Saturday, March 11, 2023

Kayaking up the Guajataca River


We enjoyed a lovely morning kayaking on the Guajataca River with Planeta Kayak. We also hiked up a mountain to an abandoned railroad tunnel (used long ago for sugar cane, or caña) called el Túnel Negro (the Black Tunnel, for obvious reasons. Thank goodness for cellphone flashlights!).

Rio Guajataca (pronounced REE-oh Gwah-hah-TAH-kuh) is located on the border of Isabela and Quebradillas on the northwest coast of Puerto Rico. The leisurely trip cost $40 cost per person, which included double kayaks, paddles, life jackets, and a two-hour tour. Although the water was placid and the pace relaxing, adventure seekers enjoyed a chance to dump into the river from a rope swing!

Our tour guide Jose spoke in rapid Puerto Rican Spanish, so we didn’t catch it all. But we saw mangroves and other interesting tropical trees and plants, fascinating birds, and even a nest with chicks right along the water. We suggest you wear a swimsuit under your clothes, wear good walking sandals for the hike, which is short but challenging. Don’t forget sunscreen! And bring your own water bottle, because our guide brought a cooler but apparently forgot to fill it with water bottles for his guests.

All in all, it was a refreshing day, and we recommend it! Afterward, you can head to the nearby beach and enjoy an afternoon under the palm trees.

Planeta Kayak

Rio Guajataca

Map

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