If you're looking for a nature break from Las Vegas, spend a day paddling down the Colorado River on this kayak tour that starts form the iconic Hoover Dam. Experienced river guides will get you geared up and ready for the voyage no matter what your experience level, so you can enjoy the stunning scenery of the Black Canyon. Take breaks along the way at waterfalls, natural hot springs, and a sauna cave.

Choose from a double or single kayak or stand-up paddleboard
Athletic, family-friendly activity that even beginners can do
Enjoy natural hot springs and look for desert wildlife along the way
Includes all kayak and safety gear plus healthy snacks and water

What's Included

Single or double kayaks
Life Vest
Bottled water
Private transportation
Snacks
Lunch

Gratuity for the professional guide
Non-refundable National Park Permit: $30(+$1.8 booking fee) per adult, $15(+$1 booking fee) under 16

Meeting and Pickup

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

Meeting point

Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino
18000 US-93, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA
Meeting location is the Hoover Dam Lodge, U.S. 93, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA. Meet in the Parking Lot!

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

IMPORTANT: Pickup from the Mandalay Bay Hotel at the Shuttle Pickup Area on the Lower Level.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Service animals allowed
Not wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
We recommend you bring: hat, sunglasses, sunblock, swimsuit, towel.

Some kind of water shoes is a must for this adventure (over one mile hiking).
Depending on the time of the year layered clothing is recommended.
The booking does not include the National Park permit that is $30(+$1.8 booking fee)/adult and $15(+$1 booking fee) for 16 or under. We will contact you after your booking was made to arrange the permit. Permits are non-refundable therefore you will not be refunded for the permits if you cancel the tour.
We don't recommend this tour for anyone with physical disabilities or with heart, shoulder or back problem
Maximum weight limit is 300lb/person
No Alcohol or Smoking Allowed.
Please consider this, the Hoover Dam adventure is recommended only for physically fit people. We do not recommend this activity to anyone with a heart condition, back problems, shoulder problems or any medical or physical limitation. This tour is pretty physical and requires stamina. This tour is a total of 12 miles of kayaking and 2 miles hiking. (It's NOT a leisure FLOAT)
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:How do I arrange pickup for the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:The meeting location is the Hoover Dam Lodge on U.S. 93 in Boulder City or from the Mandalay Bay Hotel at the shuttle pick-up area on the lower level. Please specify your preferred departure location in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Aug 2021

Q:How early will I be picked up for the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:The meeting time (pick up) is 6:30 am at Mandalay Bay in the Shuttle & Tour Pick-up area. Be sure to call the phone number on your ticket at least 24 hours prior to departure to confirm the exact pickup details.

Aug 2021

Q:Do I need kayak experience to enjoy the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:This tour accommodates all skill levels. You will be using top-quality kayaks with rudders for easy steering.

Aug 2021

Q:How far do we kayak during the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:This is a 12 mile downstream kayaking adventure where you will spend approximately 7 hours on the water.

Aug 2021

Q:What should I bring with me on the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:Please bring a hat, sunglasses, sunblock, water shoes, (no flip-flops!) and a great attitude.

Aug 2021

Q:What should I wear on the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:Wear layered clothing and be sure to wear your swimsuit under your clothes.

Aug 2021

Q:Do I need to bring food or water with me on the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:Lunch, healthy snacks, fruit, and bottled water are provided. If you have any specific snacks you'd like, feel free to bring them along with you. Note: Alcohol and smoking are not permitted on the tour at any time.

Aug 2021

Q:What happens if there is bad weather on the date of my Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River?

A:This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, the local operator will reach out to you to arrange a different date or a full refund.

Aug 2021

Q:Are the guides knowledgeable on the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:Yes. The guides have extensive kayaking history and are very knowledgeable in kayaking as well as the areas you will be visiting during the tour.

Aug 2021

Q:Are there any additional fees for the Hoover Dam Kayak Tour on Colorado River with Optional Pickup in Las Vegas?

A:There are no additional fees. The National Park Services (NPS) permit is included in the tour price.

Aug 2021

Traveler Photos

Featured review

John_P

Awesome trip! Would absolutely do it again! Our guide (Edgar) was excellent. Lots of local knowledge and info about the River, canyon, dam, wildlife, plants, etc. We had lots of fun. A great day on the river!

Reviews

5.0

73 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 73 reviews

Unforgettable adventure

Jeff_Y, Mar 2024

Awesome guide friendly and knowledgeable of area history he made it our day. This was our first kayak experience. It was great. Excellent experience.

Beautiful water and cave...

Lisa_M, Mar 2024

Beautiful water and cave and our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. A bit too windy but just enough sunshine to be a all around great day.

Amazing day on the river!

Celena_B, Mar 2024

It was my first time at natural hot springs, and boy were some of them HOT!!!! The sauna cave was also a new experience for me - be prepared to sweat!! Robby was a great tour guide, he is knowledgeable & fun - the "dad jokes" just keep coming!!

Greatest adventure ever

Vivien_Y, Jan 2024

I had a beautiful day and an awesome tour on the Colorado river from the Hoover Dam to Willow Beach. This is a one of a kind experience, stunning scenery, a day full of interesting things, sauna cave, hot springs, Emerald Cave, historical sites, and more. If you want to enjoy a day in the nature, don't look further. :-)

DO IT!!

Krystal_R, Mar 2022

We had an amazing time! It was absolutely worth every penny spent. My only suggestion would be to prepare for different weather. We went in March expecting it to be much warmer and showed up during a cold spell. It was actually perfect weather for kayaking I just didn’t pack appropriately. I consider myself a pretty decent kayaker and I would say that this was a pretty fulfilling trip. If you’re looking to just float down the river this isn’t for you but if you actually enjoy kayaking you should go! Our tour guide had a great attitude and was knowledgeable about everything along the way. Everybody should see the river like this at least once in their lives!

Rock Star Guide

Rebecca_L, Oct 2021

Jenna, our Rock Star Guide made the experience top notch ! Her knowledge and trivia questions personalized the adventure!

Not What We Were Hoping For....

Lisa_C, Jul 2021

I will start by saying that I take reviews seriously. As a reader, reviews help me to gauge whether something is a good fit for our family. As a writer, I seek to give praise where it is deserved, and provide honest feedback where it is needed, so others can gauge for themselves if something is a good fit for them. I don’t write or post negative reviews unless I think it’s absolutely necessary. I understand that life and mistakes happen, and that negative reviews can have a big impact on a business, especially a small one. Unfortunately, this is one of those rare times where a negative review is warranted. My husband and I have been to Vegas several times, have done all the regular touristy things, and decided to try something new this time around. We looked at several options and, although we had never kayaked before, settled on a full-day kayak trip. No experience was necessary, and it sounded beautiful. Since this was the only company that had openings, we booked with them. The only information we had about the trip was the information in the Viator description. We had very little expectations going in, and I’m glad. We ended up being very disappointed, but probably would have been furious if we had had known any better. PROS: - The scenery was BEAUTIFUL! We even saw a few animals! - Kayaking was easier than we expected. CONS: - Everything else. The initial meeting location is a common area for all of the kayak companies. We arrived at the location early, so we watched from a distance as other companies fitted their guests with life jackets, picked out kayaks and gave formal instructions/guidance on how to kayak and what to expect during their trip. Questions were welcomed and answered. Each company had multiple, professional looking and sounding staff members and the communication between staff and guests seemed great. Then our company arrived. Since this was our first time kayaking (and our tour guide knew it), and the Viator description said the trip accommodated all skill levels (including beginner), AND we had just watched other companies thoroughly prepare their guests, we expected our company would run through a similar procedure, offering a little instruction and guidance. We got almost nothing. From the very start, our kayak trip/experience felt very unprofessional and seemed “thrown together.” Staff arrived at different times, didn’t stick together, were not easily identifiable and were sparse. We got sent between different staff members to check in, fill out papers, ask questions, etc. No big deal except trying to figure out who was with the company wasn’t easy, and then one hand didn’t seem to know what the other hand was doing. We waited and waited in the hot parking lot for our trip to begin, with no communication as to what we were waiting for and how long we would be waiting. Finally, someone told us “all” (there were a whopping 6 guests total in our group) to get in the company’s van, which we did. We rode in the van as the driver and tour guide talked amongst themselves, again not letting us know where we were headed, how long it would take, what to expect, etc. The ride was relatively short and painless, we just felt clueless. When we arrived at our launch site, we were each thrown life jackets and told to tighten them to fit. We were then called over to the van, given a kayak, told to carry it “down there” and get in the water. My husband and I used a double kayak and THANK GOODNESS we did – a single kayak would have been impossible to carry myself! Even with my husband carrying most of the load, we struggled to get the double kayak to water. And staff did not once offer to help. (I’m sure experienced kayakers already know how heavy a kayak is, but we had no idea and I’m sure others don’t either.) Once down by the water, we loaded into our kayaks and waited for further instruction. Instead, our tour guide just took off! The other 4 people in our group had kayaked before, and my husband is athletic and a quick learner so he learned very quickly how to get around in the kayak and keep up with the tour guide, but again, if it had just been me, it would have been a terrible situation. We progressed through our kayak trip much the same way it started – blindly. We never did learn our tour guide’s name. When he talked, it was about himself. When we kayaked, he went off and explored on his own. At one point he asked someone in our group to hold his kayak while he went snorkeling! When we stopped at a location, he again did his own thing. The ONLY time we got information was when we asked the tour guide ourselves, and then he was annoyed and impatient. We had no idea how many miles we had kayaked, how long our trip would be, what stops were going to happen, when to expect snacks and lunch – NOTHING! We did have a snack (banana and granola bar) mid-morning and that was fine. We were supposed to stop at a sandy beach for lunch, but our tour guide felt it was too crowded (it wasn’t) so he took us further down the river to a rocky location to eat. It was uncomfortable and “lunch” was a smooshed sandwich. If we wanted drinking water, we had to ask. Almost our entire trip, we watched as other talkative and knowledgeable tour guides navigated their groups, played music and encouraged loads of fun with water guns and other activities. Toward the end of our trip we passed by the Emerald Cave. If you read the Viator description, you are led to believe this is a part of your trip (“Highligths ▪ Sauna Cave ▪ Relax in Hot Springs ▪ Enjoy stunning waterfalls ▪ See amazing desert wildlife ▪ Historical site ▪ Sparkling Emerald Cave ….”). That is not the case. When we asked about the Emerald Cave, our tour guide said it was too crowded, so we passed right by. And then waited idly in the water for at least a half hour so our tour guide could get “just the right picture” of the other 4 guests (a family) before going moving on. While we very much enjoyed the scenery, that only goes so far. By the end of the trip, my husband and I were bored and disappointed, and completely ready for it to end. So were the other people in our group. We had no idea where “the end” even was so we followed kayakers from other companies to find our way. Once onshore, staff loaded the kayaks, took the life jackets and told us to walk to the marina, enjoy a beer, and meet in the parking lot. By the time we got to the marina and bought a beer, the company was ready to leave. We all had to dump our drinks, load up and head back. As before, staff on the van really only conversed with themselves. Back at the meeting location, the tour guide asked for our phone numbers so he could send us the pictures he took and then kind of just hung around waiting for a tip. We gave a small tip and left, relieved to be done. As I said before, we understand life happens and people have off-days. One or two of these issues would have easily been tolerated. But when the issues comprise of your entire experience, that’s a different story. While we may decide to kayak again at some point, it will NEVER be with this company. Ever. We hope they will read this review and choose to learn and improve.

Awesome trip!

John_P, Jul 2021

Great time!

Dalton_B, Jun 2021

Our family did the full day trip & thoroughly enjoyed it! Edgar was knowledgeable & pointed things out to us along the way. We saw bighorn sheep multiple times & got a close up of a Peregrine falcon. The stops at the hot springs alternating with the cold river water were exhilarating! Edgar took extra time to make sure our family enjoyed ourselves & had amazing photos to remember this experience.

Wonderful trip

Eniko_N, Jun 2021

This trip is worth every penny! Edgar was a great guide: made sure we hydrated enough, found great places to stop along the river and shared interesting information. The trip starts early (6:30 am) but you do want to start early!

AMAZING

Melissa_B, May 2021

This was the best thing we have ever done in Vegas!!!! It is worth every penny. I would plan a trip back to Vegas just to do this again. Edgar was an amazing guide and so knowledgeable!!!

Great adventure

Sharyll_L, Apr 2021

We had a great time our guide was friendly and patient. Only one suggestion.. we only had a sandwich and water. Maybe more food for the whole day tour or ask to bring your own snacks

Amazing trip- do it!

Tracey_B, Mar 2021

So worth while, Edgar was so passionate about safety and the environment. Offers in depth explanations r/t history, geography and environmental awareness for the area. Beautiful scenery and took pictures of our group (he knew the best way to get a good pic)so we could be in pic.

Our trip was amazing!...

Cheryl_I, Mar 2021

Our trip was amazing! Edgar was an awesome guide and so knowledgeable. He is incredibly professional and patient with our varied kayaking experience. I loved the Hot Springs,the weather was perfect and lunch and snacks were yummy. Thank you for a great experience!

Great experience.. good trip

Pranshu_S, Jan 2021

This was a great Trip. Friendly and knowledgeable staffs. Bali was my guide. He was amazing. He was very helpful and supportive.

Once in a lifetime tour

Debra_M, Sep 2020

This was the most amazing, once in a lifetime, bucket list adventure. Brett was the most amazing guide and we were able to just enjoy the sights, which were phonomenal and enjoy kayaking. I would recommend this amazing tour to everyone. This is a must for people who are going to Vegas. All of the shows are closed but this nature show is truly one to see💕💕💕💕

amazing

Brittany_V, Sep 2020

This was an amazing experience, my husband and I took the 12 mile tour from the Hoover dam with Bret as our guide. He was a great time and extremely knowledgeable with an amazing sense of humor! I would recommend this company and experience to anyone!

full day tour

Sharon_C, Jul 2020

Great tour Jeana was wonderful. Weather was good 👍.....please have a vegetarian option for lunch for future guest

Look no further ...

Jeremey_K, Sep 2019

I'll share an experience when it's a great one and this one is exactly that. From Bali, to email contacts, to text messages, to our Kayak Guide - Super J :) , to Zoltan, this outfit just shines in the area of getting it right. We enjoyed the pace, starting at the Hoover Dam, learning about the wildlife, the cafes etc ... I just couldn't have asked for more. The landscape is ripe with kayak outfits, but this one was unique and they made it perfect. No bull, nothing but great customer service. Perhaps next time the current and winds will blow the other direction? HHAHAHAHH