Self-Drive Emerald Cave Kayak Tour: Guided Willow Beach Paddle
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Las Vegas, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Paddle your way along the Colorado River to the stunning Emerald Cave on this kayaking tour from Willow Beach, Arizona, just outside Las Vegas. Soak up scenic canyon views and look out for wildlife such as big horn sheep, falcons, and bald eagles. Your adventure includes a short hike to an overlook for unique views of the cave.
- Swap the bright lights of Vegas for a few hours on the Colorado River
- Enjoy panoramic views of Emerald Cave from a unique vantage point
- Enjoy the relaxed pace and laidback atmosphere of a small-group tour
- Stay fueled for adventure with include snacks and fruit
What's Included
- 3-Hour Guided Kayak Tour to Emerald Cave
- Bottled waterPremium bottles of spring water
- SnacksWide range of tasty snacks to include five types of granola and protein bars, a large selection of chips and fruit
- All safety equipment and instruction
- National Park Fee (included w/transport; not included w/self-drive or without transport option)$25.00 per booking
- Hotel Pick up and Drop off
- Private Tour
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 25804 N Willow Beach, Willow Beach, AZ 86445, USA
THIS IS A SELF-DRIVE OPTION! **Any bookings that require a hotel pick up will result in a surcharge for a hotel pick up!** Please meet at Willow Beach Marina-paddle craft beach; 15 mins BEFORE your launch time booked.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Colorado River
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- 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
- Please dress appropriately, layers and comfortable shoes are recommended.
- Children (12 and under) must be accompanied by an adult in a shared tandem kayak
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- This activity is not wheelchair accessible
- The operator has the right to cancel a booking if there are not enough travelers
- Please advise your kayak preference in the Special Requirements field at the time of booking (single or tandem)
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q:How early before the departure time will I be picked up for the Colorado River Half Day Kayaking to Emerald Cave?
A:Pickup from Las Vegas Strip Hotels begins at approximately 9:30 am. You will be contacted prior to your departure date to confirm your exact pickup time.
Mar 2021
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
Michael_N
Tyler was the best guide I’ve had of all of my last 6 tours here in Vegas. He is relatable, aware, intelligent, and caring which all qualities make him a great tour guide. I highly recommend this tour. River dogs were very easy to communicate with, good training prior to leaving, great pace, great conversation. Highly recommend this tour and don’t be afraid to request Tyler because he is awesome.
Reviews
4.9
based on 392 reviews
Lori_T, Mar 2026
Beautiful water! Preston was knowledgeable and shared interesting facts about the areas past, present, and future. The 3 hr tour was just right.
Julie_L, Sep 2025
This was a very fun activity to get away from the concrete jungle while enjoying the heat! We went down for the 4 mile excursion.
The good: our guide, Jessica. Was very personable and had a wonderful, outgoing personality. She included everyone in the group in having fun. She stopped and helped us take pictures of each other and even took pictures of us on her phone that she sent to everyone the next day! Jessica gave us historical facts about the area.
The bad: it felt very rushed. Was not a leisurely kayaking experience. It was a get over here in 3 minutes, across the river in 6...I had never been kayaking before and found this much more trying that I thought it'd be. We weren't able to look around at the sights because of the go, go of the tour. On the way back, my boyfriend and I fell back behind the group and enjoyed paddling at our speed looking at the goats, eagles, and all the other sights we didn't get to see on our way to the cove. The cove is very small and only allows approx 10 people in at a time. There was a 30-40 min wait time for our turn to take pictures in the <5 minutes.
Overall, I'd definitely do it again. Must do a tandem instead of a single. See if there's a different style group or rental that isnt so time goal oriented that would allow for more of a casual (vs feeling like a race...this was expressed by a few couples in the group) kayaking experience with a goal, ie the cave.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for sharing your honest feedback, Julie! We’re thrilled you had fun with Jessica, she truly shines at making the day engaging and memorable, and we’re glad you enjoyed her energy and photos. We do understand your note about the pace, and we appreciate you letting us know. It’s wonderful to hear that you still found moments to soak in the wildlife and scenery at your own speed. We’d love to welcome you back for another paddle, maybe a tandem this time so you can enjoy an even more relaxed experience together.
Edgar_I, Sep 2025
Our guide is very knowledgeable about the Colorado River, knows the ins and outs, and was very pleasant as a person. She ensured we had snacks and water throughout as well.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your thoughtful review, Edgar! We’re so glad your guide kept the day enjoyable with knowledge, stories, snacks, and water along the way. It’s wonderful to hear you had a pleasant experience on the river, and we’d love to have you join us again for another adventure soon.
Richel_B, Aug 2025
The drive down was easy. There’s a $25 fee because Willow Beach is a National Recreational area. Parking is easy and the meeting point is easy to find. Have breakfast and coffee before getting there because there’s not much. The tour provides some great snacks. Ryan was kind enough to give us some snacks before the trip. It’s 2 miles down the river to get to the Emerald Caves and 2 miles back. We had a break on one of the beaches but it was still a hard trek. Ryan was a great guide. Loved his dad jokes. The emerald caves were very cool. We didn’t get to stay in for very long because there were a lot of people waiting to go in. Overall a great experience. Nature is beautiful.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Awesome review, Richel! Thanks for sharing, we are thrilled to hear about your experience on the tour! Yes, Ryan’s dad jokes are legendary! 😄 So glad you enjoyed the paddle and those Emerald Cave views. Come back and see us again soon!
Kristy_L, Aug 2025
Fun adventure in beautiful waters. Our guide Julia was fantastic. Highly recommend this company and their tours.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thanks so much for joining us, Kristy! We’re thrilled you had a fun time exploring those emerald waters and that Julia made it memorable. We appreciate the recommendation more than you know!
Wendy_S, Jun 2025
It is a 2 plus mile Paddle to the Emerald Cove. The Cove was not that impressive. Just a whole in the wall basically. The paddle back was brutal. Winds were strong and current was hard to paddle. But our guide was amazing. I would do it again under better weather conditions.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thanks Wendy, glad you had a great experience with our guides! The wind can pick up on the river, so I'm glad you felt like you were in good hands!
Michael_N, Jun 2025
Tyler was the best guide I’ve had of all of my last 6 tours here in Vegas. He is relatable, aware, intelligent, and caring which all qualities make him a great tour guide. I highly recommend this tour. River dogs were very easy to communicate with, good training prior to leaving, great pace, great conversation. Highly recommend this tour and don’t be afraid to request Tyler because he is awesome.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Wow — what an amazing review! We're so glad you had such a great experience, and we couldn’t agree more — Tyler is an absolute gem. He really brings heart, knowledge, and personality to every tour. Thanks for the shoutout to our team too — we work hard to keep things smooth and welcoming from start to finish. Can’t wait to have you back on the river!
Kelly_K, Feb 2025
Kayaking in a scenic place with ample bird watching opportunities. Excellent guide who shared local history, plant uses of the past, geology and wildlife names.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
What a beautiful day. We know the birds migrate in that location moreso in the summer. Thank you for the review with River Dogz! We hope you book again very soon
Jeff_C, Aug 2024
Excellent kayak trip from Willow Beach to Emerald Cove. Our guide, Ryan, was awesome. He is very friendly and informative. Safety of the group is top priority. Plenty of water and snacks for the group. Ryan took lots of pictures for us. The highlight was seeing a Big Horn towards the end of the trip foraging and drinking along the river. I highly recommend Ryan and this kayak trip.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Being on the river is one the best ways to spend the day off the strip! We loved that you had such a great day on the water with us. Thank you for taking the time to share!
Jeremy_H, Jun 2024
Amazing trip, local tour operator was wonderful and our guide Jessica was amazing. We saw Bighorn sheep, Bald Eagle and a Common Black Hawk.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
thank you for sharing with us!
Jason_R, May 2024
We enjoyed the first part of the trip. Nice relaxing tour of the river. Cool history of the area. Our tour guide was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable despite this being her 2nd month giving the tour. My one critique was the time wasted waiting (75 minutes in the 95 Degree Arizona/NV heat) waiting to paddle into a shallow cave we stayed in for 2 minutes. River Dogz absolutely has to do something about the timing of multiple tours going all out at once.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you for sharing with us! Unfortunately during peak times on the river it does get very busy in the cave as that is the most popular stop from Willow Beach. We do the best we can to time our arrival so there is no wait but that doesn't always happen as we share the space with many recreating down there. Hope you weren't put off by your experience kayaking on the Colorado with us and hope to see you again out there.
Kelly_M, May 2024
Beautiful weather with an excellent guide - a bit crowded at the cave but overall so peaceful and well worth it.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thanks for the 5 Stars!
Eric_S, May 2024
Beautiful day on the water kayaking to emerald cove. Take time to relax and enjoy the trip the cove is small and you have to wait your turn to get in to get those pictures your looking for. Went on a Sunday Lots of people out on the water but no boats to deal with. Our guides had snacks and water but make sure you bring a hat and lots of sun screen.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you for sharing with us!
Connie_A, Mar 2024
Ryan was a great guide. He had a great attitude, always checking in to see if we were doing ok. He did a great job with the narration about the history and plant life. We saw bighorn sheep which was a bonus. It was a lot of fun. We will definitely do it again!
Response from Host, Feb 2025
We are thrilled you had such an amazing time on the Colorado River with us! Definitely check out our full day tour launching at the base of the historic Hoover Dam, paddling to some of the most amazing views and hot springs through Black Canyon! We hope to see you on your next river adventure, thank you for leaving us such a great review!
Tijana_Z, Jan 2024
We had great time on this tour! Our tour girl Jessica was amazing, explaining everything about the area! Amazing views! Must see!!!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for those thoughts! So glad you had a great time!!
Lisa_D, Jul 2023
Tyler was a great guide. Lots of information about the area and was supportive of all skill levels. Lots of breaks made it enjoyable even in 120° heat!
Lenore_B, Sep 2021
What a fantastic kayak trip in beautiful weather and the with the best guides ever. Nick made our trip SO SPECIAL by taking pictures with his camera of us and sending them to us so that we didn’t have to struggle with that touristy part. Ted was a new import from the Carolina coast and brought a great new feel to the West Coast folks (me 🤪). I had a blast and Nick gave us EVERYTHING WE NEEDED, WHEN WE NEEDED IT! You guys are ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT ADVENTURE with history to boot. 🥰
Kevin_G, Aug 2021
Our trip was amazing! Our guide Nick was great! He went above and beyond to make sure everybody was enjoying themselves and that everyone was OK. We had a woman who had a problem with her foot and he made sure she was OK throughout the whole trip checking with her several times. He even made an extra stop at a park where there were wild rams which was amazing to see! Even the trip in the van was fun! His playlist was the type of music that everyone enjoys! This kayaking trip was the highlight of our Vegas escapades! Thanks Nick!!
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thanks for the great review Tess! Nick is an incredible guide, and we are glad you agree! We can't wait to see you out on the water again
Sanghee_L, Aug 2021
We were two adults and a 9 year old boy. We are not kayaking people but we wanted to try something different adventure from Las Vegas in Aug. Our guide Pristine picked us up from our hotel on time (11:30am). It was about 10 people in a van and about 1 hour trip to the location. Some drove themselves to the location and meet us there. My husband never did kayaking but Pristine was very helpful to teach him how to paddling. My husband did fine with solo kayaking. I did tandem (two people kayak) with my boy. It was 110 degree Arizona hot, but water was so cool about 53 degree. Definitely, we need hats and sunscreen through out the day. Pristine provided us cold water bottle throughout the trip. We did one mile trip break.(they provided us with snacks and water) We did rest and little hike to the top. The view was fantastic. It was hot but we cooled down with dipping into water. Then one more mile to Emerald cave which I thought it was very small. I didn't think it was amazing but trip to there was awesome experience. Total kayaking trip was 4 miles (2 miles to emerald cave and 2 miles back). If you are not used to kayaking, 4 miles kayaking is a lot. My boy gave up paddling on the way back. He was very tired and I ended up paddling myself. I was exhausted. We were back to our hotel by 5 pm. One thing they can improve is pick up van. It seems old and not kept well. We were all the way back of the van. Every seats had AC vent except us. So we were vey hot until whole van cooled off. Our guide Pristine was very helpful and made us our trip fun. Be prepare to paddling 4 miles. Overall it was excellent experience. I would recommend it.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you for the review! We are so glad that you enjoyed the experience. We also apologize for the air conditioning in the van. We know exactly which van you are talking about, and we had this van serviced the following day. So sorry you had to be the one to notice it wasn't working! We are currently in the process of replacing our old vans and getting new ones, and sometimes older cars can have issues like that. Thank you for being understanding.
We hope you book again with us soon! If you have anymore concerns, feel free to call our office at (702) 325-5851 from 9a-4p PST
Harvi_F, Aug 2021
Top notch service and our guides were beyond amazing and knowledgeable! Highly recommend for people of any skill level.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you for your review! We hope to have you out on the water with us again soon!!
Katie
Maria_G, Aug 2021
Our tour was amazing thanks to our tour guide Preston! He was very friendly, knowledgeable and made our experience super fun! He also made sure we had plenty of refreshments and snacks throughout the tour. We definitely recommend RiverDogz for your next adventure ;))
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you so much for your lovely review! Preston is an amazing guide with so much knowledge!
Come out and kayak with RIVERDOGZ again!!
Ifechi_I, Jul 2021
The views were stunning and our tour guide, Preston, was awesome and very helpful. Even though it was 100+ degrees out, the water was cool (around 50 degrees) so the kayak was very comfortable!
Response from Host, Jul 2021
Thanks for coming out in the heat with us! We are definitely grateful for the cool water on days like this! Glad you had a good time and enjoyed the views.
Regina_T, Jul 2021
Alyssa was a wonderful tour guide! This is a must do when you are in the Vegas area. I'm a 50 year old mom and I did this with my 11 year old son. I was a bit nervous about traveling from Vegas to the Willow Beach area but it was not a problem. My son LOVED it and so did I. Thank you River Dogz for such a memorable experience ❤.
Response from Host, Jul 2021
Thanks for sharing your positive experience with us! Alyssa is always a fun guide, glad she helped you have an awesome day!!
Rosemary_B, Jul 2021
Absolutely awesome
From pickup to drop-off, our guide, Zach was friendly, helpful, provided just enough information without being overload. Kept the entire trip interesting and engaging..
Went beyond for thinking of his group ..
The excursion was more than just the cave..but the river itself. It was breathtaking.
Response from Host, Jul 2021
Thank you for your awesome review! Come back and visit us real soon!
Katie
Veerle_P, Jun 2021
We loved everything about our kayak trip. Zach was amazing, funny and had a lot of great information about the area.
Thank you river dogz for a great experience!
Response from Host, Jun 2021
Thank you for your lovely review! Zach is a great guide. Come back and visit us soon!
Katie
Kimara_L, Jun 2021
What a beautiful day! The river is stunning; a must see and Zach, our lead, was top notch!!!! Will definitely do this again!!!!!! Thanks for making my birthday memorable!
Response from Host, Jun 2021
Thank you for your amazing review! Zach is a great guide.
Looking forward to next time!
Katie
Paula_w, May 2021
The emerald cave amazing. Great scenery. Great staff. Provided snack and water. Great customer service
Response from Host, Jun 2021
Thank you so much for your review!
We love Michelle she's awesome! Hope to see you back on the water next time you are in Vegas!
- Katie RIVERDOGZ
Caroline, May 2021
An Absolute MUST DO. Beautiful scenery and very well organized trip!! The guides were A++++ and Nick was fantastic!!!!
For beginners or expert kayakers!! Loved every minute. Will do again next trip but will do the All day trip!!😎😊😉
Bryce_T, Apr 2021
Zach was incredible! We had such a wonderful time communing with nature. Can't wait to do this again!
Jason_M, Mar 2021
Tyler was great. Very friendly and knowledgeable. He stayed in front of the group as our guide but he would fall back if anyone was having difficulty and he waited until everyone got together before pointing out interesting facts
Likely to Sell Out
From $109.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
Self-Drive Emerald Cave Kayak Tour: Guided Willow Beach Paddle
391
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$109.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Las Vegas, USA
- LINQ Promenade Tours & Tickets
- Pioneer Saloon Tours & Tickets
- Aria Resort & Casino Tours & Tickets
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area Tours & Tickets
- Mojave Desert Tours & Tickets
- Bryce Canyon National Park Tours & Tickets
- Hidden Valley Nevada Tours & Tickets
- T-Mobile Arena Tours & Tickets
- Las Vegas Motor Speedway Tours & Tickets
- Grand Canyon North Rim Tours & Tickets
- Paradise Wedding Chapel Tours & Tickets
- Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Tours & Tickets
- Erotic Heritage Museum, Las Vegas Tours & Tickets
- AREA15 Tours & Tickets