Las Vegas is known for its famous strip, sparkling lights, flashiness, and virtually endless entertainment. However, suppose you’re looking to escape the busy city and take advantage of the beautiful natural scenery just an hour outside the fun capital.

In that case, I have just the activity for you. A trip to Emerald Cave is always worth it, whether you just want to soak up the views, try, kayaking, or cool off in the heat with a dip in the refreshing waters. I’ve detailed the 5 top  Las Vegas kayak tours of Emerald Cave that are well worth your time and money! Let’s jump right in!

Best Emerald Cave Kayak Tours From Las Vegas

	Half-Day Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Optional Hotel Pickup	Emerald Cave Express Kayak Tour from Las Vegas	Emerald Cave Kayak Adventure
Location:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Excalibur Hotel & Casino, 3850 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas
Start:	10:15 AM, 11:35 AM	11:00 AM	9:15 AM
Duration:	5 to 6 hours	3 hours	3.5 hours
Includes:	Kayak tour in single or tandem kayaks, National Park entrance fees, roundtrip transportation, snacks, bottled water, all safety equipment	Kayak Tour, Snacks, Bottled water, Kayaks, paddles and life-vest, Certified Guide, Round-trip Transport from 3 hotels (if option selected)	Snacks and water, kayaks, paddles, life jackets, tour guide, shuttle pickup from Excalibur Hotel (for 'With Shuttle' Option)
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Las Vegas Kayak Tours of Emerald Cave For 2025

1. Half-Day Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Optional Hotel Pickup
2. Emerald Cave Express Kayak Tour from Las Vegas
3. Emerald Cave Kayak Adventure
4. Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Lunch and Optional Shuttle
5. Small Group Colorado River Emerald Cave Guided Kayak Tour

Las Vegas Kayak Tours of Emerald Cave Reviews

1. Half-Day Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Optional Hotel Pickup

Starting things off on the right foot, the Half-Day Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Optional Hotel Pickup excursion had to go at the top of my list. This is the longest and most comprehensive on this list, and a fun yet educational experience perfect for anyone of any age!

It’s also the perfect opportunity to try kayaking for the first time if you’ve always wanted to give it a go but didn’t want to do it alone. Your day starts off with a convenient hotel pickup right from your lobby, so you don’t have to worry about renting a car or dealing with booking extra transportation.

This isn’t included in many of the Emerald Cave tours out there, and for the price, I thought it was an incredibly helpful addition. The group size maxes out at just 12 participants, so you can count on an intimate tour and transportation in an air-conditioned coach.

If for whatever reason you prefer to head out there yourself, you can definitely take on the driving and simply meet your group once there. The emerald green color of the water was actually quite impressive, and so clean and clear you can see the bottom almost everywhere you paddle.

We saw some huge fish, which was exciting and frankly unexpected, but the wildlife sightings only added to our time out there! While it’s not required, if you’d like, you can take a brief hike where the Gauger’s Tower once stood, which is truly one of the most wonderful views of this area.

I loved all of the historical commentary our guide provided along the way, as well as plenty of breaks for snacks and water. All in all, this is a wonderful half-day tour that I’d recommend for anyone looking to explore more of the desert’s natural beauty.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. Emerald Cave Express Kayak Tour from Las Vegas

The Emerald Cave Express Kayak Tour from Las Vegas is a great alternative if the previous tour caught your eye but you don’t want to commit to something that long.

It’s hard to believe that this refreshing escape is just a mere hour from the unrelenting city, providing the chance to experience the incredible beauty of the desert in a whole new way. The “express” tour is more compact but definitely not lacking in content or quality, making it ideal for those who have a packed schedule already.

To further add to the convenience of this tour, there are plenty of different start times available so you can select the one that works best with your itinerary. You’ll be picked up at either the Venetian, Mandalay Bay, or the Bellagio – whichever you’re either staying in or is closest to your hotel.

The air-conditioned vehicle was very comfortable and so smooth, I actually was lulled to sleep on the way back from our kayaking! Upon arrival, our guide provided us with our kayaks, paddles, and life vests, answering all of our questions and giving newbies instructions on how to use the equipment.

This tour is great for advanced paddlers just as well as those who’ve never done it before, so if you’re nervous, you’ll have help at all times. Our guide knew the area like the back of his hand, regaling us with interesting historical and cultural dialogue about the area and the different habitats as we glided along.

The weather was perfect, with calm water, impressive canyon views, and amazing company! With clear attention to detail, we had snacks and water at the perfect times, a delicious lunch halfway through, and plenty of laughs with our group.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Emerald Cave Kayak Adventure

While Las Vegas is undoubtedly a ton of fun, sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not ready for it. A brief tour like the Emerald Cave Kayak Adventure is the perfect remedy, taking you out into one of the area’s best-kept secrets right outside of the city.

Escape the glitz and glam from the Strip for a few hours and head into endless natural landscapes and tranquility in this private experience. Clocking in at just a bit over 3 hours, it’s one of the best tours to take if you have a day full of activities and don’t have the allowance for a longer alternative.

If you’re hesitant to do a group tour with people you don’t know, it’s also a great selection as this one is entirely private. It’s literally just you and the rest of your private party, with your guide there to lead the way and personalize it to your likings.

We actually had two guides in this case, who worked together well to ensure everything went off without a hitch for us. It ended up feeling like a bunch of friends just going out on a little day trip into the dramatic Black Canyon to learn about history and geology and get some fresh air.

As we paddled towards the cave, the water took on a vivid green color, as we learned, reflecting the area’s unique minerals along with the way the sunlight hits the clear waters.

The fact that it was a private tour really elevated the experience for me, as we were given added flexibility and a bit of a personal touch.

Say you want some extra time to take some photos at the cave – you can do that with this one. Maybe you’d like to spend a moment asking your guide some more about the canyon’s history – you can do that too!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Lunch and Optional Shuttle

A lot about Las Vegas feels “high-octane” which can be really exciting, but can also cause you to become exhausted quite quickly. If you’re on the hunt for a novel way to reset and get away from the neon lights for a day, check out the Emerald Cave Kayak Tour with Lunch and Optional Shuttle excursion!

Whether you want to break a sweat and get some fresh air or would like to take advantage of breathtaking photography opportunites, give this selection a chance!

The 7-hour tour takes you to the Arizona side of the Colorado River, where the legendary Emerald Cave sits for you to explore with your guide there to lead the way. This is another exclusively small-group tour as well, so you’ll never have more than 12 participants in your group at one time.

This ensures safety and makes sure that the guide has time for everyone, also maintaining a certain level of connectedness to your environment – the way Mother Nature intended.

Upon arrival, we were told how to use our life vests, as well as our kayaks and paddles – in our case, we had a tandem kayak as it was the two of us, together. It was so cool being a part of such a small group as there were very few others out on the water and it felt like we pretty much had the entire river to ourselves!

The views of the canyon were so incredible, there were moments where it didn’t even seem real – like when we spotted eagles and big horn sheep!

Due to this more personalized service, I’d highly recommend this tour to any families who plan on bringing kids along, as well. With the roundtrip transportation, it couldn’t get any easier, ensuring smooth operation without having to worry about the logistics.

Whether you want to escape the heat or the craziness Las Vegas is so well-known for, I know you’re going to love this option!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Small Group Colorado River Emerald Cave Guided Kayak Tour

I knew I couldn’t leave off the Small Group Colorado River Emerald Cave Guided Kayak Tour! This 4-hour excursion will take you on an exhilirating yet tranquil escape from the flashy chaos of the city, offering a completely different perspective on the local landscapes.

When you’re quite literally in the middle of the desert, you’re sure to crave an escape to some kind of oasis, and this is one of the best solutions.

If you’re on a tighter budget and don’t feel like you need the shuttle option there and back, this is the best tour of this kind available. You’ll make your own way to Williow Beach Marina, so if you’re already renting a car, I can’t recommend this tour enough.

It’s kind of nice in a way driving yourself, being able to make stops along the route at your leisure to take photos, grab some snacks, and so on.

There are 2 different start times available to make it a bit easier to fit into your already-existing itinerary, though I personally recommend taking the 7am option! There will hardly be any other paddlers on the river at this time, and in my experience, it’s when you’ll see the most wildlife! I

f you’ve never paddled before and want to try, your guide will be there to help instruct and guide you, or you can alternatively use a tandem with another person in your group!

We spotted coyotes and blue heron, with our guide pointing them out and offering plenty of interesting information about the local flora and fauna, geography, and history. This is a tour I’d recommend for solo travelers, couples, and even entire friend or family groups with younger kids!

As it is completely private, you have more flexibility which pairs great with kids who may get bored or need a bit of extra attention.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience