Congress Avenue Bat Bridge: Kayak Tour Experience

Witness the incredible sight of 1.5 million bats emerging from the Congress Avenue Bridge on a thrilling kayak tour. Learn about their role in the ecosystem and enjoy a 2-hour adventure.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Watching - You will see the world’s largest urban bat colony that peaks at around 2 million bats during the peak of the season. The bats take off around sunset and always head towards the eastern part of downtown.
  • Austin - You will see a number of buildings on the Austin Skyline including the Hotel Van Zandt, The Austonian Tower, and a multitude of residential and commercial buildings.
What's Included
  • Paddle lesson and safety instructions
  • Professional guide
  • Life jacket
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Witness the emergence of the world’s largest urban bat colony from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge! This incredible colony, consisting of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats, offers a spectacular visual and auditory experience. Meet with a professional guide at the designated location to paddle and observe this natural wonder, while learning about…

Location
East Avenue
We will meet directly under the I35 overpass off East Ave out of a parking lot/docking area by the water and launch from there. If you’re having trouble locating us, just look up Lone Star Kayak Tours on Google Maps. We're to the left with the blue and orange kayaks when you come down to the water!
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(220 Ratings)
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Amybw992ke
Jul 21, 2025
- The tour was great! Will was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable about the history of the lake and the bats! I will be doing this again next time I visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scott
Jul 18, 2025
Will and Kyle were great! - Will and Kyle took great care of us. They texted us the day of our booking to make sure we got what we wanted. The tour was great! Will and Kyle got us to a great spot to see the bats. It’s a much better experience than watching from the bridge. I would definitely recommend it if visiting Austin.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G5898qsjudithh
Jul 10, 2025
Kayaking - Our guides Will and Austin were amazing. Very friendly and informative. It was our first time kayaking ever and they were very patient with us lol. Overall we had an amazing experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Antonio_p
Jul 9, 2025
The experience was great.... - The experience was great. It is easy to paddle the kayak. The bats are smaler than I expected but it was pretty nice. Austin and Will were amazing, a lot of information about the city and the bats
Review provided by Viator
Yvette_l
Jul 3, 2025
Loved it!! - The tour guide was very knowledgeable. The scenery is incredible and watching the bats under the bridge is quite an experience!
Review provided by Viator
S498tppamelak
Jul 1, 2025
Highlight of our Austin visit! - Perfect evening and weather for the Bat Bridge Kayak tour! Tour guide was informative, the bats did not disappoint, and the sunset was absolutely beautiful!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
966heathers
Jun 28, 2025
Batting a thousand !!! - We had the best experience, learned interesting fun facts about Austin and surrounding area as well as bats and kayaking. Will and Austin made this experience very personal and top notch. We will recommend to all our friends and family.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lexil464
Jun 22, 2025
10/10 would recommend - We had such a great time!! Instructors were great and very informative and helpful . They explained all of the rules and stayed with the tour the whole time .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_d
Jun 22, 2025
Don't miss this adventure! - Great experience! San, Austin, Tristan and Nicholas were amazing guides. Very knowledgeable and made everyone feel comfortable and safe.
Review provided by Viator
Eric_p
Jun 20, 2025
I went towards the end of... - I went towards the end of June. Weather was fantastic and the bats didn’t fail to disappoint. Aiden was a fun, informative, and engaging tour guide. I really enjoyed my time.
Review provided by Viator
From $50
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).