Trip report Australian kite safari

Trip report
northern queensland

Recently my wife and I went on the Australian kite safari ran by Ant Hadleigh. It seems to me that on this forum there are basically two camps, the pro and the con about the safari, and its value, I decided to relay that information that I think is valuable for someone deciding on whether or not to take this trip. I will be factual, as much as I can, and give both the good and the bad.

Few basic insights on me as the author, I'm an intermediate kiter, weigh 85 kgs or about 187 pounds, my wife weighs about 42 kg or 90 pounds, although my skill level is average, I have traveled to well over ten countries and 50 locations to kite.

Fact one
Australian kite safari is not at all a safari, rather it is a camp, located about 25 miles outside Cooktown past Hopevale.

Why is this important to me and may be to you?

My wife wanted to see and travel all over northern Australia, we thought we would see many beaches, and mix kiting with travel. We stayed for 8 days in one specific camp, there is no traveling to kite different beaches. So if you want different scenery each day and daily travel adventures, this is not the package for you, if you do not care, and would rather hang out at one camp site, then no worries.

Fact two
Ant is a great guy. He is honest and pleasantWhy is this important to me and may be to you?

I like to hang around nice pleasant people, you may too.
I think this is why so few negative things ever said about the safari, people really like Ant, and do not want to hurt his feelings.

Fact Three

The trip is very, very, very tide dependent…did I say very? Assume you start kiting at 8am till 5pm…you will get 3 hours of fantastic kiting, 3 hours of average to poor kiting, and three hours of zero kiting cuzz there is no water.

Why is this important to me and may be to you?

If you like to hit it hard for 90 minutes then get lunch, this is paradise, it can be some of the best kiting in the world, but for only 60 minutes to 90 minutes, but if you like long leisurely days with flexibility, go elsewhere….like they say about that crazy wild girl you dated in college, when she was good, she was really good, when she was bad, she was really bad…..

Fact four

Ant is a fantastic cook/chef….really
Why is this important to me and may be to you?
If you like good food, with good variety, this is place for you. Ant really should be in the restaurant business, he is that good

Fact Five

The eight days I was there, the wind was 8 to 15 knots……I know this is heresy. But it's the truth, I read an article about the place before I came, writer said he spent the whole time on a 7m kite…lol..he must be an anorexic midget…my wife who weighs 40 kg was using a 10 m kite most days….Two day I struggled with my 14 m to stay up wind…….

Why is this important to me and may be to you?

Look…maybe I just had bad luck, but do yourself a favor, if you do go, take at least one big kite, 12m or bigger…if you don't use it great, but sitting on the beach for 48 hours on a kiting trip is sad, don't be sad….

Fact six

The Area is gorgeous…this may be one of nicest beaches in the world, with endless sand, and total privacy. It's very remote; you can walk on clean beaches for hours and not see another living soul. It is a very safe place to kite.
Perhaps this is safest place to kite in the world. There is just nothing there to hurt you, and water is chest high. Really safe

If you are learning this is trip for you

Fact seven

Ant has zero repair equipment or facilities
Bring extra kite, patches and harness….nothing is worse than having 1400 dollar trip ruined cuzz you don't have a 5 dollar patch kit


thats it..you can PM me for answers to individual questions

easy boss....thats not even close to being a cool or a funny line

but people are brave behind computer screens


90 pounds 40 -42 kg's ....

thats pretty normal for a pinay......
thats a pic of her in the avatar....

Poor relative weighs 140 kg, thats a picture of him in his avatar before he put on some pies His boobs are bigger than her's.

When has any post been important Righto

when living in landlocked isolation with flaky wind and a bunch of crazy gun hugging red necks it is easy to become confused .................

You did say this location is north of Cooktown.

So has Mr Hadleigh somehow managed to eliminate sharks, crocodiles and marine stingers from the area?????

I think you had bad luck. Been twice and every time we haven't less than 25 knots. The place has one of the highest wind percentages but you're still gonna get unlucky on occasion.

well...i believe you...really.....but that is the thing with averages right?...if average wind speed is 20 knots and you had 28 knots, then sometimes it gonna be 12 knots.......i just checked today and its 14 knots.....not bad, but if you are 80kg and take a nine kite only you will walking you kite back to camp today

i think my point isnt that good winds arent possible ...or even likely...but I lived 8 days of crap winds, and if i did not bring my 14 would have been shut out.....so hope for the best, and plan for the worse.....taking one large kite is not much of a burden, and may save your trip......

like I said ....I'm neither pro or con on Ant's camp..just want people to have facts and have best possible time they can..there are a lot of cool things about the trip, but there is a possiblity of light winds....
take care