Nature Adventures

Blackwater Tours

Just 35-50 minutes from Charleston you can explore cool and shaded blackwater swamps, rivers and historic rice plantations. Paddle through a flooded forest in a protected wilderness area in the National Forest and see 1,000 year old cypress trees or see a 300 year old church overlooking thousands of acres of rice fields where eagles nest, full of wetland wildflowers. Wildlife includes the shy and elusive alligator, turtles, wetland wading birds, woodpeckers and sometimes river otters!

Tour prices

All tours are based on either 2 - 2.5 hours, 3 - 3.5 hours, or Full Day.

2 - 2.5 hours - $39 for adults, $29 for kids ages 12 and under

3 - 3.5 hours - $55 for adults, $39 for kids ages 12 and under

Full Day - $85 for adults, $48 for kids ages 12 and under

** Please note, Only Shem Creek and Wambaw Creek can be booked online. All others please call us at 843-568-3222 for a reservation.

Wambaw Swamp Wilderness Kayak & Canoe Trail

Rivers & Rice Plantation Tour (includes Quenby & Silkhope & Ponpion Hill Chapel)

Hampton Island Rice Plantation & the Mighty Santee River

Wadboo Creek & Swamp

Edisto River & Ace Basin National Wildlife Refuge

Explore our Saltwater Tours

The Tours

Wambaw Swamp Wilderness Kayak & Canoe Trail

Our most popular Blackwater tour!
(45-50 min. from downtown Charleston or 20 min. from Georgetown or 30-40 min. from Myrtle Beach) McClellanville, SC
This is a "Nationally Recognized and Designated Trail" located in the heart of a Protected Wilderness area in the Francis Marion National Forest. This beautiful Blackwater Creek is a tributary to the Santee River and was paddled by the Santee and Coastal Plain Indians for thousands of years. Giant 1000 year old Bald Cypress trees can be seen in the upper section and Water Oak, Water Ash, Red Maple and Swamp Dogwood shade the banks of its pristine black waters. It offers spectacular birding and wildlife viewing. Banks of the river reflect geological precedence of the Rice era where Historical earthen dikes give way to a flooded subtropical forest of abandoned rice fields once owned by prosperous Rice Plantations.

Ages 10 and up for single boats. 2 Hour, 1/2 Day and Full Day Tours Available or Overnight Expeditions

Directions

Book online for the Wambaw Tour!

Rivers & Rice Plantation Tour

(includes 300 year old Ponpion Chapel Church on 1/2 day tour)
Huger, SC area (23 miles from Downtown Charleston)
This blackwater tour starts on Quenby Creek and twists along the historic banks of Quenby Plantation. Journeying through abandoned rice fields of wildflowers, we paddle on to the East Branch of the Cooper River where wooden barges once floated rice, cotton and indigo out to the Charleston Harbor. Halfway through our tour we explore an English church called Pompion Hill Chapel attended by French Huguenots and European Settlers hundreds of years ago. Here we view bald eagles, hawks and wetland shorebirds for miles overlooking the abandoned rice fields while we stop and have lunch. Often accompanied by the nostalgic American Alligator, this tour is truly, one of our paddler's favorites.

Ages 12 and up for single boats. 2 Hour ( Quenby to Huger Creek), 1/2 Day or Full Day Tours available.

Directions

Hampton Island Rice Plantation & Mighty Santee River

McClellanville area (40+ miles from Charleston or 18 miles from Georgetown)

A historical paddle lined with wild rice, golden club and pickerel weed. Meandering around Hampton Plantation and Hampton Island, this wonderful blackwater paddle has historical rice canals diverging off of its banks for you to explore at high tide! Timbers from Rice gates can be found and paddlers often tell of the "gullah" songs that can be heard from 100 years of singing by the slaves that once lived on this 1,000 acre island! Paddlers often stop at Hampton Plantation State park and tour the Antebellum house, home of the famous author Archibald Rutledge or hike the woodland trails. A wonderful experience for both natural and cultural history seekers!

Ages 13 and up for single boats. 2 Hour, 1/2 Day Tours available.

Directions

Wadboo Creek & Swamp

Moncks Corner, SC (40 minutes from Charleston)
This is a unique paddle that journeys both "up the creek" and "down the creek" from our landing. Up the creek we paddle past a 25 ft. high limestone cliff with caves and twist and turn through the tributaries of Wadboo Swamp, where General Francis Marion had supply shacks and resided. The banks are lined with subtropical vegetation. Down the creek we paddle through thousands of acres of abandoned rice fields, up a rice canal and view fish and aquatic life through a crystal clear aquarium view just feet below our boats. The creek eludes a white sandy bottom and is surrounded by several Osprey and Bald Eagle nests. Egret, Herons, Cormorants, Anhingas and Alligators are commonly seen feeding and wading in the shallow, clear waters.

2 Hour, 1/2 Day or Full Day Tours available. Ages 11 and up for single boats.

2 hour tours on Wadboo Creek includes seeing the limestone cliff area and blackwater creek.

1/2 Day will include the cliff, creek and the abandoned rice fields.

Full Day Tour includes a journey along the famous hand dug "tale race canal" and includes lunch.

Directions

Edisto River and the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

(20 minutes from EDISTO ISLAND), 25-40 minutes from Charleston

We explore three different sections of the Edisto and one that includes the ACE BASIN.
The Edisto is a Blackwater river that is freeflowing through 12 counties in South Caroina. Paddle along tall forested banks of Water Oak, Water Hickory, Tupelo Gum and Cypress! Stop on a "sandbar" for lunch and reflect on the surroundings the Edisto Indians once called home. This beautiful river is not to be missed by local paddlers and offers a diverstiy of scenery and water levels for every paddler. Tours are conducted "one way" with transportation provided back to your vehicles! Cabin Rentals and camping available along the river.... call or email us for details!

1/2 Day or Full Day Tours available. Ages 9 and up for single boats.

Directions