guided
KAYAK
Tours
Whether it’s a moment floating under the trees or a seal popping up to say ‘hi’, our guided kayak tours are an unforgettable way to find your flow on the Fowey River. We offer a range of tours for those who have paddled a little or a lot.
Silver winner of the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2024/25
This 2–3-hour kayaking adventure starts from Golant at high tide - explore the hidden gems of the Fowey River, gliding through ‘Wind in the Willows’ creek and the charming village of Lerryn. If time allows, we’ll hit the salt marshes of St Winnow, or the shipwrecks and woodlands of Penpol Creek. Wherever the water takes us, expect to encounter herons, kingfishers, cormorants and shoals of grey mullet, with an up to 30-minute rest in Lerryn, St Winnow or Penpol to refresh. Read moreGood to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
£37 Adult | £25 Child
For nature lovers, you'll enjoy watching wildlife in, on and above the water.
Split into two scenic halves, this 2–3-hour low tide paddle takes you from Golant to Fowey Docks – a wildlife hotspot where herons, egrets and kingfishers congregate (and sometime hunting osprey). You might even see harbour seals. Next, discover Fowey’s 1,000-year history, from 14th-century blockhouses and Daphne du Maurier’s riverside home to the towers of Place. Stop for a local bite in Fowey or Polruan before heading in. Read moreGood to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
£37 Adult | £25 Child
Explore the river when the water is calm and the wildlife most active.
Our 2-hour Early Bird Paddles take you onto the Fowey River before the summer crowds stir. Spot kingfishers, herons, little egrets, cormorants and shags. And while high tides are great for paddling up the quiet creeks and backwaters, low tides are perfect for following the sandbanks down river to Fowey. Whatever tide we’re one, we’ll finish up with a post-paddle cuppa and snack in our Boatshed Café. Read moreGood to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
£32 Adult | £20 Child
We can plan a private group kayak tour for you and your crew.
Whether it’s a birthday party, corporate get-together, or hen or stag celebration. The sweet spot is a 2–3-hour adventure following a similar rhythm to our other guided tours. But if you want to allow for a bit more exploring or a lazy lunch, longer trips are possible. Just email us with your thoughts and we’ll get back to you with suggestions for a great day out on the river. Read moreGood to know
* Prices match our standard tours with a £250 minimum for a 3-hour trip.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Prices match our standard tours with a £250 minimum for a 3-hour trip.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Our 2-hour Sundowner Paddles reveal how the Fowey River winds down for the day.
At high tide, we’ll paddle up secluded Penpol Creek; at low tide, we’ll skirt the sandbanks down river. Along the way, spot shoals of mullet swimming up from the sea and birds returning to their roosts as the river grows still at sunset. Whichever way we flow, we’ll end with a well-earned drink overlooking the water at Golant’s Fisherman’s Arms. Read moreGood to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Available from April to September.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 2+. No experience needed.
* Available from April to September.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Join Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Encounter for a magical evening exploring one of Cornwall's most beautiful estuaries by kayak.
As the evening light settles over the Fowey Estuary, join Encounter and Cornwall Wildlife Trust marine team for a relaxed guided paddle through one of Cornwall's most beautiful tidal landscapes. Over approximately two hours, you'll explore the peaceful upper estuary, heading into Penpol Creek or towards St Winnow and Wiseman's Reach, depending on the tides. Along the way, keep an eye out for seals, kingfishers, herons, egrets, mullet and a variety of wading birds, while learning about the estuary's wildlife, ecology and conservation from your guides. Suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers alike, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the tranquillity of the estuary at dusk. After the paddle, why not round off the evening at the famous Fisherman's Arms in Golant, where you can enjoy a drink, a bite to eat and share stories from your time on the water. Read moreGood to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 8 up. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
Good to know
* Suitable for families, couples and solo paddlers.
* Ages 8 up. No experience needed.
* Please note if you require a single kayak there is an additional £5 fee at booking.
£45 Adult | £30 Child
Joined Encounter on a creek paddle on a drizzling day. The weather just added to the atmosphere of this lost area tucked away from holiday crowds. Great knowledge of history and wildlife further discussed over a lovely tea after the paddle.
Fantastic four hours on the Fowey river, swooshing down to explore Fowey and Polruan, then up again with the tide. Would love to come back and go the other way (inland) on a rising tide. Really friendly team.
My 11 year old daughter and husband had a fantastic trip. Beautiful scenery along the river. Claire was a fantastic tour leader, very friendly and informative, she was great company for 3 hours. Highly recommend and will definitely book again next time we are in Cornwall. My daughter is now keen to join a rowing/kayaking club, thank you!!!
Had an absolutely amazing time out on the kayaks! Every one at encounter were fantastic and so helpful giving us some beauutiffuuullll routes to explore! We will definitely be back soon! Thank you!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would! We were a group of 18 adults going kayaking so we were offered a private tour tailored to our group. The staff were so helpful from the moment of putting in an enquiry right through to us stepping out of our kayaks. Thank you to all the team for making it such a great day out for all of us! We will be back!!
My friend and I used encounter Cornwall on our holiday this week. They were so helpful and friendly. They could not have done enough for us. We wanted something in particular and they couldn’t have been more helpful. We will definitely come back!
Lovely afternoon kayaking from Golant to Fowey on the Wildlife & Waterfronts trip. Claire was a knowledgeable & fun leader & we look forward to returning in the future to do the creeks kayaking trip!
I am an 84 yr old…(experienced sculler, rower, punter etc in my youth on the Thames!)Decided to try SUP introduction course at Golant.. Absolutely great coaching and sympathetic help for a veteran! Any newbies over their 50’s probably need that dedicated help in order to get the body “core” going again!! Thoroughly recommend Encounter Cornwall. Can’t wait to have a regular outing soon.
“What a fantastic day out on the river. I was a little nervous but I needn’t have been, our instructor was brilliant and very knowledgeable about the river and its wildlife. Definitely a must do when visiting Cornwall. The scenery was beautiful, the people were so friendly, thank you so much.”
Cool, Calm, Connected.
