Congress Avenue Bat Bridge Kayak Tour in Austin

Overview

Experience the world’s largest urban bat colony emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge! This colony made up of 1.5 million Mexican free tailed bats is an amazing sight to see and hear. From the meeting point, join your professional guide at 6pm where afterward, you will paddle and observe one of nature’s wonders and learn about how these nocturnal creatures help create a better ecosystem for everyone. The tour lasts 2 hours and food and drinks are not included.

City: Austin

Fri 20 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $69.00

Make a reservation

Fri 20 Sep

Starting at $69.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Paddle lesson and safety instructions

Professional guide

Life jacket

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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

What To Expect

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.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (98)

Robin K

Jun 2018

Our guide was very nice and helpful with the Kayaks. However the negative to the trip: the trip should provide a cold water for the kayakers. At $55 it would cost the company less than $.25 cents for the water. However the biggest negative was that the guide knew nothing about Bats, the history of the Congress bridge bat conservation etc. We knew more from researching bats ourselves. Also the other tours all had a light source for their kayakers which was missing from our tour and it’s dark when you finish. Would not recommend this tour- other tours looked better informed.

Response from Host

Jun 2020

I'm sorry for your negative experience. We have since changed managers and addressed all the issues you have brought up by having water on hand, experienced and knowledgeable guides, and providing headlamps to all our guests. If we can do anything else to help your previous bad experience please let us know.

Michael S

May 2018

My wife booked this trip for her birthday. While we have seen the Congress Ave bridge bats from land, there is nothing quite like seeing it from the water. We started off around 715pm and took our kayaks to Barton Creek and back to the bridge to see the bats. While we did arrive about 10 minutes late for the start of the bat brigade, we did get plenty of time to watch them pour out of the bridge and over the trees on their way to feast. The sunset as we made our way up to Barton Creek was something else. Cody was our guide and was quite informative about the little spots around the lake, cool building facts and tips on where to eat and drink in the city. Definitely recommend doing the evening tour.

Response from Host

Jun 2020

Thanks for your review we hope to see you again soon!

BClum

Apr 2018

Cody and Gabriel were excellent guides. We went out 4/27/18, a perfect night. After a quick lesson our group kayaked well past the bridge and back to see this incredible displayed. Children and adults both loved this, thanks to Cody and Gabriel's knowledge of the city and great sense of humor. What an adventure!

Response from Host

Jun 2020

Thanks for your review we hope to see you again soon!