Click "Like" to follow us on Facebook
RSS Feeds
Guided Tour - Rio Grande Bosque Tour
People tell us they've lived in Albuquerque their whole life and never knew they could kayak in the Rio Grande, and how beautiful the river really is when removed from the hustle and bustle of a busy city. Visitors to Albuquerque tell us how amazing it is to paddle in the middle of a major city, and see only a few signs of human intervention. Still others tell us how great it is to be in or on the water in New Mexico. Virtually everyone leaves the trip having been connected to the river and changed by the experience.
Protected from development by the levee system and irrigation acequias, the Rio Grande Bosque is a hidden gem in the heart of the state's largest city. Aside from a few homes, we see nothing but stunning views of the Sandia Mountains and assorted wildlife and waterfoul as we paddle through 10 miles of one of the largest urban forests in the world. Great Blue Heron are seen year around near the river and we often see Snowy Egrets, Cooper's Hawks and Great Horned Owls, among others. It's not uncommon to sight coyotes, grey foxes, porcupines, dessert cottontail rabits and common raccoons. Beavers are often seen on sunset or full moon tours.
Our day starts by meeting at the designated river access point, where participants park their vehicles and load into one of our passenger vans. Our guides will give a brief introduction and set the expectations for the trip as we depart to the river access point. Upon arrival, participants will receive a brief 20 minute orientation to kayaking, and safety briefing. Our guides will help you customize your boat and equipment to your personal height and weight. As we launch, our guides will take you through a sequence of strokes to maneuver your boat with ease and confidence. Our tour will continue ~10 miles, and typically takes about 4 hours, depending on the size of the group, the flow rate of the river, time spent ovserving wildlife or enjoying the scenery. Once we reach our destination, participants return gear to the guide, and finish with a brief review of the lessons learned.
Full payment is due at the time of registration, and is non-refundable. Full payment is required to reserve your spot in this event. No spot is reserved untill full payment is received.
New Mexico Kayak Instruction accepts cash, check or credit cards over the phone.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Your payment is a reservation for an event with limited capacity. Cancellations or rescheduling request 4 or more days before the scheduled event are entitled to receive a refund, less a $30 cancellation fee. We're sorry, but cancellations or no-shows within 3 days of the event are non-refundable, and may not be transferred to another date. You may transfer or resell this ticket to another interested party. They should, however, complete this RSVP form and understand the cancellation policy.
I like the emphasis on kayaking as a positive experience. After taking the classes, you realize that you can have a very fun time, even before mastering the roll. Other classes I've taken make the roll seem like a necessity, and learning to roll (or not), becomes the focus, which eclipses the fun of kayaking.
I chose NMKI because of Kelly's professionalism and strong attention to detail. I find this very important as it relates to safety. I would never trust anyone other than Kelly to provide instruction to myself or for my 12 year old son, Navada. We felt very safe and well guided under the direction of Kelly. I would tell others if they ever hesitated to try kayaking, River Boarding or any kind of paddling to first take a course with Kelly and rest assured they will be in good hands.