Kayaking Tour Through the Mangroves in Isla Holbox
4.8
61 Ratings
Holbox

During this excursion, your guide will lead you through the labyrinthine mangroves. You’ll have the chance to spot diverse bird species and breathtaking landscapes. There is also a possibility of encountering crocodiles, resulting in an experience you won’t forget.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • VIP Holbox Experience - Upon arrival, you will get your double kayak and receive a briefing to start the tour. Paddle through these amazing mangroves which are home to different types of bird species that live on the coast. You may even be able to spot some crocodiles basking on the banks of the channels and you might also be able to see flamingos, depending on the season.

In the mangroves, the water is calm and relaxing and you can hear the songs from the birds. Your professional guide will provide you with information about the flora and fauna you see to enhance your experience.

Your kayaking adventure is divided in two parts of 45 minutes each. After the first half, you will stop to rest and have some water before you continue your way back to the departing point.

What's Included
  • Double kayaks
  • Bottled water
  • Professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Gratuities
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum age is 6 years
  • It is recommended that you bring a swimsuit, insect repellent, a hat, biodegradable sunscreen and a camera
Location
VIP Holbox
Avenida Caleta
We will meet in our office 15 minutes before departure time. If your hotel is located between our office and the hotel Las Nubes, we might be able to pick you up on the way to the departure point. If this is the case, please contact us one day before to confirm a possible pick up.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(61 Ratings)
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Brads487
Jan 19, 2024
An amazing experience in nature - The sunrise kayak trip from Holbox was one of the highlights of our trip. We kayaked out to Punto Mosquito and then through the rivers to the lagoon. Our guide, Gustavo, spotted and identified many different bird species, and he was also able identify to find a few crocodiles. He was knowledgeable and had a great eye for animals that we would not have been able to see on our own. There were three couples on the tour, all speaking different languages. Gustavo was able to speak all three languages (Spanish, English, and French). This was an unforgettable trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brian_l
Jun 24, 2023
Amazing kayaking tour with Gustavo - Kayaking through the mangroves was so amazing! Our guide Gustavo picked us up from our hotel and headed to the starting point of the tour. Gustavo was so passionate and knowledgeable about the biodiversity of the Yum Balam. He had a great eye for spotting wildlife and always took the time to point things out to us and observe. Thank you Gustavo!
Review provided by Viator
Richard
Apr 13, 2023
A great experience with lots of wildlife - Excellent trip with our guide Gustavo. He was very knowledgeable about the mangrove and the wildlife and pointed out many things that we would not have seen on our own. Saw lots of animals, birds and marine life including sting rays and crocodiles. Seemed a little surreal to be casually paddling through crocodile infested waters but we trusted our guide and took his advice not to swim in the mangroves! We were the only people on the tour so I’m not sure if the route was tailored to our abilities. We covered 9k starting off and returning to the ocean. We found this manageable as we are experienced paddlers but I could see this being a challenging trip for those new to kayaking. You need some degree of paddling technique and coordination with your partner to stay on track in these tandem kayaks. A nice bonus was the pick up and drop off back to our hotel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alison_p
Apr 7, 2023
Really enjoyable and educational outing! - Had a great time. Went with only another group of 3 people. Really appreciated having such a small group. Nice to be picked up at our accommodations with the company arranging that ahead of time. Gustavo was a lovely guide. He knew so much and brought binoculars for us to use. We saw lots of birds - herons, egrets, clapper rails, roseated spoonbills, flamigos, osprey and more! It was great. Plus a couple crocodiles on land and some sting rays. Paddling through the mangroves was peaceful and calm. We went at 8 am and no mosquitoes! Overall so enjoyable!
Review provided by Viator
Liesbet
Apr 7, 2023
Kayak tour through the mangroves - Nice & quiet kayak tour through the mangroves at Isla Holbox. We were the only 2 participants, so we had a private tour from the friendly guide Gustavo. He gave lots of info about the birds and other animals. We even saw 2 crocodiles!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danica_q
Apr 6, 2023
Gustavo was so great! Loved this experience! - Gustavo was an amazing tour guide and this was such an easy process to book from start to finish. He picked us up at the meeting spot and from there took us to his kayaks. He led the entire way with such ease, but I will say we struggled with the current to keep our kayaks in a straight line and found ourselves frustrated at times because the kayak would have a mind of its own. I went with my boyfriend and we both have kayaked in the ocean previously. Gustavo was patient and had so much knowledge to share about the different birds and wildlife. We even saw a cute crocodile! Once you get to the mangroves it’s so peaceful, honestly such a treat to just glide along and see all the beautiful birds. Along the way we saw people walking along the sand bar towards Punta Mosquito. We went in late March so it wasn’t flamingo season unfortunately. We were lucky that it ended up being a private tour since it was just my boyfriend and I and Gustavo. Definitely wear sunscreen, sun protection (hat, sunglasses), and a bathing suit. Highly recommend spending a morning on this tour. Grab some breakfast empanadas afterwards!
Review provided by Viator
Sam_b
Apr 1, 2023
Morning Mangrove Kayak - Brilliant morning kayaking trip with Willy in Holbox. He organised pick up from our hotel and we set off with two other couples into the mangroves. We saw crocodiles, fish, birds and even an octopus! Willy gave us insight into the habitat along the way. He also took and shared some great photos, thank you :)
Review provided by Viator
Kelseyzed
Jan 25, 2023
Would do it again! - This was our first time to Holbox and I thought a kayak tour of the mangroves would be a good way to get a better understanding for the heart & history of the island. Willy was well versed in the local ecology; we learned more than we expected...a pleasant surprise since this was one of our objectives. I can't recommend this tour enough. It wasn't too difficult for us, with minimal rowing experience and in only moderate shape. We would do it again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jordi_p
Aug 26, 2023
Great experience - Very good experience! 🙌 We enjoyed a lot! The guides were very kind! We could see the flamingos and some other beautiful species. Saddly we couldn’t find cocodriles
Review provided by Viator
Adventurebuddiespnr
Feb 5, 2023
Didn't meet our expectations - We were really looking forward to this activity but we were a little disappointed. First of all, while they recommend to bring hats, suntan lotion and other supplies, they also recommended us to leave our bag at the office in case it gets wet. We left our bag there but subsequently were very unhappy that we didn't have all our supplies with us which we carefully packed. So don't listen to them and take whatever you need - you probably won't get wet! Secondly, we were imagining going through very narrow paths through the mangroves but we were basically on the 'highway' through the mangroves which was very open and exposed. We also start and end the journey by paddling parallel to the sandbar which was quite intense and not very interesting. Our guide was very knowledgeable and clearly cared about the nature but didn't communicate great or let the back of the group catch up to also hear the explanations. We did see a crocodile but it was still didn't quite meet our expectations as a whole.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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