10 best kayaking routes in Spain

Spain has a great variety of rivers, lakes and reservoirs where you can practice this sport while enjoying the amazing aquatic landscapes that nature has to offer.

In recent years, kayaking and adventure tourism has become popular. More and more people go on trips taking into account routes and tours in order to practice some extreme sport that fills them with adrenaline. This is the case with kayaking or canoeing, a highly acclaimed water sport that many people want to try.

Below, we reveal different routes to practice in different locations of the Spanish territory:

Costa Brava, Catalonia

Enjoy crystal clear waters and breathtaking coastal scenery as you sail along the Costa Brava, which stretches from Blanes to the French border.

The Canyelles reservoir is the largest in Catalonia. It is a coastal town located in the province of Girona, in the region of Catalonia. It is known for its beautiful beaches and coves, which makes it an ideal place to practice water activities such as kayaking.

Undoubtedly this is one of the most popular tours for kayaking lovers, as it is an authentic adventure, which will start in Canyelles, south of the Costa Brava.

The tour begins at the Canyelles Dam, from where we access a pier, where we begin to navigate for 15 kilometers to Cosgosto de Montrebei. This is a route for experts only, as it is very difficult.

Atlantic Islands National Park, Galicia

Explore the protected waters around the Cíes, Ons, Sálvora and Cortegada Islands, where you will find idyllic beaches and diverse marine life.

The National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia is one of the best representations of the Spanish coastal ecosystems, and therefore constitutes a privileged space to appreciate and enjoy the natural values of the marine environment. That is why kayaking is one of the most practiced sports in this ecosystem. Since it is an activity that combines fun and nature conservation, allowing a very direct contact with the sea and not involving any emissions, noise or harmful impacts.

One of the best known routes in this national park is, as we mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, the island of Cortegada, an extraordinary place in the Ría de Arousa. In this itinerary, the ideal will be to advance through the waters of the Ría de Arousa to cross places like Carril to reach the coast of Cortegada, very famous for its beautiful scenery and contrast of water with the vegetation of the area.

Asturias, Sella and Deva rivers

The descent of the river Sella, also known as Les Piragües, is a very well known and internationally famous canoeing route. Every year, in the month of August, hundreds of tourists and canoeing lovers visit this place to enjoy this spectacular and magical journey. This is why it is the king of the river descents in Asturias.

When you kayak down the Sella, you enjoy nature in its entirety while taking advantage of your skills and abilities in this water sport. This route is one of the most popular among kayaking enthusiasts.

The currents and rapids give the Sella a point of adrenaline and fun that makes it a different and unique descent with respect to other rivers in the community.

Another of the routes found in the Cantabrian mountain range and also very famous, like that of the Sella, is that of the Deva river. This descent has a total distance of 12 km from its beginning, in the town of Panes, to the bridge of Unquera, Cantabria.

It has an approximate duration of three hours and is suitable for all publics, from beginners to amateurs.  That is why this river, the Deva, is the second with more descents of all Asturias.

Andalusia

Within the autonomous community of Andalusia we have different routes in different cities that we will name below:

Cabo de Gata, Almeria

This protected area is a natural jewel with impressive rock formations, sea caves and volcanic landscapes. The Mermaids Reef is a kayak route in Cabo de Gata. With a duration of approximately 3 hours, it is the best known kayak tour in Almeria among its large number of beaches and coves, which are more than 40.

Departing from La Fabriquilla, where you will go through spectacular scenery on the way to the Cala del Corralete, where mini waterfalls are formed. Subsequently, the route continues towards the Cabo de Gata Lighthouse, where you will cross on your way cracks in the mountain with unbeatable views until the arrival at the famous Arrecife de las Sirenas, a famous place well known in Almeria.

Cerro Gordo, Malaga

Located on the coast of Malaga, in the municipality of Maro in Nerja, this is one of the most beautiful routes in Andalusia. It is ideal because it combines a beautiful landscape in which small coves are mixed with cliffs, rocky areas and incredible areas with crystal clear waters.

In addition, it has coves and beaches that can only be accessed by kayak, making it even more special to discover unspoiled coastal areas.

Some of the most interesting points are the Lobo cave, the Caletilla del Maro, the seagulls' house... Generally, it is a tour with a duration of between two and three hours, depending on the final destination it can be of one duration or another.

Doñana National and Natural Park, Huelva, Spain.

This protected area features the Guadalquivir River and the Doñana marshes. You can explore the channels and lagoons by kayak, enjoying the rich biodiversity. It is a space of high biodiversity where we can witness various ecosystems: marshes, pine forests or river ecosystems.

The observation of aquatic birds is another attraction of this route. Birds such as grey herons, egrets, black-tailed godwits, are several of the species that circulate in the area.

There are several routes that you can do, one of the favorites of canoeing enthusiasts is the one that leaves from Sanlucar de Barrameda in Cadiz. This route is an important enclave in history since several expeditions departed from here, such as the one that was made to complete the first trip around the world or another, which corresponded to the third voyage of Christopher Columbus.

Mar Menor, Murcia

Known as the Phoenician route, it is one of the most famous. Every year, at the end of May, this site attracts a large number of tourists and kayakers to make the journey for 48 hours.

The route goes from the Mar Menor to the port of Cartagena, about 50 kilometers along the coast of Murcia with part of it on the high seas. The journey begins, specifically in Mar de Cristal.

It continues through Cabo de Palos, where there is an area of small coves. And it passes through spectacular and distinguished areas such as Calblanque Beach, Punta del Cojo, Punta Negrete, Punta del Hecho, Cala de Mulas, El Renegado, Batería de las Cenizas, El Gorguel to finish in the Bay of Cartagena.

Cliff of Giants, Tenerife

The Cliff of the Giants, in the municipality of Santiago del Teide, is a very well known and sought after route for its extreme adventure due to its slopes, the fall is quite a challenge.

Prowl these cliffs by kayak is one of the best ways to do a fun and exciting activity while enjoying a unique natural landscape in the world both out and in the water.

The best way to admire this cliff and enjoy the enormous height of its vertical walls falling into the sea, which reach 600 meters, is from the water. Take advantage of the route to enjoy a swim in these cold blue waters or even snorkel if you can.

The cliffs of Los Gigantes have a height of between 500 and 800 meters above the sea and 30 meters underwater. Their presence is so imposing that the Guanches called them "The wall of hell", and until Columbus arrived in America they were considered the end of the world.

Canchos de Ramiro, Extremadura

One of the most popular destinations for kayaking and other outdoor activities. The most famous in Extremadura and one of the best rated in Spain. The Canchos de Ramiro are located in the province of Cáceres, near the municipality of Arroyomolinos de la Vera.

The route generally begins in Casillas de Coria in Cáceres and ends in the Canchos de Ramiro located in the Sierra de la Garrapata. The difficulty of this route is medium since it is necessary a good physical condition to paddle because it does not have excessive current. It is a route of about 20 kilometers.

This route is one of the most chosen by kayakers due to its tranquility and spectacular scenery.

Balearic Islands         

The Balearic Islands, located in the Mediterranean Sea, offer numerous options for kayaking due to its beautiful scenery and crystal clear waters, which allow you to see all the marine fauna and flora under your boat while sailing. Some of the best kayaking routes in the Balearic Islands are:

Formentera

Formentera is known for its white sand beaches and turquoise waters. In addition, thanks to its mild temperatures you can practice it during any time of the year, as in the Canary Islands.

One of the most popular routes is with departure in Punta Prima, since from there you can make different crossings depending on your ability and capacity, making more or less kilometers. However, being an island, logically there are many more routes to explore, among them, Cala Saona- La Savina, Cala En Baster- Es Pujols and Cala Sanoa- Punta Rasa.

Port de Pollença, Majorca

Port de Pollensa is one of the most chosen towns for vacations in the north of Mallorca. This route starts there, where you will find facilities to rent a kayak.

As we mentioned in the previous section, from Port de Pollensa you have the possibility to do different kayak routes depending on whether you are a beginner or someone more experienced in the activity.

One of the easiest, for beginners would be the route around the Bay of Pollensa. The waters of the bay are generally calm and you can paddle around the bay and enjoy breathtaking views of the mountains and coastline.

Another route, very popular and generally for experienced paddlers, is from Port Pollensa to Cala Gossalba. Approximately 26 km round trip, so you should ideally be in good physical condition.

With this route, which is one of the best on the island, you will pass through spectacular places such as Cala Pi, Cala Murta and other dazzling corners. Cala Gossalba is a virgin beach or cove so it is a unique experience.

Es Grau, Menorca

Menorca, like all the other Balearic Islands, is known for its paradisiacal coves and beaches, which makes it a perfect destination for kayaking.

Es Grau is a beautiful coastal town located on the east coast of the island of Menorca, and is par excellence the main site for kayaking on the island. From there there are mainly two routes. On the one hand, Es Grau - Cala sa Torreta, a route of 8 km to this cove, has a stipulated time of 2.5 hours round trip. If you are interested in this route, you can follow it here.

On the other hand, a slightly longer route, and great if you want to head south. Es Grau - Cala Mesquida in the direction of Maó, and with final destination in Sa Mesquida. It is a little longer than the previous one, because it is about 13 km approximately, with about 3.5 hours round trip.

It also has other different routes, from Cala Galdana to Cala Turqueta or explore the north coast from Fornells to Cavallería beach.

Here is the list of the 10 most important kayak routes in Spain. We hope they serve as inspiration and that you can enjoy them.