Kayaking at Papagayo: four trips, one bay – and what separates the €45 paddle from the €75 one
Updated October 7, 2026 · 8 min read
The short answer: for most people the guided kayak and snorkel trip from Playa Blanca is the one to book – €50, 3.5 hours, 4.8 out of 5 from 495 reviews, with two separate hours of paddling and 45 minutes in the water at Papagayo. The Papagayo Watersports trip is €45 and gives you the longest snorkel of the four. If you would rather not paddle at all, the electric paddleboard tour is €55 for two hours.
See times and prices for the guided kayak and snorkel trip
| Trip | Starts at | Duration | from | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided kayaking and snorkelling adventure in Papagayo | Kayak Lanzarote, Playa Blanca | 3.5 hours | €50 | 4.8 from 495 reviews |
| Kayaking and snorkelling tour at Papagayo Beach | Sandos Papagayo hotel reception | 3.5 hours | €45 | 4.7 from 127 reviews |
| Electric stand-up paddleboarding and snorkelling at Papagayo | Playa de las Coloradas | 2 hours | €55 | 4.9 from 72 reviews |
| Kayak experience in Los Ajaches Natural Monument | Playa de las Coloradas | listed as 1 day | €75 | 5 from 6 reviews |
Two kayak trips that look identical and are not
Both of the 3.5-hour trips sell the same picture: turquoise water, yellow kayaks, a cliff behind. The booking pages describe quite different mornings.
The €50 trip starts at the Kayak Lanzarote base behind the LIVVO Mirador Papagayo hotel in Playa Blanca. The itinerary is an hour of kayaking out, 45 minutes of snorkelling at Playa del Papagayo, an optional 45-minute break, and an hour of kayaking back. Two hours of paddling is real exercise, and the page says this is what you are signing up for. Kayaks, snorkel gear, photographs, snacks and insurance are included, and the guides work in Spanish, English and French.
The €45 trip meets at the reception of the Sandos Papagayo hotel at 9:45 AM. You get a dry bag, mask, snorkel and a bottle of water, paddle for about 45 minutes, and then have 1 hour 15 minutes at the beach to snorkel or walk to the viewpoints. Weather permitting, you stop at the sea caves on the way back, you are back around 1:00 PM, and the photos arrive by WeTransfer that afternoon. Fruit and a chocolate bar come with it.
So: less paddling and more water time for €45, more paddling and a shorter snorkel for €50. If you are a swimmer with a mask, the cheaper one is the better trip. If you want a workout and a story, the dearer one.
See availability and prices for the Playa Blanca kayak trip
See availability and prices for the Papagayo Watersports trip
Who is turned away
This is where the pages differ most, and it matters for families.
The €50 trip lists children under 5 and people with mobility impairments as not suitable. The €45 trip lists children under 3, anyone over 130 kg (287 lbs) and anyone over 95 years old. The Los Ajaches kayak trip lists only pregnant women, and its description says it is suitable for all levels and ages – in a double kayak, with a group capped at eight. The electric paddleboard page names no exclusions at all, which is not the same as saying everyone is welcome; ask the operator before you bring a small child.
None of these is a children’s activity as such. A three-year-old in a kayak for 45 minutes is a different proposition from a seven-year-old, and the age limits above are the operators’ minimums, not recommendations. For a younger family, our guide to boat trips with kids covers what is realistic.
The electric paddleboard, €55
Two hours, and the shortest paddle in the set: roughly 50 minutes gliding along the coast on a motor-assisted board, then 30 minutes snorkelling, then a snack of fruit, a chocolate bar and water. The meeting point is the red-sand beach at Playa de las Coloradas, where you look for red and white boards and a guide. Equipment, insurance, a snack and the photos taken on the day are included, and the guides speak Spanish, English and German.
It scores 4.9 from 72 reviews, and the reviews describe it as easy. It suits anyone who wants the cliffs and the coves without the shoulders that come with them.
See availability and prices for the electric paddleboard tour
The €75 kayak is a different distance
The Aò! Experience trip is about 6 km along the Los Ajaches coast, in a double kayak, with a safety briefing, 1.5 hours of paddling and an optional 30-minute snorkel break at Papagayo. The group is limited to eight, the meeting point is Playa de las Coloradas, and the price includes a double kayak, paddle, back rest, life jacket and snorkelling equipment.
It has six reviews, all five stars, which is encouraging and not yet evidence. The booking page lists the duration as one day, which is the listing’s wording and not a promise that the trip lasts that long. Check the start time and length on the page when you pick a date. It is the right choice if distance is the point; for most people, the €50 trip covers the same bay in less time and with far more reviews.
See availability and prices for the Los Ajaches kayak trip
Practical points
The €50 trip may be cancelled in the event of adverse weather, and the paddleboard and kayak operators run on the same sea, so keep a spare day. Bring water shoes or flip-flops, a towel and sunscreen; the pages also recommend swimwear.
Getting there: the Playa Blanca bases are in the resort, and Playa de las Coloradas is a short drive east of it. Nothing on these pages includes a transfer, so unless you are staying in Playa Blanca you need to get yourself there. You can price a hire car for the day against a taxi, and our guide to reaching the Papagayo coves covers the road. If you would rather be carried there, the catamaran trips to Papagayo are compared in a separate guide, and more paddling options are listed under kayak and paddleboard tours.
Our recommendation
For most people: the €50 guided kayak and snorkel trip from Playa Blanca. It has the most reviews by a wide margin, 4.8 out of 5, two real paddles and a proper snorkel stop.
Book a date for the guided kayak and snorkel trip
For the longest time in the water: the €45 Papagayo Watersports trip, and it is also the cheapest. For no paddling: the €55 electric paddleboard. For distance and a small group: the €75 double-kayak trip, once it has more reviews behind it.
Not for you if you cannot swim comfortably with a mask, if you have a mobility impairment (the €50 page excludes it), or if the beach itself is the point – you reach it, you snorkel, you leave.
Starting points, itineraries, inclusions and age limits are as published on the GetYourGuide booking pages of the operators named. Ratings and review counts are from GetYourGuide. Subject to change.
