Downtown Austin Kayak Tour: Sunset Bat Viewing

Experience the magic of downtown Austin on a 2.5-hour kayak tour. Paddle along the skyline at golden hour, watch the sunset, and witness the incredible bat flight. Stay to explore the illuminated cityscape at night.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Watching - The Congress Ave bridge is home to 1.5 Million Mexican Free Tailed Bats. Come watch them from the best vantage point in the city - on a kayak in the middle of the river!
  • Austin - The entire kayak experience is paddling along the river going through downtown Austin. You can see the rapidly changing…
What's Included
  • Kayak, paddles, life jackets, and lights provided
  • High-quality photos taken and sent post-tour
Additional Information

Welcome to the most sought-after experience in Austin.
This magical 2.5-hour kayak journey through the city center begins with a paddle along the length of the Austin skyline during the golden hour, followed by a pause to enjoy the sunset.
We then position ourselves for prime bat viewing and deliver a talk about the bats just before they take flight….

Location
5 East Ave
East Avenue
This link has the info you need including a google maps link, a video tour of where to park and meet me UNDER THE BRIDGE and more. The exact start time changes with the sunset so contact us if you need further assistance.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(144 Ratings)
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Maryann
Jul 16, 2025
Superb Sunset Kayaking - My teenage daughter and I had an awesome time on this tour, guided by Ross. He was very knowledgeable on bats, downtown buildings, clear with his instructions, and provided great tips on the picture spots with the best views.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gerald_w
Jul 10, 2025
Cheers to 62 years - We went to celebrate my husband's 62 burrhday. Great customer service, very friendly and nice. Luv it
Review provided by Viator
Chris_s
Jul 9, 2025
Fun with bats. - You should be comfortable on the water. No experience is necessary for using a kayak. The staff is very supportive.
Review provided by Viator
Royced434
Jul 4, 2025
Great Customer Service - Such a great owner and very accommodating, regretful that we had to cancel at the last minute do to weather and he was very understanding and gracious to give us a full refund. We will definitely be rebooking at another time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tiffinyr
Jun 30, 2025
Fun night with family! - The experience was fun. What a pretty night and the tour guides Chris and Ross were friendly and helpful! Definitely recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Kelly_s
Jun 29, 2025
Highly Recommend! - It was a beautiful evening, educational, and a fun family experience. The guides were friendly and made you feel comfortable.
Review provided by Viator
359jackier
Jun 29, 2025
Best view of the famous Austin bats - I’ve lived near Austin for almost my entire life, but I’ve never seen the bats leaving the bridge. It’s pretty famous and I finally decided to take a tour for my first time. They were all kinds of options, including paddle boards and large boats, but after this tour I think the kayaks are the best. The large boats aren’t allowed to camp out under the bridge and the people on top don’t have as good of a view. But with the kayaks, the tour guides put us right where the bats were coming out and they used red lights that don’t harm the bats but that improved visibility for humans. Absolutely the best view. The guides also did a great job of taking photos, making the process run efficiently, and giving an educational talk about the bats when we waited for them to come out. I did this tour with my husband, he and I had never used a kayak before, but we got the hang of it, and he really enjoyed paddling as fast as he could to race the kayak back down the river after the tour. People taking this tour should be aware that it is a little bit of exercise (although it is self paced), your clothes do get wet (bring a change) and the parking is pretty scarce (take a rideshare or be there early).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimbo48199
Jun 27, 2025
The BEST tour in Austin! - My daughter and I had such an amazing time with the Bats and Boats tour last night. The guides were by far the best out of any of the groups that were out on the water last night. Our guide gave a history of the bridge and went into detail about the bats and their migration. It was like being in a live version of a NatGeo episode! We absolutely loved the views. The sunset and bats were the highlight of our trip to Austin so far. I definitely recommend this trip to others who are in the area!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lcowan_2000
Jun 25, 2025
Local taking friends on a bar tour. - Had an amazing tour. The kayak, the tour guide, the weather and of course the bats were perfect. And the skyline was stunning. We are local to Austin and had friends in town from Switzerland and they said the bat tour was the favorite part of their trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angela_t
Jul 5, 2025
It was canceled due to... - It was canceled due to the weather on 4 of july. I did get a nice text message. Just waiting to see when I get my refund.
Review provided by Viator
From $59
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).