Kayak Tour Frequently Asked Questions
Kayak Tour FAQ
Why Choose Safari Town?
- Family owned & operated. Est 1989
- We offer high quality sit on top Ocean Kayaks
- We offer private tours (unless otherwise stated) so you don't have to worry about other guest's schedules and agendas.
- Our private tours are catered specifically to your group.
- We've been guiding since 2013
- Our guides are all registered with OSMB
- We provide Aquatic Invasive species permits (AKA Waterway Access Permits) required by the OSMB
- Our guides are experienced watermen that know the area, how to navigate the tides, and the best places to take you.
- Our guides are trained and certified with the American Red Cross in First Aid & CPR to help insure your safety.
What are the guide tipping suggestions and guidelines?
Tips are not required, but always appreciated. Our guides work hard to give our guests a great experience. If you feel your guide did a good job, tipping your guide is a great way to show your appreciation. Standard gratuity in the United states ranges anywhere from 15-25% . Our guides appreciate any amount given.
Where are you located?
Safari Town is located at the north end of Lincoln City Oregon on the central Oregon Coast. We are approx 5 miles from the departure location for our Salmon River guided tour. Our address is 3026 NE HWY 101 STE #3 Lincoln City Oregon 97367. Tour locations are given after booking.
What time do we need to be at the departure location?
We recommend arriving 15 minutes before your tour time starts so you can be ready to go at your scheduled tour time.
What are the age requirements?
The maximum age for adults is: There is no maximum age requirement as everyone is different. We recommend that Participants be in good health and free from any heart conditions, back, or neck problems, or anything that would hinder them from carrying or paddling a kayak.
The minimum age for children is 5. We are out on the water for 2-3 hours so keep that in mind when bringing children. Most kids love the kayaking experience, but all kids respond differently and you know your kids best. We do our best to customize your tour to work for your group. All kids 5-10 must be accompanied by and adult in a tandem kayak.
Can I bring a phone and or a camera?
Yes, you may bring a phone or a camera, but you do so at your own risk. We recommend bringing a small dry bag to protect your belongings from water damage. You may also put some smaller items in your tour guide's dry bag, but it may be hard to frequently access.
What's your kayak tour cancellation policy?
We offer 100% refunds for up to 72 hours before your tour. If you cancel your reservation within 72 hours of your scheduled tour you will be charged the full amount. We schedule and reserve your tour time and block other customers from reserving and scheduling after we have taken reservations. Therefore we must keep a strict 72 hour cancellation policy. This policy protects our customers by guaranteeing their booking, and protects our tour guides from late cancellations and no shows.
Cancellations by Safari Town for dangerous conditions (extreme weather, and/or unsafe weather conditions) will not be charged any cancellation fees. In such cases we will issue a full refund or reschedule your rental, lesson, or tour. We want your kayak experience to be a safe one!
How far in advance should our tour be booked?
During the summer busy season we recommend booking your tour 2- 3 weeks in advance to secure your dates.
Can we choose our own times for private tours?
Our Salmon River and Siletz Bay kayak tours are tide dependent, so we choose the times that we can safely offer the tours. We do offer alternative kayak tours on Devil's Lake in Lincoln City for guests that need specific times that don't work with the tides. Just call us for more information.
Why not just rent a kayak and go on your own?
The Oregon coastal bays and estuaries are beautiful, but it can be tough to navigate the waterways you've never paddled. Inexperienced paddlers can get into trouble navigating the area and the tides. Our guides are all experienced watermen that know how to navigate the tides and the best places to take you. Our guides also know the water levels needed to get to certain areas without getting stranded. We do offer kayak rentals for those who are experienced and know the area. Keep in mind the tours are also set up for your convenience. The guides transport the kayaks and all the equipment so you can just show up and enjoy your time on the Oregon coast and let the guide worry about clean up and transporting the kayaks.
What should I wear?
Weather conditions can change quickly on the Oregon coast, so we recommend being prepared for everything. Participants will get their feet wet, so bring sandals, water shoes, or wetsuit booties for walking in the water and on rough terrain. We also recommend quick drying shorts, a moisture wicking fleece top, a windbreaker, and a stocking cap to keep your ears warm. If you get cold easily you may want to wear one of our shorty wetsuits. Just make prior arrangements before your kayak tour.
We also offer rental neoprene gloves, and booties available upon request. We recommend everyone bring a water bottle and a light snack.
Our kayak tours operate rain or shine (we do cancel for unsafe, or extreme weather conditions), so it's best to bring a dry set of clothes to change into once your tour is finished. Our guides are very good at navigating to the calmer areas, but they can’t control the wind and chop, so there is always a possibility you may get wet.
If you’re worried about getting wet just ask for a shorty wetsuit and that will help you keep warm even if you get wet. If you bring a camera or cell phone make sure to have a water proof case, or small dry bag to keep it dry and protected. We also recommend a good quality sunscreen as the sun reflects off the water.
Get more tips on what to wear kayaking here.
Do you offer refunds for bad weather?
Cancellations by Safari Town for dangerous conditions (extreme weather, and/or unsafe weather conditions) will not be charged any cancellation fees. In such cases we will issue a full refund or reschedule your rental, lesson, or tour. We want your kayak experience to be safe! We do not however cancel our tours simply for rainy weather. We do offer wetsuits to help keep our guests warm and comfortable in the event it rains during your tour. Just call the shop a day before your scheduled tour to request a wetsuit and your guide will bring one for you
Have other questions? Please email us at [email protected]
