Self-Guided Emerald Cave Kayak Tour on Colorado River
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Las Vegas, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Guided paddles run on someone else's pace and route, which doesn't suit everyone. Set your own on a self-guided kayak trip to Emerald Cave, paddling the calm waters of the Colorado River through Black Canyon near Las Vegas. Watch for bighorn sheep on the cliffs as you glide along flat, sheltered water, which suits beginners as much as regular paddlers.
- Escape the city for a peaceful kayak trip on the Colorado River
- Self-guided tour: explore at your own pace without a group schedule
- All kayak equipment provided for a hassle-free adventure
- Scenic route with chances to spot bighorn sheep and wildlife
What's Included
- Use of Kayaks, Paddles, and Life Jackets
- National Park Entrance Fee per vehicle is$25.00 per booking
- Gratuities (Optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Willow Beach, AZ 86445, USA
The meetup location is the kayak beach boat launch at the Willow Beach Marina
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Willow Beach Marina
2
Colorado River
3
Emerald Cove
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Weight- over 290 pounds please call.
- Your launcher will be wearing a bright green sun shirt or tank top featuring the logo 'Venture Out Vegas.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q:What will I see during the Emerald Cave Kayak Tour?
A:When paddling the Colorado River upstream into Black Canyon, you may see Desert Big Horn Sheep or possibly even Bald Eagles. Then upon arrival, you can enjoy the beautiful green waters of Emerald Cave before your group kayaks back!
Jan 2024
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Dana_H
We had an absolutely fantastic time on our kayak trip with Venture Out Vegas! Our guide, Blair, was the perfect mix of fun and professional. He not only had incredibly knowledgeable about the area's history and wildlife, but also had a great sense of humor that made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
We also felt completely safe the entire time. Blair was super safety-conscious, making sure everyone was comfortable with the gear and the water conditions.
Getting out on the water and the stunning scenery of the Colorado River was the perfect break from the noise and lights of the Strip. Highly recommend!
Reviews
5.0
based on 530 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Maxwell_C, Aug 2026
Ignacio did a great job making us feel safe out on the water! I went with my siblings, who are not outdoorsy and one has never event kayaked before, all had a phenomenal time. Worth every penny
Heather_G, Aug 2026
Great experience! It’s a little work coming back but we had no problems. Cave and surrounding area are gorgeous and the water temps are phenomenal in triple digit temps 🥵
Kellie_L, Aug 2026
Top notch service
Top notch communication
Top notch everything!!
Ignacio knew the space so well and came out to the caves to meet us!
Nothing but great things to say!
Super flexible, knowledgeable and made the experience for us!!
Thank you :)
Loni_P, Jun 2026
Blair was great! Great communication prior to the trip! Loved the self guided tour!! A must do in Vegas!!
Joe_M, Jun 2026
Ignacio is now part of our family. It was a great day. We are celebrating our 25 wedding anniversary and Iggy made the day wonderful.
He’s very attentive to the customer and he adjusts the day based upon customer experience etc.
He was knowledgeable and knew the best places to lead us. I bet we saw around 15 big horn sheep and 1 bald eagle.
You literally need to bring nothing except good expectations. Thank you for a wonderful time and for all the wonderful pictures.
Dedra_T, Jun 2026
EJ is an awesome guide and very reliable and knowledge of the river, surroundings and history. From booking, pre-trip communication, put-in, equipment set up, adventure and take-out everything went smoothly and made for a great adventure! The photos came quickly too and are well done Highly recommend and we will be back!
Brooke_S, Jun 2026
We had the absolute best time ! Ignacio was our guide and he was so nice and informational and felt like he was part of our group!! If we book again we will be requesting him!
Susan_Q, Apr 2026
Viator was great by setting us up with a wonderful guide. Outdoor Las Vegas could not have better, our experience with them was awesome.
Gavin_B, Apr 2026
After taking payment in full the operator rescheduled our tour but we were not able to make the alternative date they offered us. We suggested another possible date that they said they should be able to do and they said they would confirm and send details the next day but they didn’t. When I chased them up they did respond but the time of the alternative tour on the day we discussed finished too late for us and were couldn’t fit it in. As the payment had been taken before informing us it needed to be rescheduled we felt under pressure to accommodate the changes but it wasn’t possible and now the operator is refusing to refund us
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Gavin,
We take feedback seriously, but this review does not reflect what actually occurred.
Your original Friday tour was never canceled. Tours still operated that day as scheduled. We reached out on Wednesday purely as a courtesy — especially seeing you were traveling with children — to offer an alternative for Thursday, which had some of the best weather we had seen on radar in months, so your family could avoid potentially windy conditions.
You were unable to do Thursday, and before we could even get a fully accurate read on Friday’s conditions, you made the decision not to proceed on Friday and instead requested to move to Saturday.
Although Saturday was originally closed on our end due to prior obligations, we reopened our schedule specifically to accommodate your group. Once reopened, two additional guests booked, and we then closed the day again to intentionally keep it a small, high-quality experience for everyone — including your family.
Your Saturday booking was:
Requested by you.
Confirmed by you.
Scheduled and staffed accordingly.
Less than 14 hours before the tour, after everything had been finalized, you raised a concern about timing that had already been clearly communicated and agreed upon — both at the time of your original booking and again during your requested reschedule. But we even accommodated that!
For additional context:
When you raised concerns about timing, we contacted the other guests booked that day to try to accommodate your request.
They were happy to proceed with the scheduled plan.
The tour remained fully operational and ready to go.
At that point, we had already adjusted operations to create a more customized, small-group experience
Additionally, there was no lapse in communication on our end. We remained responsive throughout and provided clear updates, confirmations, and options at each step. Communication from your side ceased after arrangements had been confirmed.
Later that night, we were contacted by the booking platform regarding your request for a refund. We do wish communication had remained direct, as escalating externally can create unnecessary confusion — especially with parties who are not involved in day-to-day operations.
Fortunately, we were able to provide them with the full message history, clearly documenting the timeline, confirmations, and communication throughout. Based on that documentation, the situation was reviewed accordingly. We moved mountains to accommodate your family, Viator agreed!
It’s also important to note that we were not the party that processed or collected your payment, and we do not receive funds immediately. Had you reached out to us directly, we would have made every effort to find a fair and reasonable solution. Instead, escalating the situation in this manner misrepresents the circumstances and unnecessarily impacts a small business that had already gone out of its way to accommodate your request.
To be clear:
Your tour was never canceled by us.
You chose to reschedule.
We adjusted our operations and reopened a closed day to accommodate your family.
Your requested reschedule was honored.
Your booking was confirmed prior to your change in plans.
We also adjusted the entire tour and the other party was willing to change their plans too.
We stand by our policies and the level of service reflected in our 1,000+ five-star reviews — this being our first one-star review to date.
We wish you the best moving forward.
— Venture Out Vegas
PamelaJ_B, Sep 2025
We spent a most amazing day kayaking the Colorado and visiting the Emerald Cave with VENTURE OUT VEGAS. Blair, our guide, was funny, shared much of the history of the area with us, and quickly became a part of our family. He made sure our experience was safe, fun, and left us with many great memories. Thank you for a wonderful day!
James_S, Aug 2025
Blair was an excellent tour guide. He was helpful from even before we arrived by sending out detailed information on where to meet him and what to do. He gave us a lots of information about the area, and helped out the novice kayakers.
Dana_H, Aug 2025
We had an absolutely fantastic time on our kayak trip with Venture Out Vegas! Our guide, Blair, was the perfect mix of fun and professional. He not only had incredibly knowledgeable about the area's history and wildlife, but also had a great sense of humor that made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
We also felt completely safe the entire time. Blair was super safety-conscious, making sure everyone was comfortable with the gear and the water conditions.
Getting out on the water and the stunning scenery of the Colorado River was the perfect break from the noise and lights of the Strip. Highly recommend!
Tammy_K, Jul 2025
Everything was awesome. Blair’s is a great guide. He’s professional,knowledgeable and the best. Highly recommend taking the kayak adventure. 5 stars for sure!
Michelle_M, Jul 2025
This was the perfect introduction to kayaking for our family who had never kayaked. Blair was patient, informative and kind -- from the prompt pick-up and drop-off at our hotel to his expansive knowledge of the area and its hidden gems. We had a very small group (my family of four and a handful of others) and he knew at all times where everyone was on the water.
Ginger_B, May 2025
Blair and Christine are exceptional! We had a fantastic time! Both are very helpful and fun! If you are looking for a great time off the strip.. you found it! 😃
Rustin_R, May 2025
Our guide EJ was wonderful. He made the experience all about us. He clearly tailors the experience to his audience. We had a great time
Evan_P, Apr 2025
We recently did the Emerald Cave Kayak Adventure with Blair as our guide. We had such an amazing time! Our 15 and 12 year old daughters were with us and they really loved it too. Blair was so friendly, knowledgeable and patient. He provided great information about the area and clear instructions. I really appreciated how engaged he was with our kids and how well he communicated the whole time. We highly recommend a tour with Blair!
Jill_G, Mar 2025
Blair is the best tour guide! Highly recommend. Had a great time in the emerald cave. Was not too strenuous for people of average fitness levels.
Kerry_B, Mar 2025
Highly recommend doing this tour. Very small group - so was more personalized and felt very safe - our tour guide was fantastic - knowledgeable, sense of humor and made the tour interesting and enjoyable. Thank you so much for an amazing day.
Inna_D, Dec 2024
We were a family with 6 and 10 YO kids. We all enjoyed this trip, the guide was professional and friendly and the river was amazing!
Stacie_H, Nov 2024
Blair was an amazing guide. This experience was so peaceful and tranquil surrounded by beautiful scenery.
Wendy_M, Nov 2024
We had an absolutely fantastic trip with Blair down the Colorado River. He gave us lots of good information about the area and was a total pleasure to spend a day with. Be sure to book with Blair at Venture Out Vegas Tours as he only takes smaller groups (12 max I believe) as opposed to other LARGE groups on the river.
William_C, Nov 2024
Blair was an awesome guy. Pick up was efficient. He explained everything thoroughly.
He paid attention to the guests needs and gave good advice.
Patrick_C, Oct 2024
Scenery awesome. Blair was an amazing guide/entertainer/educator. Very few other kayakers on the river.
Robert_K, Oct 2024
Fabulous trip with Christine and Blair. Colorado river by Kayak was an incredible experience. Would recommend as a nice wee escape from the insanity of Las Vegas!
Hannah_F, Oct 2024
My husband and I booked this last minute and we are so glad we did! It was organized and fun! The views on the river are breathtaking! It was so beautiful and peaceful. It was the best ending to our Vegas trip and Blair, our guide was absolutely fantastic. Will
Definitely book with him again!
teresa_p, Aug 2024
Blair was our guide for the Emerald Cave Kayak tour. He was great! Picked us up at our hotel on the strip. Saw eagles, herons, big horn sheep! Hot day went swimming in the cool water. Cave was a beautiful spot! The landscape of the river/canyon was awesome! Blair had smaller groups than other tours and his experience made for a great/memorable trip. Will seek his tours to venture out for other Vegas outdoor activities!
Hayley_C, Aug 2024
Extremely good, personalized service. Call them directly. Small group makes all the difference. Will pick you up at your hotel. Terrific for families.
Gary_W, Aug 2024
Our tour director was very friendly and welcoming. The kayaking was good and the water beautiful. Be sure to bring the sun screen.
Sandy_B, Aug 2024
Excellent tour, I highly recommend it. The best tour guide, best equipment. The tour guide was very fun, good vibe
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$62.41
per personWas $79.00
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Self-Guided Emerald Cave Kayak Tour on Colorado River
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