Desert Adventures

Desert Adventures offers one of the most unusual ways to see the Hoover Dam: from a kayak on the Colorado River below it. The company, which also trades online as Kayak Las Vegas, is based in Boulder City and has been operating since at least 2004, describing itself as having decades of experience on the water. It is permitted by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the Hoover Dam, as well as by the City of Boulder City and several state parks in Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

Its tours focus on the Colorado River around the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam Kayak Tour is the headline trip, and the Emerald Cave Kayak Tour and the Willow Beach Kayak Tour offer alternative routes. For experienced paddlers, the company also offers kayak rentals for the Black Canyon, so you can explore independently.

Paddling on the river is a very different experience from visiting the dam on foot, and the pace of a kayak lets you take in details you would miss from the road or a helicopter. A guide adds safety and local knowledge, which matters on a river where conditions and access rules are carefully managed.

Kayak tours suit active couples, groups of friends and families with older children who are comfortable on the water. You should be comfortable on the water and able to paddle for a few hours. Check minimum ages, what is included and any transport options when you book, as these vary by tour.

Because the company is based in Boulder City, close to the dam, it is well placed for early starts on the river before the heat builds. Combining a morning kayak with an afternoon at the Hoover Dam visitor centre makes a full and varied day out from Las Vegas, and it shows the dam from two completely different perspectives.

Desert heat is the main consideration. In summer, start as early as possible and bring sun protection, a hat, plenty of water and clothes that can get wet, and in winter bring layers, as the canyon can be cool. Bookings are best made in advance, especially at weekends. Boulder City is south-east of Las Vegas on the way to the Hoover Dam, so a kayak trip combines well with a visit to the dam itself.