What is a night kayak trip like, paddling under the moonlight among reeds and canals?
Very close to Buenos Aires, the Paraná Delta is the setting for an unforgettable experience: nighttime kayaking through its canals under the moonlight . On this guided tour from Tigre , history, adventure, and a connection with nature come together in a single experience.
When Europeans arrived in the Delta in the 16th century, the islands were inhabited by the Chaná canoeists, nomadic people related to the Guaycurú , who settled near the rivers and lagoons of this region, bringing their own cultural identity. They arrived in the Delta by sailing up the Uruguay River and are believed to have had Amazonian influences.
The Chaná people referred to the Delta as Karapachay , as they now call one of its tributaries of the Luján River, the same Carapachay that can be navigated these days on a night kayak trip. Between reeds and honeysuckle, the paddle makes its way through the island vegetation. The landscape is the night. The host is the river. And the guest is the moon.
Before launching the kayaks onto the ramp located at Paseo Victorica 50, Patricio Redman, the guide for this outing, gives participants life jackets, headlights, and flashing lights.
He then offers a brief introduction to technique and safety, inviting you to leave land, launch your boats, and embark on a three-hour cruise through the Delta's canals and streams.
In total, the night cruise covers a distance of approximately 16 kilometers, with a stop in between to light a campfire and rest for a while. Very close to Buenos Aires, the Delta's atmosphere is ideal for breaking away from routine and connecting with nature.
"We go at a fairly leisurely pace, with a cadence that allows for fluid and sustained paddling. That's the key," warns Redman, head of the canoeing school that bears his name, before putting the boats on the water.
So yes, after crossing the Luján River, you continue along the first stretch of the Fulminante Creek, a very calm and quiet rowing channel that reveals the intimate atmosphere of the Delta. A creek, barely illuminated by the reflection of lanterns on the docks and the rhythmic sound of oars sinking into the water.
Redman has dedicated his life to this type of sailing. He says that his father, a native of Concordia, Entre Ríos, was the one who introduced him to sailing.
“I paddled a cachiveo, the name given to a hollowed-out log canoe used by peons to bring timber from the north down the Uruguay River. Upon arriving in Concordia, the peons would leave their cachiveos on the bank, and the country boys would borrow them to sail. And my father would paddle with that,” he recalls.
The rowing continues calmly until reaching the Gambado stream , advances to the Sarmiento River to begin sailing upstream and then returns along the Espera to the Rama Negra Chico River , where it heads downstream to a rest stop on the Sarmiento River , to stretch the legs and eat around a campfire.
“Rowing these boats is very relaxing because of the contact with the water. It's fun, and it allows us to practice in natural environments,” continues Redman, who also teaches four or five-class courses on paddling technique, rudder, lateral support, re-entering the boat, and other basics for mastering the boat and venturing on more demanding trips, which can last several days.
"Our students have an average age of 40. They're people who love nature and have always dreamed of exploring it by kayak," he explains.
On the way back, the last 50 minutes of the cruise pass in complete silence. The paddle dips and the boat moves very smoothly along the water, gliding between the gallery forests, wildflower petals, and exposed roots.
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