Guided Estuary Kayaking & Canoeing in Snowdonia, North Wales
Our most relaxing activity! The kayaking and canoeing adventure is for people looking for a slower paced trip. We run guided estuary safaris in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park. You can expect to be on the water approximately 2 hours and small people (age 4-12) can ride tandem with adults.
You’ll have the choice between sit on top kayaks, tandem kayaks or tandem “Canadian” canoes. The trip is tide dependent and our regular route is to catch the high tide as it flows up the estuaryn and then ride the river back down again as the water retreats. When the conditions are appropriate we sometimes paddle a big one way journey.
Along the way we explore various habitats and ecosystems; we have the tidal marshes and the fresh water meadows. If we’re lucky we might spot some rare animals including the osprey, kingfishers, otters and even the seal! This trip is best when conditions are calm, even better when the sun’s out. Bear in mind this excursion is only possible on a high tide.
Know Before You Go
A Relaxing Estuary Kayak & Canoe Trip in North Wales:
Kayaking & Canoeing:
Book Your Kayak / Canoe Trip Online Today:
Further Information About Our Kayaking & Canoeing Trip:
Duration
Our Kayak & Canoe sessions last approximately 3 hours. This is from when you arrive to when you leave which includes gearing up. Depending on the conditions you should expect a good 2hrs on the water exploring the river.
Age Guide
Kayaking & Canoeing is suitable for 4+, no experience required; under 12s can ride in a tandem. We often have a variety of boats so you can swap around mid trip between single and tandem kayaks and canoes.
Location
We explore the incredibly beautiful Dwyryd estuary that flows down past Portmeirion to Porthmadog. Once you book your trip you’ll get the exact Google Maps meeting pin location.
You Need
You don’t need anything but ideally it’s sunny and you bring a hat and some shades! It’s worth bringing a towel for getting changed and something to put on your feet; beach shoes are fine.
We Provide
All sessions are instructor led, no specialist equipment required! We provide you with a wetsuit, buoyancy aid and the kayak / canoes. We have single and tadem boats, and it’s possible to fit 2 small children in a canoe with an adult.
Price
We have a basic pricing structure across all activities (except Canyon Xtreme). Adults cost £50 and children £40. If you’re part of a big group we may be able to offer a discount; get in touch
Can’t See What You Want?
Normally the calendar on our online booking system is fairly up to date but just because an activity, date or time isn’t showing as available on there doesn’t mean we can’t do it! It’s always worth dropping us a quick e-mail to see what’s possible. Especially during our busy periods (or midweek out of the high season when we may appear to be closed) we can often add extra sessions at request. We also regularly open up midweek sessions if there is any interest and we are available; again, get in touch and we can get something organised for you.
Don’t Leave It Last Minute!
Bear in mind that myself (George) and my partner Rachel personally run all our adventures so this means we’re very limited to the number of people we can take out. Moreover once someone books an activity online e.g rock climbing, all the other activities scheduled at the same start time get closed. This means we can go from appearing to have a huge amount of availability to actually having very little availability in one booking.
Do not leave it to the last minute to book your adventure; our adventures are generally sold out every weekend and every day during holidays. We hate disappointing people so make sure you’re organised. Furthermore we also need at least 24hrs notice for activities and it’s very rare we’re able to accommodate same day bookings unless you phone before 7/8am.
Book With A Trusted Company!
With 15 years experience and over 3000 online reviews you can be assured you’re in safe hands. That’s a lot of feedback for a small business run by two people! We don’t employ any freelance staff and because we personally run every trip ourselves we keep quality control at an incredibly high standard. No one is as enthusiastic about running amazing adventures as we are.
Qualified, Experienced & Insured?
BEWARE! Qualifications, experience and insurance are NOT a legal requirement in the adventure activities industry. Whoever you choose as your guide, it’s your responsibility to make sure they’re up to the job and at the very least have an insurance policy! This obviously isn’t as easy as it sounds; companies don’t advertise this sort of thing (or lack of).
We’re highly qualified (MCI, RCI, ML, LCMLA, MBLA amongst others), are members of professional bodies including the BMC and AMI and we’re covered by an appropriate insurance policy. Furthermore we have over 15 years experience running trips plus we are both North Wales locals having grown up in the outdoor environment here.
Quality Equipment
We use good quality safety equipment and critically for our water activities we use winter thickness sealed wetsuits all year round. This is the single biggest factor that keeps you warm in the river! Not all companies have warm clients; it’s one of our top priorities and one of the big reasons everyone has so much fun on our Canyoning adventures. No one enjoys being cold, us included…
Is This Adventure For Me?
Almost certainly! It’s rare (although not impossible!) for people to fall in so swimming isn’t too much of a concern. If you can’t swim don’t worry, you’ll be wearing a buoyancy aid so you’ll float. You will want to stay close to the instructor for safety. We’re never too far from the river bank, maybe 50m maximum but generally less than 20m. It’s a relaxing adventure, and most people get the hang of paddling relatively quickly.
