WORLDWIDE · NATIONAL PARKS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 national park paddles worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Paddle a clear kayak through Shell Key Preserve, spot dolphins and birds, explore mangroves, and enjoy a beach stop near St. Petersburg.
“Shell Key is a beautiful place with plenty of wildlife in & out of the water. Our guide, Alesia, was extremely knowledgeable and made the tour great.”
Review of Madeira’s Garajau kayak and snorkel tour, with clear water, fish, cliff jumps, practical tips, and honest advice on value.
“The activities were amazing! Our guide Flora was super nice and adapted very well to the different skill levels of the group. The highlight was the tower you could jump off at he snorkel location. We had an amazing time, would definitely recommend!”
Paddle Everglades mangrove tunnels on a relaxed three-hour eco-tour with a naturalist guide, wildlife sightings, and easy tandem kayaks.
“The tour has been just awesome. Charles is a kind guide who loves to answer questions.”
Review of Jávea’s Cala Tango kayak tour, with cliff jumping, snorkeling, sea caves, clear water, practical tips, and honest value advice.
“We had a wonderful time. We did take our dog with us, what wasn’t as easy as we thought, but the guides helped us really well with everything.”
Review of the Shell Key kayak tour near St. Petersburg, with mangroves, wildlife, beach time, practical tips, price, and who should book.
“Taylor our guide was FABULOUS!!! She was so knowledgeable , kind, friendly, and really personable.!!!! It was my husband's 70th birthday, and Taylor helped make it extra special !!!!! It was su much fun!!!!!!”
Review of Porto’s Peneda-Gerês tour with kayaking, waterfall swimming, Land Rover rides, local lunch, and practical booking tips.
“With Ricciardo as our guide we had a great time driving through portugals national park in his Land Rover and experiencing portugal from a completely different side. We were provided with a very solid lunch and kayaking on one of the rivers was a highlight for us.”
Paddle the Bow River in Banff’s Big Canoe Tour, with mountain views, wildlife spotting, local stories, and an easy guided outing.
“Our guide, Ethan, was OUTSTANDING!! He made the experience fun & so memorable!! We could not ask for a better guide. I only gave 4 stars because it was more strenuous than I thought it would be. But still fun & LOVED Ethan!”
Kayak, hike, and snorkel with sea turtles in St. John’s national park, with expert guides, small groups, and all gear included.
“The whole event was great, but the snorkeling was the best. Our tour guide was great at spotting marine life for us to see (such as a large turtle, stingray, octopus). He was also great at explaining what we were seeing along the hike. It was a fun experience!!”
Review of Banff’s 90-minute Big Canoe River Explorer Tour, with Bow River views, wildlife spotting, guide tips, price, and practical advice.
“Amazing experience and lovely, friendly, very helpful group of young people. 100% recommend”
Kayak, swim, hike to a waterfall, and enjoy a local lunch on a full-day Peneda-Gerês adventure from Porto.
“We had a lovely day hosted by Benoit. It was very relaxing start to finish and included a gorgeous kayak trip, amazing viewpoints and a lovely three course lunch. Thank you Benoit!”
Paddle Shell Key’s mangrove tunnels, spot wildlife, and relax on a shell-covered island with a friendly local guide in three hours.
“We truly enjoyed our day with Scott and Karissa. Very knowledgeable, friendly, and down-to-earth people. Scott gave great kayak pointers before we started our day to ensure a smooth experience. Gave interesting facts about the wildlife and environment of the mangroves. All in all worth the money and would definitely recommend it!!!”
Review of Banff’s River Explorer Big Canoe Tour, with practical details on scenery, guides, price, timing, and who should book.
“My wife had always wanted to paddle a canoe on a river in Canada. This tour scratched her itch. The equipment was in good condition. The guides were first class. No one told the bears though, so we didn't spot any on the shores.”
Review of Madeira’s Garajau kayak and snorkeling tour, with sea views, fish, practical tips, costs, safety, and honest value advice.
“Good to kayak on the ocean. However, I did not think this is good for someone who has not kayaked before as the guides were in a separate kayak and did not keep an eye on the two kayaks. Had to get their attention when the other couple fell in. No particular instructions on how to row, reverse, turn. Snorkelling was in a deeper area (rather than a shallow beach) so not so good if you don’t swim well but not a bad experience overall. Some info provided on the different types of fish to see. Guides friendly.”
Review of Ramatuelle sea kayaking near Saint-Tropez, with clear water, snorkeling, rock jumping, guide tips, pricing, and practical advice.
“Activité très sympa à faire entre amis. Le moniteur était au top et le cadre était magnifique. Nous avons pu rigoler, découvrir de nouveaux espaces et apercevoir avec un nouvel angle de vu la côte. Il s’agit d’une activité très conviviale que je recommande à tous et à toute!”
Paddle Banff’s Bow River in a large canoe, spot wildlife, hear local stories, and enjoy a relaxed 90-minute trip for all skill levels.
“This was a wonderful tour! The views were incredible and our guide, Nieve (spelling?), was fantastic! She gave us lots of local history facts and made every effort to make the trip as individual as possible. I would definitely book this trip again a the views from the water were just incredible!”
Pick a coast, a cave, a river or a tunnel.
