Italy Kayaking Adventure - Trip Details

What you need to know before you go!

PRE-TRIP PREPARATIONS CHECKLIST

• Italy Kayaking Adventure - Pre-Trip Prep Checklist

PACKING CHECKLIST

• Italy Kayaking Adventure - Packing Checklist

PRINTABLE ITINERARY

• Italy Kayaking Adventure - PDF

ARRIVALS

RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

DEPARTURES

RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

PASSPORTS & VISAS

TIPPING

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

QUICK FACTS

MONEY MATTERS

GETTING FIT

GENERAL FAQS

ARRIVALS INTO GENOA

• Airport: Genoa (GOA) or Aeroporto di Genova
• Upon arrival in Genoa, a standard taxi fare can be purchased at the taxi stand at the airport, which is good for your short cab ride to the hotel.

While there are no direct flights to Genoa from North America it is easily reached from most of the major air hubs in Europe.

You may also fly to a major centre such as Rome and take the train from Rome to Genoa.

• Earliest hotel check-in is at 2 PM. You ay drop off your luggage at the hotel and head out to explore the neighbourhood.

Group Rendezvous Point:

• Date: Day 1
• Time: 5 p.m.
• Location: Meet your guide and fellow paddlers in the main hotel lobby, Best Western Porto Antico, Via al Ponte Calvi, 5 – 16124, Genoa, Italy

RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS 

If you are arriving a day or two early to Genoa, we recommend the Best Western Porto Antico, the rendezvous point and the accommodation on Day 1.

DEPARTURES FROM LA SPEZIA

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to La Spezia Centrale railway station by late morning. From his rail hub, it is easy to return to Genoa Airport or continue on to popular destinations such as Florence or Rome.

Please do not book flights out of Genoa any earlier than 4 PM on this day to allow for return transportation by rail from La Spezia.

Drop Off Point:

• Date: Day 7
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Location: La Spezia Centrale Railway Station

RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

You are responsible for booking your own flights or other transport arrangements to the trip start location. These arrangements and any other independent arrangements that you may make are not a part of the trip booked with Wild Women Expeditions and are entirely at your own risk. Wild Women Expeditions accepts no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any loss, damage or injury to property or person in connection with such arrangements. Should you require assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact:

Megan and Zale | Now Boarding Travel, Travel Specialists

Email: wildwomen@nowboarding.travel

Note: Now Boarding Travel only provides services of 3-star quality or greater. For budget alternatives, please refer to the Lonely Planet guide for your destination.

Important: For international and remote destinations, there is always the risk of flight delays, baggage delays and flight schedule changes which may cause late arrivals, which may, in return, result in you missing the group tour departure. We encourage you to consider arriving one or two days early, which will help you overcome any jet lag from traveling!

PASSPORTS & VISAS

You are fully responsible for your own visa requirements, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country's Consulate and your country's travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about traveling internationally.

• Passport:

Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Customs officials may ask for a return ticket, proof of the purpose of your visit to Italy, and/or proof of sufficient funds for your stay.

• Visa:

Not required for stays up to 90 days

Travel Advice and Advisories for Italy 

Note: As fees and policies can change, we highly recommend that you contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.

TIPPING

Most participants choose to tip their guides when they feel they were provided great service and had a positive experience. We are often asked what an appropriate amount is: most participants who provide a gratuity for their guides and other tour staff, have each tipped in the range of €15 – €25 per day. The guides and tour staff may share the gratuity, although most people prefer to offer a separate amount to each guide and staff member.

It is customary to leave a tip to thank waiters, valets, bellboys, tour guides and other service providers. Tips are not compulsory and in Italy, there are no generally established rules, although it is common practice to leave a sum amounting to around 10% of the bill if you are satisfied with the service you have received.

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

• Rooming Arrangements:

Our trip prices are based on a twin share, so we’ll either team you up with another solo wild woman to share with if you’re on your own, or of course, you can share with your travel companion.

If you’d prefer not to share a bedroom, we have a single supplement option. This is subject to availability and we will confirm this with you following your request. If you have already indicated this preference on your registration form, you will be emailed a quote once availability is confirmed. If you are now interested, please email support@wildwomenexpeditions.com with your request.

• Bathrooms

All rooms have en-suite bathrooms.

• Electricity / Internet / Wi-Fi / Cell Coverage

• Potable Water

Tap water is safe to drink and we encourage you to refill your water bottles.

If you would like to join Wild Women Expeditions in its commitment to reducing single-use plastic, you can travel prepared with your own water treatment system!

Lifestraw

GRAYL Canada | OnePress™ Global Protection

Travelers Against Plastic | Take the TAP pledge

Water-To-Go

• Overnight Arrangements During Your Stay

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE ITALIAN RIVIERIA AND CINQUE TERRE

• About

• • Population of Cinque Terre Towns: About 6000
  • Size: The area covers some 15 km along the extreme eastern end of the Ligurian coast, between Levanto and La Spezia.
  • Official Language: Italian
  • Time Zone: Central European Time Zone
  • Highlights: Genoa’s Old City (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Portofino, The Abbey of San Fruttuoso, The Five Villages of Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Portovenere (on the NY Times list of “Places to Visit in 2013″) and of course, wine tasting and great local cuisine!

• Climate & Weather:

MONEY MATTERS

Wild Women Expeditions recommends that each participant should bring enough cash in local currency or available credit/debit funds to cover their meals during travel to and from their destination. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, meals not included in the trip package, shopping, etc., and we also suggest you have access to emergency funds. 

• Currency Exchange Offices & Banks:

Since 2001, the currency used in Italy is the Euro (€). One euro is divided up into 100 euro-cents. There are eight different coins (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro-cents) and seven notes (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros).

Please check online for current exchange rates. Wild Women Expeditions likes XE Currency Converter

We highly suggest you read this article: Where to Exchange Currency Without Paying Huge Fees for more information about this for your trip.

• Credit Cards

Purchases can be paid for using the most common credit cards. This payment system is common in Italian shops, which generally display the symbols of the credit cards they accept on the outside door. If you pay by credit card you may be asked to show an identity document.

• Cash

Cash in the local currency (Euro) is the best way to pay for purchases.

• Taxes

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Useful Websites:

• Travel Advice and Advisories for Italy
• Official Website for Tourism in Italy | Italia.it (English)
• Cinque Terre travel | Italy – Lonely Planet
  
  

GETTING FIT

Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.

A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.

Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their medical travel insurance or personal expense. Generally, our expeditions are intended for travelers in reasonably good health for their safety, along with that of their fellow travelers.

Your group will be paddling 3 – 5 hours each day but plenty of time is available to travel and see the sights, so the group will be going at a comfortable pace and enjoying the changing scenery and views. Wild Women Expeditions recommends that in the months leading up to your adventure, you prepare yourself by walking regularly and exercising your arms – carrying items, paddling, using rowing machines, etc., as well as increasing your level of fitness with cardio and/or weight training.

As kayaking is the primary activity of this trip, please notify Wild Women Expeditions if you are a non-swimmer.

Tips:

You don't have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition. Not by a long shot! You'll be surprised at what you can achieve with our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.

That said, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of the outdoors.

Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:

• Take every opportunity you can to be active.

You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!

• Take a kayak lesson!

Although this trip is beginner friendly and your guides will lead you through a full orientation once on trip, you should be familiar and comfortable with kayaking before you arrive on trip. Take lesson or two with a local kayak outfitter in your neck of the woods. Even a pool session is good! This will give you the basics, boost your confidence which will allow you to enjoy your trip that much more.

• Rev up your ticker!

Think ‘interval training’, which means doing short bursts of high-intensity work with recovery time in between. Depending on how fit you are this can mean strolling with bursts of power walking, or jogging with sprints. Either way, the aim is to get your heart rate up.

• Hill Training.

The most spectacular views aren’t from the bottom of a valley – so the places we go on our trips aren’t flat. A little time training on hills and stairs is an investment that’ll pay off big-time when you’re on your trip. When it comes to hills there’s no hurry – get into a slow steady rhythm and you’ll be at the top before you know it.

• Join a local walking or running group.

This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.

• Warm up, cool down and stretch.

If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.

• Practice ‘backpacking’.

Grab your backpack (or borrow one) and head for the hills! If you’re bringing your own backpack, practice adjusting the various straps so you know how it feels in different positions. We aren’t multi-day hiking every day, but you’ll be carrying a day pack almost everyday, so it’s well worth a bit of practice. Backpacks sit differently and so change your centre of balance when it’s full of gear so make sure you put a few pounds of weight in it in training.

• Break in your hiking boots.

Blisters and sore feet are no fun at all! So make sure that while you’re getting yourself ready you’re doing the same for your boots. Start by just wearing them around the house, then down the road, and walking the dog. Then ideally do a couple of decent length weekend hikes to prepare them for what is to come.

• Hydration.

When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

• Nutrition.

Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!

• Have fun!

The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.

GENERAL FAQ'S