What to do · Garraf Coves
Kayaking Beneath the Garraf Cliffs, from Garraf to Sitges
Information
- From
- €90 per person
- Duration
- 5 h
- Season
- March – October, Thursdays and Sundays at 9:00
- Who it's for
- With kayaking experience; from age 16
Five hours of paddling along the only stretch of the Barcelona coast where the massif drops sheer into the water. The trip is run by Nootka Kayak & Sup, a school based in Sitges, and goes one way: you set off from les Casetes beach in Garraf and land at their base on Les Anquines beach, in Sitges. Between the two there is no road in sight: the C-31 runs above, in tunnels and bends, and below there is only white rock and the birds that nest on the cliffs, which reach 200 metres.
From Garraf harbour to Les Anquines
You meet at Garraf beach 20 minutes before the start, at 8:40 if the departure is at 9:00. The guide hands out the equipment, explains the route and you set off. You paddle west hugging the wall, and halfway you stop in a cove that can only be reached by sea: it is the time to rest, eat something and snorkel. Then you continue to Sitges, where you finish at the Nootka base. In all, about five hours with the stop.
The boats are touring kayaks or open kayaks. Nootka rates the difficulty as medium, and it is because of the distance and because, outside the coves, there is nowhere to get out of the water if the sea turns nasty.
What they ask before you book
- Having paddled a kayak before. It is not a beginners' outing.
- Being able to swim.
- Wearing a T-shirt under the life jacket, which is compulsory.
- Being 16 or over; minors go with an adult.
The minimum group is four people, though you can book a single place and they will add you to others. The website asks you to book in advance: in one place it speaks of 48 hours and in another of 24; allow two days just in case. You book online, on 938 100 256 or on 609 252 412.
Price, dates and what is included
It costs €90 per person. It runs from March to October, on Thursdays and Sundays at 9:00; other dates can be requested. The price includes the kayak and the rest of the equipment, the guide, insurance, changing room with lockers and a snack of water, juice and a cereal bar.
What you bring: swimsuit or shorts that can get wet, a synthetic or lycra T-shirt, water shoes, a cap and sunglasses with a strap, sun cream, water, a picnic for the stop, a towel and a change of clothes.
The train solves the return
As the crossing does not return to the starting point, the convenient thing is not to depend on a car. The Garraf stop on the R2 Sud is two minutes from the beach, and from the Sitges base there is a city bus that stops nearby and goes to the station. If you come by car, the other option is to meet an hour earlier at the Sitges base: you leave your car and whatever you do not want to take in the kayak there, and Nootka takes you up to Garraf in its van.
If the day feels too short, in Garraf you can eat facing the sea at La Cúpula, and with more time the climb to La Morella shows from above the same cliffs you have paddled.
Tips
- Picnic in the dry bag The snack they include is a bar. The stop in the cove is the only time to eat in five hours: bring real food.
- Glasses with a strap They ask for it for a reason: sunglasses that fall into the water beneath a cliff cannot be recovered.
- Best in spring and September In July and August the crossing coincides with the hours of strongest sun; in spring and late summer the water and the light get on better.
Frequently asked questions
Is experience needed?
Yes. Nootka asks for it expressly, as well as being able to swim. If you have never paddled, first try the kayak through the coves of Sitges, which is shorter and admits from age 12.
How much does it cost and what does it include?
€90 per person, with kayak, equipment, guide, insurance, changing room and a snack.
Which days does it run?
From March to October, Thursdays and Sundays at 9:00. Other dates, on request.
How do I get back to Garraf at the end?
By train from Sitges station, or by meeting earlier at the Sitges base so they take you up in the van at the start.
From what age?
From 16, and minors with an adult.
With teenagers
Who runs it
- Nootka Kayak & Sup"Garraf Natural Park" kayak excursion, from Garraf beach to Sitges Visit their website
