Congress Avenue Bat Bridge: Kayak Tour Experience

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 emergence of the world’s largest urban bat colony from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge! This incredible colony, consisting of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats, offers a spectacular visual and auditory experience. Meet with a professional guide at the designated location to paddle and observe this natural wonder, while learning about…

Location
East Avenue
We will meet directly under the I35 overpass off East Ave out of a parking lot/docking area by the water and launch from there. If you’re having trouble locating us, just look up Lone Star Kayak Tours on Google Maps. We're to the left with the blue and orange kayaks when you come down to the water!
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.5
(205 Ratings)
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Go62025461968
Apr 20, 2025
Bats everywhere 🦇🦇🦇 - Very nice, friendly and prudent tour guide. Great atmosphere. A nice adventure at Lady Bird Lake. Lots of bats 🦇🦇🦇 Just beautiful 🤩🤩🤩
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_c
Apr 11, 2025
Glad I got to see it! - Suggestion...talk about residential district next to waterline building so the tour is closer to the bat Bridge and better viewing of residential district as a whole
Review provided by Viator
Navigate571756
Mar 26, 2025
Great for families! - Took the family: 9 year old and 16 year old, for the 6:30pm paddle and bats. It was great, everyone had a blast! Even for us who aren't expert paddlers, and MIGHT be a little out of shape...it was well worth it and enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dareth_k
Mar 11, 2025
Amazing experience - A must do! Seeing the bats from the water is amazing. JT and crew were phenomenal! They were helpful, informative, and kept a chill vibe going.The lake is easy to kayak.
Review provided by Viator
Dcw21
Mar 4, 2025
Wonderful experience with great views! - Austin was outstanding. We enjoyed his company and the knowledge he shared. The bats were awesome. We also enjoyed the ride back, and the beautiful views of the city at night. Absolutely no complaints and would do it again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S7657hmbethr
Oct 27, 2024
Highly recommend - great experience - Very relaxing, loved this experience! Learned about the buildings and skyline as well as the bats. I made a last minute reservation and it was perfect. My only concern was finding their location under the bridge
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erikabu3173ly
Oct 14, 2024
Our Best experience in Austin - We had a fantastic time on our kayak bat tour in mid October. It was the first time either of us had kayaked and the guide team was super helpful in making sure everyone knew what to do and got around safely. The view was spectacular and the info provided by our guide was super interesting and informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cheryl_l
Oct 13, 2024
Must do! - Being on the water enjoying time with my sisters was a great way to spend an evening. It was beautiful weather and kayaking at night was a different experience. Overall loved every minute.
Review provided by Viator
Alexandra_g
Oct 12, 2024
Tour guides were really... - Tour guides were really friendly and knowledgeable. Answered all questions with ease. Seeing the thousands of bats was an unforgettable experience.
Review provided by Viator
Daverfromannarbor
Mar 30, 2025
Pretty fun, not sure if it's better than a DIY kayak rental - Well, the bat bridge is definitely a very Austin thing. I'm not sure whether you get a better view of the bats flying out from the water vs. standing on the bridge. And if you have a nice night it can be fun to go for a paddle on the river (lake). There was a lot of sitting around on the water listening to dudes talk about the Austin architecture in a mildly informed way, or about the bats (in a slightly more informed way). If you find a kayak rental place that's much cheaper it might be just as good an experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $50
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).