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Congress Avenue Bat Bridge: Kayak Tour Experience
4.5
193 Ratings
Austin
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 remarkable spectacle of the world’s biggest urban bat colony as it emerges from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge! This awe-inspiring spectacle consists of a 1.5 million-strong colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. Join our professional guide at the rendezvous point at 6 pm and then paddle out to observe this phenomenal natural phenomenon. Learn how these creatures of the night contribute to a healthier ecosystem for us all. Please note that the tour spans 2 hours, and meals and beverages are not provided.
- Operates in most weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Recommend you wear swimsuit, windbreaker jacket, or lightly layered synthetic clothing
- Bring sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, waterproof camera, bottle water, bug repellent, towel, and extra change of clothes
Location
East Avenue
We will meet under an overpass/I-35 and launch from there. There is plenty of parking in the area! If you have any trouble with the location please put Chicano Park in to get as close as possible. When you come to the water we'll be on the left hand side of the shoreline.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(193 Ratings)
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Miguel_a
Jul 31, 2024
Great time & Amazing Views - Do not overlook this tour. It was the most surprising fun we had while on this vacation. The sites were amazing and our guides Preston and Payton were terrific.
Review provided by Viator
Elaineg911
Jul 28, 2024
1st time seeing the bats - The guides were very welcoming and engaging and also had a really well rounded knowledge of the local area and it's history. Would definitely go with them again 😃
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifervk398mh
Jul 15, 2024
Amazing - I had a great time kayaking, our tour guide was great! learned cool stuff about bats. The view was very beautiful! I would definitely come back and do it again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_c
Jul 13, 2024
Fun night on the lake! - Great time. Highly recommend! Sam and team did a great job of the history of the lake. Beautiful time to be on the lake too. Gorgeous sunset!
Review provided by Viator
Christy_s
Jul 12, 2024
Beautiful summer kayak tour - Our guides were very helpful from communicating changes in time for best time to see the bats, where to meet, guide of the lake and history as well as information about the bats I never knew. Pictures on the way back were even more pretty than the way there. Night tour was well worth it!
Review provided by Viator
Juliesheldon
Jun 26, 2024
nice evening trip - Mikey andElijah were our guides. They were very knowledgable, pleasant, we had a great time!! The kayaling was easy enough for two older people. Very few mosquitoes!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caroline
Jun 26, 2024
Kayaking night tour - Great tour! My teenage daughter usually don’t like to join any tour. She enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide Andrew and Sam are great! 8pm tour is perfect for summer. We get to see the sunset and night view of Austin downtown. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Valerie_t
Jul 16, 2024
Cool Experience in Austin - The kayaking was fun and we enjoyed seeing the bats as well as some ducks and egrets. We did see quite a few bats and the historical info from the guides was very interesting.
Review provided by Viator
G6470mojamesj
Jun 22, 2024
Bust on the Bats - Not what we expected at all. We saw a hundred or so bats milling about the underside of the bridge but no mass of bats leaving the bridge like depicted on the advertising. The three young men giving the tour were stumbling through their spiel. Kayaks, life vests and paddles were in poor condition.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_j
Jun 18, 2024
Disappointing - Nothing memorable. Only saw a couple of bats. Did not live up to billing. Very disappointed. The kayaking was okay, but the purpose was to see the bats.
Review provided by Viator
