Charleston SUP Safaris

The Original SUP Paddle Board Tours, Rentals & Sales in Charleston, SC

10 Year Anniversary on Folly Beach!

(843) 817-SUPS (7877)
83 Center St, Folly Beach SC 29439

SUP Retail Shop
Everyday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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Clean restrooms, changing rooms, free spring water. Sunbum sunblock, Croakies, waterproof phone cases, snacks and sports drinks for sale. Purchase boards, paddles, sup gear, apparel, and more in our SUP Retail Shop!

Featured Activities

From $50

2 hours

Afternoon Dolphin Safari

Explore the Folly River and get a handle on the basics of paddle boarding as you look for dolphins during your afternoon stand-up paddle adventure, perfect for ages ten and up!

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From $50

2 hours

Wedding Parties

Come celebrate your occasion with us and bring your friends and family! For two hours you will learn the basics of SUP and paddle with the local wildlife!

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Yoga & Fitness

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ABOUT CHARLESTON SUP SAFARIS

Charleston SUP Safaris has been voted the best stand-up paddle company in Charleston, and has been internationally recognized as a leader in the industry. We’re Charleston’s original paddle board company, leading over 4,000 paddlers through Folly Beach’s waterways over the past 10 years.

Learn how to paddle board with the experts on the beautiful Folly River and let us guide you through the salt marsh ecosystem searching for local wildlife. We offer stand-up paddle board dolphin safari tours, rentals, SUP sales, river and surf lessons, SUP yoga, fitness, and summer camps.

Charleston SUP Safaris specializes in large groups, family outings, bachelor or bachelorette parties, corporate team building events, and special occasions. Stop by our shop and our professionally certified guides will get you outfitted with Board Works paddle boards and carbon fiber paddles.

Our passion and sole focus is paddle boarding. Before your trip, our lifeguard certified guides conduct proper ground school instruction and in-water paddle training, ensuring safe, fun, and exciting trips. Whether you’re looking for an invigorating flat water paddle through our estuaries or are interested in catching ocean waves, we love the water and want to share “The Stoke” with our customers. Come check us out! Everybody’s learning how with the paddle board experts – Charleston SUP Safaris.

Read Why We're the #1 SUP Company with over 500 5 Star Reviews

Best Shop Ever!

Went looking for a stand up paddle board to take in the surf on Kiawah. After checking other shops and finding no boards at all I was referred to Carolina SUP Safaris. I met Jon who took a ton of time walking me through the selection of boards they had in stock, explaining the benefits and trade offs of each board. I left with a Bishop Luna. I'm having a blast learning the balance and getting into waves super early! I'd like to thank Jon for his time and advice. I highly recommend dropping in if your looking for a paddle board a SUP tour or info!

– Daniel V. | Google Reviews

SUPer morning on the river!

Our 9am dolphin safari was such a blast! Absolute must do while visiting Charleston. We ended up being the only 2 on the tour which was very cool. Although we didn’t get to see any dolphins, we got an awesome work out paddling against the wind and really enjoyed our time with Powers, our tour guide! He was very patient, encouraging, and knowledgeable, teaching us so much about local wildlife! He also gave us awesome suggestions of places to visit while we’re here. Thank you so much for such a memorable experience!!

– Michaela W. | TripAdvisor

Awesome Experience!

We had a really great time at SUP Safaris! Our guide, Eric, was fantastic and very accommodating. We were in town for only a couple days and the weather was touch-and-go. We were scheduled for a 9am dolphin safari, and it was postponed due to storms. We were able to go out about an hour later and it worked out great. Eric really wanted to make sure we had a great experience while still being safe.

– Mychelle R. | TripAdvisor

Great Experience!

Had a GREAT time paddling today. Such a kind and respectful place. If you are in this area and looking for a SUP experience you will not go wrong by choosing SUP Safaris. The guided tour was cool. The guide was very helpful. I've paddled for years but others in the group was there first time and all of us had a great experience. You won't regret it whether you are more experienced like me or a first timer.

– Brian P. | Yelp

Midday Tour

SUP Safari was more like Dolphin Safari! I think we saw six during our excursion. While not an expert SUPer, our guide, Powers, reminded us of the basics before we set out. He was friendly and informative about the wildlife and geography and ecosystem of the Folly river—as well as an expert dolphin spotter! Highly recommend booking a tour. Next time, we’ll try SUPPing at sunset.

– Erin H. | TripAdvisor

Spectacular Sunset

I went on a whim to Charleston by myself for a mini-vacation. I tried to pick different activities that would allow me to see this amazing city in different ways. I had done SUP once before but never really had any formal instruction. The tour ended with the most vibrant sunset I have ever seen. If anyone is wavering about whether or not to do this tour, book it now- you will not regret it.

– Tara B. | TripAdvisor

Highly Recommended

Had a great time at Charleston SUP Safaris! The tour team was excited about their job and that really set the tone for the entire experience. They also gave excellent instructions beforehand, which made the process SO much easier for those of us who were beginners. Lot of fun altogether, and a great workout heading upstream. Highly recommended — 5/5.

– I. G. | Google Reviews

Paddle boarding with Powers!

We went paddle boarding at sunset with Powers this past weekend and it was an amazing experience! We learned a ton of fun facts about dolphins and oysters and got to know each other a long the way! The weather was absolutely perfect and I would totally recommend Powers and the rest of the SUP Safari crew to friends and family!

– Kamille F. | TripAdvisor

What An Experience!

My friend and I took the SUP Safari tour Saturday of MDW 2018, and what an experience! Both Al and Devon, the guides, were incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and funny. We lucked out with the weather, and we even saw a dolphin! Highly recommend this company, would definitely use their services again.

– Keely K. | Google Reviews

Magical time to be on the water

The Staff at SUP Safaris was great. I did SUP once before, but these guys showed me the right way to do it. The group was fun! The sunset on the water was magical. The water was warm, so even if you fell in, it just felt great! I was surprised how easy this excursion was. I would do it again in a heart beat.

– Kristin K. | TripAdvisor

Recommend this for first timers!

Amazing time!!! This was my first time paddle boarding. They make it super easy to make a reservation for a big group. Our guide, Devon, was wonderful! Super knowledgeable and a great teacher. We got to see a beautiful sunset and tons of dolphins! I'd definitely recommend this for first timers!

– Molly C. | Yelp

What A Blast!

My sister and I had a blast on our paddle board trip! John was very informative and helpful for us newbies. The paddle boards have a bungee strap to hold flip flops and life jackets for those over 18 years old. I wish I brought my GoPro or waterproof camera!

– Karyn N. | Yelp

Great Easter Sunday!

We had a great Easter Sunday morning with the team from Charleston SUP safari. Although it was quite windy they still agreed to take us on an abbreviated tour. We look forward to going back for another tour this spring.

– Colleen S. | Google Reviews

The Best Stand-Up Paddle Board Company In Charleston!

Top-of-the-Line Boards & Equipment

Bounce boards and SUP ATX carbon fiber paddles! We can outfit anyone from 8–80!

Eco

Featured as a Top 5 Eco-Friendly
Paddle Company in the U.S. by SUP the Mag

Full-Service

Eco-tours, river and surf lessons, rentals, SUP yoga and fitness, paddle board sales, summer camps, races, and international trips.

Best Facilities

We are conveniently located within walking distance of Downtown Folly! Rest assured we have free parking, clean bathrooms and a safe place to store your belongings!

Professionally Trained Staff

Our lifeguard and CPR certified guides have over 60 years of combined experience on local waterways. Our team is trained to handle groups of all skill levels.

Shuttle

The only company with an access point that guarantees an easy ride in wind or tide! We’ll shuttle you back for FREE in the SUP mobile!

Check Out Charleston SUP Safaris in the Media:

We sat down to talk about what our dolphin safaris on the Folly River are really like with our friends at TripOutside and their Human Powered Adventure series. It was great to sit down and talk about what makes the experience so awesome and share with a fellow outdoor enthusiast. Give it a listen and then come see it for yourself on the Water!

Check out our owner Big Jon on this For What You Do episode going over paddleboarding on the Folly River!

Our Partners

Isla Surf School

Isla Surf School offers the highest quality surf lesson and surf camps for the Charleston area. Whether you are visiting Charleston for the day or you were born and raised here, we can get you up and riding waves on Folly Beach in no time. We have a package and program that fits all needs and goals. Learn to surf or progress your surfing with Isla!

Community/Giving Back

On top of providing fun and adventure, we also like to give back to Folly and the surrounding communities. Over the years we’ve partnered with organizations such as The Wounded Warrior Project, Warrior Surf Foundation, Youth 2 Ocean, and Surfers Healing to put on races, river sweeps and fun events that have raised both money and awareness. For example, our Shamrock SUP Race and SUPer Scary SUP Race (watch video) have raised over $25,000 for local charities over the past 10 years. Lastly, we believe in environmental sustainability and have been listed as one of the top 5 eco-friendly SUP companies in America.