Las Vegas

Top activities in Las Vegas

Trip Inspiration

Black Canyon Kayak at Hoover Dam Day Trip from Las Vegas

Name: Black Canyon Kayak at Hoover Dam Day Trip from Las Vegas
Brand: Desert Adventures
SKU: 5145BCK
Price: 260.80 USD
Rating: 5.0 (150 reviews)

Boulder City, United States

From USD 260.80

Select Date and Travellers

Non-refundable

You will not receive a refund if you cancel.

Las Vegas Tours

Seasonal & Special Occasions

Tickets & Passes

Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

Travel & Transportation Services

Unique Experiences

Attractions

Things to do in Las Vegas Red Rock Canyon Tours & Tickets Hoover Dam Tours & Tickets Grand Canyon West Rim Tours & Tickets Las Vegas Strip Tours & Tickets High Roller Observation Wheel Tours & Tickets Gondola Rides at the Venetian Tours & Tickets Fremont Street Experience Tours & Tickets

Recommendations

All Recommendations Don’t-Miss Dishes in Las Vegas A Food-Lover’s Guide to Las Vegas Things to Do in Las Vegas This Spring Lake Mead Cruises Top Shopping Spots in Las Vegas How to Get Around in Las Vegas Culture Lovers Guide to Las Vegas

Nearby

Nevada Palm Springs Flagstaff Sedona Anaheim & Buena Park Los Angeles Long Beach Santa Monica Scottsdale Phoenix La Jolla Monument Valley Paso Robles Arizona California

12 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Leave the neon lights of Sin City behind during this relaxing full-day guided kayak excursion on the Black Canyon section of the Colorado River. This paddling trip, which navigates several miles of placid water close to Hoover Dam, is great for kayakers of all experience levels. During your trip, stop to explore idyllic riverside beaches, caves, canyons, and hot springs. Your kayak guide also points out local wildlife, hidden inlets, hiking spots, and historical sites along the way. The trip also includes all necessary kayaking equipment, river permits, and safety lesson, lunch, bottled water, snacks, dry bag for personal items and round-trip hotel transport.

Get great views of Hoover Dam, the engineering marvel that lights up Las Vegas and much of the West
Stop to explore canyons, caves, hot springs, and beaches along the Colorado River
Paddle under a historic gauging station, built to measure the river's water flow
All kayak gear included with expert instruction, a great trip for beginning or experienced kayakers

What's Included

All necessary equipment (life vest, helmet, kayak)
Permit (non-refundable once booked)
Professional guide
Safety and paddling instruction
Lunch, bottled water and snacks
Dry bag for personal belongings
In-park transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Desert Adventures
1647 Boulder City Pkwy suite a, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Pick up from your Hotel is generally between 5:30 and 6:00am. We will call you the day before to give you a more exact pick up time. If guests do not require a hotel pick up, they can choose to meet us at our shop in Boulder City.

What To Expect

Start the day with an early morning pickup from your hotel in Las Vegas, continuing to the kayak center where you meet your guide and get your necessary gear for the trip. Once you’re ready to go, jump in your transport and head to the base of Hoover Dam, walking 1,100 feet (335 meters) down to the kayak launching point. You also clear a security checkpoint where you are asked to show a government-issued photo ID.

Receive a short safety lesson and paddling tips from your guide before setting off. The trip paddles through mostly calm water, though it can occasionally be bumpy depending on the weather. Rest assured that your boat is designed for maximum stability, includes safety gear and has rudders to assist with turning.

Soon after you set out, arrive at a great photo location with fantastic sightlines back to the Hoover Dam. Snap a few shots and then follow your guide towards the next landmark at Sauna Cave, where you can take two optional short hikes. The easy trails here trace their way through a slot canyon, leading to hot springs for swimming and relaxing. For those that skip the hike, take a break on the riverbank amidst the beautiful scenery until the group returns.

Take a break for a picnic lunch situated on a secluded beach. Once you’ve fueled up, continue paddling to your next sightseeing stop at Emerald Cave, along with a historic tramway and a station once used to measure the river’s flow rate. A nearby trailhead offers more hiking depending on your group’s progress.

Finish your trip at Willow Beach, where you rendezvous with a van that transports you back to Las Vegas. Bathrooms and refreshments are available at the beach’s marina. Bid farewell to your group and guide as you head back to your hotel, arriving in the early evening.

Please note: you must provide your exact name as it appears on your government-issued ID (passport or driver’s license) at the time of booking. The local operator will use this information to obtain the required permits. The tour cannot be confirmed without this detail.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Important: In order for the local operator to obtain the necessary permits for this tour ALL traveler names must be provided as they appear on a government issued ID such as a driver's license or passport. Your tour will not be confirmed unless all names are provided.
Please note once reservation is confirmed the local operator is required to purchase a launch permit (USD $31.80). This is non-refundable.
All travelers MUST bring a government issued ID on the day of the tour
A hearty boxed lunch is included. Our sandwich options are: Ham, Turkey, BLT, PB&J, or Chef Salad
Please refer to Viator's cancellation policy.

Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travellers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travellers

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

Featured review

Doris_O

Antonio was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable of the Black Canyon and the Colorado river; and he made it a very pleasant and safe experience. He was very patient and great company. I would definitely recommend this tour if you’re looking for a relaxing peaceful and beautiful outdoor experience.

Reviews

5.0

150 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 150 reviews

Great adventure to get out of the city!

Philip_G, Nov 2022

This was a Beautiful river adventure with a personal and humorous guide named “Gabriel”! Included was a delicious sandwich on the river, snacks, and even a few side hikes and excursions to get out of the kayak. Fantastic memories like that emerald water were my wife’s favorite part of our trip to Nevada.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Hi Philip! We're so glad you had a great time and lasting memories on the river with Gabe! We hope you can join us again soon!

Perfect trip Oct 17,2022

Lynnette_P, Oct 2022

The day was perfect. Beautiful scenery. Antonio our guide was so knowledgeable and fun to be with on our 12 mile trip. The lunch was great and the kayaks and equipment were in good shape. Would recommend a October trip with weather and temp being perfect.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hi Lynette, Thanks for the props! WE are so happy that you enjoyed your trip. We will pass it on to Antonio. We hope to see you again.

A wonderful day on the river!

Simon_T, Sept 2022

A truly wonderful day on the river! All the staff at Desert Adventures were so friendly, helpful and accommodating. Good communication before the trip and we were picked up at the exact time from a Las Vegas strip hotel by one of the guides Gabe. Our river guide was Neil, he was great fun, and he knew so much about all the geology and nature of the area and took great care with all health and safety procedures. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Stunning scenery, crystal clear water and so peaceful and quiet. The hiking to the hot springs was easy and the springs were very hot and just amazing. A couple of windy areas gave us some hard kayaking but with Neil’s encouragement we got through it. A whole day’s paddling is a good work out! Plenty of stops along the way for drinks and snacks and photos and a big tasty packed lunch. Recommend wearing a pair of training shoes you don’t mind getting wet, we were provided with 2 dry bags so there was plenty of room to store and keep dry our rucksack and essentials on our kayak. We had never Kayaked before so were very apprehensive of doing this trip but are so glad we did it and so glad we did the full day, it was the highlight of our Las Vegas holiday. Thank you to all at Desert Adventures.

Awesome kayak experience

Wayne_D, Sept 2022

This is one of the most memberable experiences as it pertains to Hoover Dam. Neil our guide was awesome and very knowledgeable, helpful, and an absolute pleasure to be to get to know.

Response from Host, Sept 2022

Hi Wayne, We are glad that you enjoyed your trip with Neil. You will carry the memory of the dam and the canyon forever. We hope to see you again soon!

Fantastic day

Sebastian_C, May 2022

I had a great day on the river thanks to my guide, Antonio he was knowledgeable on anything asked and had a real love for what he was doing! Would recommend this tour.

Response from Host, May 2022

Hello! We are glad to hear that you had a great day on the river with Antonio. We hope you tell all of your friends and also that you come see us again. We appreciate the review!

Awesome!

Bridgitte_W, Mar 2022

Our guide Luke was amazing; friendly and knowledgeable. The trip was just fun and unbelievably beautiful. I was a first -time kayaker and it was totally do-able. I will say that it is really important to wear good shoes for hiking, not just basic water shoes, as there are a lot of slippery areas during the small hikes. Thanks for an awesome day!!!

Response from Host, Mar 2022

We are so happy to hear about your amazing adventure and good job on trying out something new. We hope you adventure with us again!

Great time

Jaime_S, Mar 2022

Amazing experience with great stories. Water was flowing at a good pace and the lunch was fantastic. I would recommend this trip to everyone.

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Hi Jaime, We're glad you had a great time and hope you come back again soon!

Great time kayaking on the Colorado

Warren_m, Dec 2021

We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel. This made it convenient as we didn't have to deal with driving in the traffic congestion. We launched at the base of Hoover dam, we were the only ones on this tour so it made it even more personable. Gabe our guide was very knowledgeable in local fauna, geology, and history. We made 4 stops one was st a mine with a hot spring the interior was really neat with the mineral deposits. The second and 3rd stops were at hots springs with short easy walks at each of our stops. We didn't bath in the hot springs as the air temp was mid 40s. We were the only ones on the river for the first 9 miles till we almost reach our final destination. We highly recommend doing the tour with Dessert Adventureas they were very responsive to our needs, thanks Gabe for a great time.

Response from Host, Dec 2021

Warren, we're so glad you had a great time exploring our hidden gems with Gabe! We hope you can join us again soon!

A MUST DO!!

Jenna_C, Sept 2021

Sara , our tour guide, was top notch!! From the passion for her job to the unbelievable knowledge she has about the outdoors, this trip truly could not have been better. Beautiful landscapes, beautiful weather, peaceful 12hour voyage…. Amazing!!!

Response from Host, Sept 2021

Hi Jenna, We're so glad you had an amazing time! We hope you can join us in the future for another adventure!

Best trip ever

Duglas_A, Sept 2021

Lunch Time haha I just can say that it is a unique experience You will find many places to explore during the trip and many memorable moments that you will remember for a long time.

Response from Host, Sept 2021

We're glad you had a great time! We hope you come back for another adventure!

The best

Megan_S, Sept 2021

Gianni and Kristen were awesome! They really care about their jobs and if you are having a good time. We had a wonderful time. Book it you won’t regret! Number one best thing out of our trip to Vegas together.(husband and I)

Response from Host, Sept 2021

We love Gianni and Kristen too! We're glad you had a great time and hope you come back!

Kayaking and Hiking Adventure not to be missed!!!!

Melissa_S, Aug 2021

This was such a fantastic adventure! Hiking Boy Scout Canyon was our favorite part of the trip. Sauna Cave and Rainwater Cave were also amazing! I would recommend this to anyone looking for an adventure traveling to the Vegas area!

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Hi Melissa, We're so glad you had a great time. We hope you can join us again the next time you are in the area!

Great day

TimothyJ, Aug 2021

The guides, Sara and Luke are real people. Sara gets so excited just seeing little parts of nature. Luke loves the outdoors and knows his job. We never kayaked before but we felt very safe. It’s better than the dirty Vegas Strip. They picked us up right from our hotel lobby and dropped us all safe and sound. This was the best experience we have had in a long time.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Hi Timothy, We're so glad you could join us on an adventure! We hope you come back again soon!

It was fantastic! Sarah our guide made it a great day!

Kimberlee_B, Aug 2021

Scenery and beautiful calm clear water. Very little wind and at times the current gave us a push. Sarah’s knowledge of the lake and boating skills helped us “ first time kayakers “. We loved the experience and plan to do it again.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Kimberly, We're so glad you had a wonderful trip. We hope you join us for your next adventure!

Great experience for a family

Bobbie_L, Aug 2021

This was a fantastic excursion for our family. Our guide, Anthony, was so knowledgable and helpful! He took us to some beautiful areas along the river. The lunch provided was great and kept our energy up! At the end of 12 miles we were tired but extremely satisfied with what we accomplished!

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Hi Bobbie, We're so happy you enjoyed the trip. We hope you can join us again in the future!

Best kayak trip ever!

Bill_H, July 2021

Awesome group to book with. Picked us up and returned at our hotel. Very knowledgeable and fun guides. Gianni is the best!!

Response from Host, July 2021

Hi Bill, Good to hear that you had a good time. Please come visit us again for an another adventure!

Definitely recommend this trip!

Haley_G, July 2021

We had a fantastic time on our tour. Our tour guide, Gianni, was very knowledgable and brought us to all the sites we wanted to see. He was friendly, personable, and prepared. They will teach you and guide you on everything before you set off. This tour is completely worth it. You get views that you wouldn't see any other way. The river is stunning and the hot springs are so cool! We definitely would recommend booking this experience.

Response from Host, July 2021

Hi Haley, We are so glad that you enjoyed your river time with Gianni. Maybe you will come see again sometime...we hope so!

Beautiful and adventurous

Micah_J, June 2021

Launching from the Hoover Dam was terrific! The short hikes we took along the way were outstanding. Just enough kayaking and hiking to make a great tour. Our tour guide George was fantastic. Very knowledgeable about the area and the Hoover Dam. Good equipment and good lunch provided. This was the highlight of our vacation.

Response from Host, June 2021

Hi Micha, Great to hear! I will pass your comments on to George and hopefully you will tell your friends about the trip and you will come adventure with us again soon.

Amazing day

Todd_L, Apr 2021

What an amazing experience! This is a first class operation from beginning to end. From the time you are picked up in the morning until the time you get dropped off at night, the entire team makes you feel right at home. Our guide, Gianni, was phenomenal. Next time we are out in Vegas we will be looking him up for another adventure. He went above and beyond all day long. His knowledge of the area is unparalleled. He takes on little hikes throughout the trip. Some of these were so cool, and you’d never see them if you didn’t have him there to show you. I could go on and on, but it was truly a great day and more than worth every penny. If you’re looking to try something a little different while in Vegas, give this a look!

Response from Host, Apr 2021

Hi Todd, Thanks for the kind review. We love to show our guests the hidden treasures and look forward to taking you on another amazing adventure. Gianni is one of our faves as well. See you soon!

Just amazing

Elizabeth_B, Apr 2021

Very enjoyable trip ! Amazing scenery the views are breathtaking! The hot springs were among my favorite! The lunch was very good ! I am so happy I booked this trip and I would do it again !!!

Response from Host, Apr 2021

Hi Elizabeth, We are happy to hear that your trip was amazing! It is definitely a special place on the river to get to experience all of the hot springs. We love the lunches too and they come from a local diner. We hope to see you again the next time you are out here!!

...