Rising Tide Tours
Leeward, Providenciales
Rising Tide Tours is a locally owned boat charter and eco-tour company based in the Leeward region of Providenciales (Provo). Their tours and services include guided paddleboard and kayak adventures to the beautiful islands and wetlands near Providenciales and private boat charters to the nearby cays.
Rising Tide also offers kayak and paddleboard rentals for guests wanting to explore on their own.
Kayaking and Paddleboarding Tours
Rising Tide Tours operates in the exquisite Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve on the eastern side of Providenciales. This beautiful region offers a channel island and wetland environment, with breathtaking turquoise and blue water hues and verdant red mangrove estuaries.
Tours are suitable and fun for all ages and skill levels, and are a great way for kids to discover interesting wildlife in their natural environment.
You have the choice of clear kayaks, paddleboards, or open sea kayaks for tours into the mangroves. Paddleboards are the ideal watercraft for eco-tours, as they have very little environmental impact, provide a bird's-eye view into the water, and are easy and fun to paddle on.
Wildlife Sightings
Inside the nature reserve are the uninhabited islands of Mangrove Cay, Donna Cay, and the Turks and Caicos rock iguana sanctuary of Little Water Cay. These incredible islands are home to a wide menagerie of wildlife, both on land and in the water.
The mangrove estuaries serve as nurseries for a wide spectrum of marine life. It’s typical to spot fish of many different types, juvenile nurse sharks and lemon sharks, stingrays, conch, starfish, sea turtles, jellyfish, and more. On land are the unique and friendly iguanas, pelicans, herons, egrets, ospreys, and many smaller yet likewise fascinating species of bird.
Tours into the mangroves are timed with the tide, and take place in the morning or afternoon. Rising Tide Tours also offers sunset and glowworm tours. In the evening and at night, a different set of creatures come out (and the bioluminescent glowworms put on quite the display).
Boat Charters
This company also runs half-day and full-day boat charters that visit the many small cays near Provo. All charters are private and customizable, so you can visit as many or as few islands as you want—popular locations include Little Water Cay, Half Moon Bay, Water Cay, and Fort George Cay (where you can snorkel around sunken cannons from the 1800s).
You can also add subwinging, tubing, and bottom fishing to any private charter. Between January and March, there's even the opportunity to try whale-watching.
