Kayak Tour on the Verde River

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Sedona, USA

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0

· Rebecca_F ·

Apr 2026

We had a great time with our 9 and 11 year old kids. None of us have kayaking experience, and the guide safely navigated us down the the river. The company was very communicative and helpful and had everything on site we would need. Definitely recommend for people or families who don’t have experience and want a little adventure.

· Lindsey_S ·

Apr 2026

We had an amazing time. This was our favorite part of the trip. The guides were really fun and knowledgeable and knew a lot of history about the area and they made us feel really safe on the small faster parts. It was a very fun, exciting kayaking trip and I would totally do it again.

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Overview

Immerse yourself in Arizona’s beautiful scenery—and enjoy a new way to explore—on this family-friendly kayaking tour along the Verde River. Pick between several departure times, grab your safety gear, and set off in a shuttle to the river with just a small group for company. This beginner-friendly tour includes a relaxing paddle down a 3.1-mile (5-kilometer) stretch of this river, and the chance to take on gentle mini rapids.

Admire the lush scenery along the Verde River from the water’s edge
This small-group tour guarantees hands-on guidance and training
Safety gear, inflatable or hard kayaks, and shuttle transit included
Get out in nature and enjoy a fun and lively way to explore

What's Included

Professional safety-certified guides
Shuttle driver and transport to and from the river
Kayak, paddles, and PFD (Life vest)
A smiling good time and memories to share!

Guide Gratuity not included but always appreciated

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

551 N Main St, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, USA
CHECK IN AT OAC TOURS 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO LAUNCH TIME (10am tour = 915am check in. 2pm tour =115pm check in)551 N Main Street, Cottonwood AZ 86326. This is a group tour. Shuttle departs on the half hour. Late arrivals will need to reschedule. (Headed towards Old Town Cottonwood-ATVs parked roadside)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Start your river adventure with a convenient check-in at Cottonwood, where you'll pick your kayak, and you can opt for a tandem kayak if you're traveling as a pair.

From there, a shuttle transfer ensures hassle-free transport to the river, sparing you the effort of carrying heavy gear, such as your kayak, paddle, and life jacket to the river. Paddle along a beginner-friendly, 3.1-mile (5-kilometer) stretch of the Verde River, where Arizona's landscape unfolds with gentle mini rapids adding to the excitement.

The tour wraps up where it began, so you can then continue your adventures without having to arrange transport from a new setting.

551 N Main St (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Jami_B

This was a great way to experience the outdoors. Easy even for less experienced people. Took our kids 12,13 in double kayaks. Saw a turtle, ducks, a Fischer, and some farm animals along the way! Our Guide was knowledgeable and had our safety first in mind saving us from tipping over a few times! Maverick was a great guide! He was very knowledgeable about the history of the area too! Owners and other staff were very kind and helpful getting us all set to go!

Reviews

5.0

based on 618 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Wonderful!!

Debra_L, May 2026

It was a great day on the River! Loved every minute. Our guide was awesome!! Thanks for a wonderful day!!

Verde River kayak 4/21/26

Jerry_S, Apr 2026

The water is pretty cold and not very deep. You will hit rocks and run aground! The guides did a great job! They were patient and were extremely helpful, especially for the novices! Highly recommend this kayak tour!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for the review Jerry! 🙂

fun time!

Bill_M, Apr 2026

very relaxing and fun-filled time floating down the verde river. the guides were patient, helpful, and knowledgeable.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Bill! We're happy you joined us and hope to host you in the future.

Fabulous experience

Stacey_J, Apr 2026

We had the best time with Chris and Steve. Comfortable and clean kayaks. Relaxing tour with some small rapids. Really enjoyable.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for the kind words Stacey! We take a lot of pride in our team and equipment.

It’s a perfect kayak trip...

Mark_J, Apr 2026

It’s a perfect kayak trip for beginners. It is easy but has some exciting rapids. The guide is amazing ! We learned a lot about the area and wild life too.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Glad you all had fun! Your welcome back anytime. 😊

Fantastic for a family adventure!

Rebecca_F, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Rebecca! We look forward to hosting your family in the future.

A must do!

Marti_L, Apr 2026

So much fun! A great way to take in all the scenery. We went in April and the water was cold! It was 66 degrees and it would take your breath away but the kids still swam. You will get wet from the waste down due to water splashing in and getting in/out of your boat. I loved that they took pics for you! Our guides were so helpful and chill about everything. 5 stars!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you! 🫶 we love being able to help capture those moments for everyone.

Adventure on the Verde

kaitlin_y, Apr 2026

This is a must do adventure especially with older kids or teens. We had a blast on the verde river. The guides were awesome and shared so much knowledge about the area and environment. They were great with our kids too. They did a fantastic job ensuring everyone was safe and had fun and took awesome pics! Make sure you bring your water shoes and wear clothes that can get wet and possibly a little dirty.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for the stellar review Kaitlin! We love being able to share the experience with everyone

Amazing time on the Verde

Lindsey_S, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

We hope to host you again Lindsey! Thank you for the review 😊

Fun family experience

Alon_P, Apr 2026

Very fun experience. Water levels are pretty low, but still enough to have a good day. It's definitely an arm workout 😄. Saw a lot of wildlife around.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for the kind words Alon!

Great experience

Lori_V, Apr 2026

My husband and my 2 kids and I did the kayak guided tour and it was a wonderful experience. The guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining. The river is great for beginners and experienced kayakers. If you're in the area this is a must do!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Lori! Hope to see your group again and so glad you all enjoyed it!

It was awesome! Our...

Jenna_W, Apr 2026

It was awesome! Our family all enjoyed it, the rapids were a lot of fun. Guides were all great. Nice stretch of river for people with of various skill levels.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

We were happy to have you amd the group Jenna! Thank for the kind review 😊

Fantastic family experience

Jeffrey_S, Mar 2026

Our family of 5 (ages 7, 10, 12) had no previous experience and were a bit nervous to try kayaking. Our entire experience was 10/10 and our kids would have never gotten off the river, especially thanks to the FABULOUS river guides. They kept things educational, fun and we were thrilled with the entire trip down the Verde. The staff are wonderful, patient, knowledgeable and fun! They make sure you are prepared and confident. Highly recommend!!!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for such a kind review Jeffrey! We are always happy to share the experience with beginners and hope you might join us again in the future!

So fun!!!

Erin_C, Mar 2026

Very family friendly. The Staff is wonderful and make you feel relaxed when your not sure what to expect. The River is beautiful! So much fun!!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Erin! We love our staff and glad to hear guest feel the same. 😊

Mild rapids

Janell_M, Mar 2026

Go kayaking often on vacation and this was one of our favorites. Mild rapids, funny and attentive guides. Took photos for us so we could enjoy the day.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Janell! We're happy you enjoyed experience. 😊

Fun on the river

Steve_g, Mar 2026

It’s was a lot of fun guide’s we’re great 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼fun fun fun would do again, Craig and Steve are great

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Steve! We love Craig and Steve and are happy they meet our guests expectations!

Great time!

Derek_D, Mar 2026

I really appreciated the guides. Walt and Nick were very knowledgeable of the area and made the experience a lot of fun. Definitely will recommend the trip to my friends and family.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thanks Derek! We look forward to hosting them! We love reading how well our guides have done.

Verde river kayak tour

Kristin_A, Mar 2026

We had a blast on the Verde River with our tour guide! Our family of 4 went, the river had several fun class 2 rapids to navigate, the scenery was stunning, and our guides were charming, engaging, kind and fun. We felt perfectly safe and well cared for, and the experience went seamlessly from check in to the end. So glad they took pics for us! It was just long enough. It was fun to hear about the town’s history and navigate the rapids. Would definitely recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Kristin! We hope to host your family in future.

Recommend

Jon_H, Mar 2026

A good and fun way to beat the heat! A seamless process from start to finish. Fun to have some rapids. Chris and Nick were great guides.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Jon! We love to recieve direct feedback about our guides and process. Were excited to hear you were happy with both.

Fun afternoon on the river

Becca_B, Mar 2026

The nature was beautiful, that guides were friendly and knowledgeable and took great pictures. It was a great way to beat the heat in the afternoon. They aren't joking about the arrival time so make sure to show up when they tell you!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Becca! Were happy you enjoyed the trip! We try our best to give everyone ample time to get ready so we dont interfere with other plans 😊

Great time on the river!

Jenna_G, Mar 2026

Great, fun experience that is easy for beginners! Looking forward to seeing the photos the guides took for us on the trip!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hope you enjoyed the photos Jenna! Apperciate the wonderful review!

Awesome Experience!!

Jeff_L, Mar 2026

This is a great trip to take for all ages!! Everyone involved was awesome but our 3 guides were especially great. They were patient and helpful no matter your experience level! They also took all of our pictures for us so we didn’t have to take our phones and then sent them to us for free. Highly recommend this tour!!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Jeff! Our guides loved being part of your experience and look forward to hosting you in the future.

Verde River

Valinda_S, Mar 2026

So beautiful and fun. Great guides. Take photos and send them to you free Also the verde is a national wild and scenic river.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Valinda! We love the river and being able to share it with our guests.

I took my 17 and 14 year...

Carrie_N, Mar 2026

I took my 17 and 14 year old boys on this kayak tour. It was a great mix of fun and relaxation! The guides were great. We all loved it. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Carrie! We're happy to hear you enjoyed your experience.

The guides were very...

Nicholas_D, Feb 2026

The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful while leading us down the river. My kids had an awesome time.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Nicholas! We're happy to hear you all had a great time!

Great experience for families outdoors

Jami_B, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you Jami! We love Maverick and are happy he was able to provide an enjoyable experience for you and your family.

The office of the kayak...

Serani_W, Nov 2025

The office of the kayak company is in Cottonwood. If you go solo, you are at the mercy of others joining the experience. If there are not enough participants, the organizing company can cancel the trip. This happened to me the first day. I was able to go the next day due to two other people joining in. No one answered the phone numbers given for the tour company till early afternoon. The advertised time was 12 Noon but was told the tour will be at 10:00 am. The time should be correctly advertised for those coming from out of town. Given all these inconveniences, the experience of kayaking down the Verde river was wonderful. The staff were very kind and helpful in person. Just check all the information in advance.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

We are sorry for any confusion. The 4 person minimum is stated in advance in the confirmation. We did call and text and know people dont often answer unknown numbers. 12pm was your original tour. 10am was the rebooking. Though both were clearly stated and you responded to the 7am notification to give advance notice, we still understand the frustration of a change to your plans. Glad you enjoyed the trip and hope the photos provided at no charge provide lasting memories.

Super fun kayak tour!

Kris_H, Nov 2025

This was so much fun for us two gals that had never kayak'd before. The river was beautiful, the rapids added just enough excitement and adventure + our guide Ken was knowledgeable and super helpful!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

We are glad Ken helped you enjoy the experience. Thanks for sharing!

Great value

Megan_J, Nov 2025

Walt was an excellent guide! We were safe, had a lot of fun, and got to learn about the local fauna and flora as well as history along the river.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

We love Walt too! Glad he helped you enjoy the experience. Thanks for taking the time to share

Perfect for a sunny afternoon adventure

Tyler_C, Oct 2025

We were lead on an excellent 3-mile kayaking adventure by Craig. It was a small group, the perfect size of six, and we had the most fun. We were provided water guns and given instruction on how to paddle and it was great for both me (30s and expert kayaker) and my 73 year old mother. The whole tour was very chill and very entertaining. The Rapids were more than I expected but even my mom had a great time on them even though she was initially nervous. Would definitely recommend as a fun thing to do near Sedona!