All Kayaking & Canoeing →
Explore remote Iriomote Island on this leisurely paced full-day active tour. The jungle-clad island teems with incredible wildlife, and this kayaking and hiking adventure is the eco-friendly way to see it. After a ferry from Ishigaki, paddle along Nishida River until you reach a hiking trail that leads to Sangara Falls for a swim and bento box lunch. On this tour, limited to 10 people, you'll learn about the efforts to keep this unspoiled part of Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park healthy and thriving.
Arrive at the tour office in the morning to collect your ferry ticket from an English-speaking assistant. You'll also receive a booklet with descriptions of the attractions on this tour itinerary. Board the ferry on your own, and relax on the 50-minute ride across the water to Iriomote, the largest (and least inhabited) island in the beautiful Yaeyama island chain.
Disembark at either Uehara or Ohara port, and meet your guide to travel the short distance by bus to the kayaking base. If you have brought some other clothes along for the tour, use the stop to change. After you receive your life jacket and paddle, listen to a quick safety briefing. Step inside your kayak (go solo or share with another group member), and paddle upstream along the Nishida River. The tour is aimed at all levels of kayakers, from first timers to seasoned pros, and the pace is set by the slowest member of the group to ensure no one is left behind.
Your guide points out the area’s stunning natural sights as your group meanders through Iriomote’s dense mangrove forests. After roughly 25 minutes on the water, leave your kayak on the riverbank and start your 30-minute hike up a mountain path that leads to Sangara Falls (aka Nishida Falls). See wild examples of jungle species that are unique to the Yaeyama Islands including rare butterflies and sakishima-suo trees with rippling roots.
At the falls, enjoy up to an hour of free time to explore the rock pools, gaze out over the dense jungle, savor a provided bento box, and perhaps take a swim under the waterfall itself. When it is time to head back, hike down to the river to get in your kayak. After paddling back to the base, you can take a quick shower before returning by bus to the port in time for your late-afternoon ferry to Ishigaki Port.
Click on 'View Additional Info' below for the meeting point locations.
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