2-Day Black Canyon Kayak Camping: Colorado River Trip

4.8(20 reviews)
Provided by:Desert Adventures
⭐ 4.8/5 (20 reviews) | 💰 $694 | ⏱️ Duration: 48 hours | 👥 Up to 20 people
💡What's included in the Black Canyon 2-day kayak camping trip?
The 2-day Black Canyon kayak camping trip from Las Vegas includes kayaks, all camping gear, an NPS launch permit, three meals, and an air-conditioned vehicle, for $694 per person. You paddle the Colorado River below Hoover Dam, visit Gold Strike and Arizona Hot Springs, camp riverside overnight, then continue past Emerald Cave to Willow Beach Marina. Best for fit travelers comfortable with overnight camping and full days of paddling and hiking.

🎯 Why People Book This

What you're signing up for is two days on the Colorado River below Hoover Dam, paddling and camping where day-trippers turn back. The trade you're making is clear: you give up a comfortable bed for a night at a riverside camp reached only by kayak, with guides carrying the meals, kayaks, and camping gear so you arrive with nothing to organize. At USD 694 per person, this suits someone who wants time in Black Canyon, the hot springs and Emerald Cave rather than a quick look, and who is fit enough for two days of kayaking and hiking. You're paying for the night the canyon stays quiet.

🗺️ The Experience

This is a 48-hour guided kayak and camping trip on the Colorado River through Black Canyon, run by Desert Adventures from USD 694 per person, with all paddling and camping gear, the NPS launch permit, and meals from lunch on day one through lunch on day two included.
What you are buying here is two days where the hard parts are handled. After a roughly 1,100-foot descent into the canyon, you launch onto the river below Hoover Dam, and from there the guides carry the load: kayaks, camping equipment, the launch permit, and every meal from a first-day diner lunch through to lunch on the beach the second day. You bring a moderate level of fitness and a willingness to sleep outside; they bring the logistics. Set against organizing a permitted overnight river trip yourself, that is most of the planning gone.
The route reads as one slow drift downriver. The first day mixes paddling with the hot springs—Sauna Cave's natural steam bath and Gold Strike's hidden pools, then a long stretch toward Boy Scout Canyon and 300 minutes at Arizona Hot Springs, where camp and dinner wait. Day two is more water: Emerald Cave's green shallows, Weeping Springs Cove, and the old cableways and gauging station, ending at Willow Beach Marina.
The base price already covers the whole trip; there are no tiers to weigh. What you decide is simply whether two nights on the river is the version of this canyon you want.

🤔 Is It Worth It?

Our verdict: The trade-off here is two full days on the water against everything else in this category being a half-day with a guide and a coach seat. This is the only trip in the bunch that asks you to camp overnight on the Colorado River and paddle it yourself, and the people it suits already know they want 48 hours, not an afternoon. It's a commitment, not a sightseeing stop.
Worth it if:
  • you want to be on the river under your own power and sleep beside it, not look down at it from the dam for a few hours
  • you've done overnight trips before and the idea of camping out, away from Vegas entirely, is the point rather than the cost
  • a 4.8 across 20 reviews is enough for you to trust a small, hands-on trip over a big-numbers one
Skip it if:
  • you have a single afternoon and want to see Hoover Dam itself; the 3-hour Mini Tour or the Bridge Walk gets you there and back without clearing two days
  • paddling and a campsite sound like work, not a holiday; the VIP Interior & Comedy Club Tour keeps you off the water and still puts you at the dam
Choose this over the Comedy Hoover Dam Tour if:
  • you'd rather earn the river over two days than take in the dam's interior and a show in 6.5 hours and be back in town by evening

Tour at a Glance

Duration48 hours
Price (from)$694 per person
DepartureHotel pickup or meet at start
AgesAll ages (infants ride as lap children)
Group sizeUp to 10 per booking
Physical levelModerate
LanguagesEnglish
OperatorDesert Adventures
CancellationNon-refundable
Rating4.8/5 (20 reviews)
DurationPrice (from)
48 hours$694 per person
DurationDeparture
48 hoursHotel pickup or meet at start
DurationAges
48 hoursAll ages (infants ride as lap children)
DurationGroup size
48 hoursUp to 10 per booking
DurationPhysical level
48 hoursModerate
DurationLanguages
48 hoursEnglish
DurationOperator
48 hoursDesert Adventures
DurationCancellation
48 hoursNon-refundable
DurationRating
48 hours4.8/5 (20 reviews)

✅ What's Included

  • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Air-conditioned vehicle transport
  • NPS Launch Permit
  • Kayaks and all camping equipment
  • Expert guide services

❌ Not Included

  • Gratuities for guides
  • Personal items and toiletries
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Transportation to departure point (if not included)

🛡️ Practical Info

  • Departure / Pickup: Hotel pickup available; alternatively, meet at the designated pickup location.
  • Best Time to Visit: Spring and fall offer the most comfortable paddling and camping temperatures; summer departures are hot in the canyon, so pack accordingly.
  • What to Bring: Sun protection, water, layered clothing for cool nights, camera, and fishing rod if you plan to fish; all kayaks and camping equipment are provided.
  • Free Cancellation: No refund is available. All sales are final.
  • Booking Tip: Group size is capped at 10 per booking; reserve early for weekend and holiday departures.
  • Physical Level: Moderate fitness required. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular conditions, or pregnancy.
  • Minimum Age / Ages: Children from age 6; adults up to age 99.
  • Good to Know: Day-one lunch is sourced from a local diner; choices are Ham, Turkey, PBJ, BLT, or Chef Salad. Gratuity is not included in the price.

💡 Insider Tip

Day one's lunch comes from a local diner, and you lock in your sandwich choice at booking from a fixed list (Ham, Turkey, PBJ, BLT, or Chef Salad), so decide before you go rather than once you've descended into the canyon.
📝

LasVegasTour Editorial Review

4.5
LasVegasTour Rating

What you're buying here is full-on logistics for a wilderness trip you couldn't otherwise stage: guides handle the kayaks, NPS permit, three meals a day and the campsite, so you just paddle and soak. The trade-off is freedom for commitment. At USD 694 and 48 hours, this is two days off the grid, not a day-trip detour. The fitness floor is real, and cancellations are non-refundable, so book only when you're certain. For people who actually want to camp on the Colorado River, not just glimpse Hoover Dam from a bus.

By LasVegasTour Editorial TeamJun 16, 2026

⭐ Guest Reviews

4.8(20 reviews)

Verified reviews from travelers who booked this tour through Viator

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need kayaking experience for this trip?

The tour details do not specify a required experience level. They do state that travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. Confirm experience requirements with the operator when booking.

What type of camping accommodations are provided?

You camp riverside along the Colorado River, sleeping outdoors under the night sky near a campfire. Kayaks and all camping equipment are included, which covers a sleeping bag. The trip spans 48 hours with one night of camping.

Are all meals provided during the 48-hour adventure?

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. The first day's lunch comes from a local diner, with options of ham, turkey, PBJ, BLT, or chef salad. Gratuity is not included.

What is the launch point below Hoover Dam?

You launch onto the Colorado River at the foot of Hoover Dam, after descending nearly 1,100 feet into Black Canyon.

Can this trip accommodate different fitness levels?

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The trip is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. Some activities, such as morning hiking on day two, are optional. The age range listed is 6 to 99.

What happens in case of bad weather?

This isn't specified in the tour details. Note that all sales are final with no refund for cancellations, and the operator refers to Viator's cancellation policy. Confirm weather and rescheduling procedures with the operator when booking.

🏷️ This tour appears in

2-Day Black Canyon Kayak Camping: Colorado River Trip
Instant Confirmation
Free Cancelation Option