Walking Trees - Mangrove Kayaking & Adventures

About this place

Walking Trees – Mangrove Kayaking & Adventures is a nature and water-adventure centre in Nedungolam, Paravur, Kollam, Kerala, offering guided kayaking and recreational experiences across the Ithikkara River, mangrove channels and the Paravur backwaters. The centre is particularly known for its mangrove forest kayaking experience, which takes visitors directly into a distinctive mangrove tunnel where the tree canopy closes overhead and the waterways create a sheltered natural passage. The signature mangrove route lasts around three hours and includes paddling through the tunnel system, passing a natural mangrove arch and reaching a natural swimming area before returning along the Ithikkara River. The experience is guided throughout, with life jackets provided, making it suitable for visitors interested in combining outdoor adventure with close observation of Kerala's wetland environment. Walking Trees also offers a shorter open-water kayaking experience for beginners, allowing participants to paddle across the Ithikkara River and toward Paravur Lake without entering the enclosed mangrove tunnel. This route has a gentler pace and is designed as an accessible introduction to kayaking, particularly for first-time paddlers and families. Other water-based activities include stand-up paddling, traditional country boat rides, semi-speed boating and speed boating, providing different ways to explore the waterways around Nedungolam and Paravur. The stand-up paddling experience takes place around the confluence where the freshwater of the Ithikkara River meets the saltwater of the Paravur backwaters, offering a different perspective of the surrounding aquatic landscape. Country boat tours provide a slower alternative for visitors who prefer to remain seated while a guide navigates through the mangrove environment, while motorised boat experiences offer faster exploration across the wider backwaters. For visitors seeking a more demanding adventure, Walking Trees also offers a guided Sandbar Kayaking Expedition for experienced kayakers. The longer route begins on the Ithikkara River, passes through the mangrove environment and Paravur Kayal, and continues toward a sandbar near the Pozhikara area before returning by kayak. The expedition is intended for experienced paddlers rather than beginners, reflecting the greater physical demands of a longer open-water journey. The centre's experiences extend beyond individual water activities through its full-day mangrove package, which combines kayaking or country boating with speed boating, stand-up paddling, fishing, a nature and photography walk, group activities, meals and a sunset experience. This makes the destination suitable not only for individual travellers but also for groups looking for a broader outdoor recreation programme centred around the mangrove ecosystem. One of the distinctive aspects of Walking Trees is the combination of adventure tourism with a relatively natural wetland setting. The mangrove channels, river, backwaters and surrounding vegetation provide opportunities for photography, nature observation and quiet exploration alongside the physical activity of paddling. Sunrise and late-afternoon sessions can offer changing light across the water and mangrove canopy, while guided experiences allow visitors to explore the waterways without treating the area simply as a recreational boating venue. The operator states that its activities are promoted under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana through the Departments of Fisheries of the Government of India and Government of Kerala. Overall, Walking Trees – Mangrove Kayaking & Adventures represents a combination of ecotourism, kayaking and backwater recreation in the Paravur region, with its mangrove tunnel kayaking forming the central experience. Its range of paddling, boating and nature-oriented activities provides visitors with multiple ways to experience the waterways and mangrove landscape of Kollam while participating in outdoor adventure activities.

🚆 Nearest Railway: Paravur Railway Station (~3 km)

✈️ Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (~65 km)

🚌 Bus: Nedungolam Bus Stop

🏨 Stay: Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort; Club Six; KunnuBanglow Homestay

✅ Notes: Walking Trees operates mangrove kayaking and other water-based adventure activities on the Ithikkara River at Nedungolam, Paravoor.