Beautiful Self Guided Kayaking by the Biltmore
Description
Enjoy this relaxing and spectacularly beautiful float through the breathtaking Biltmore property. This calm water trip begins in the heart of Asheville at our Outpost. We shuttle you to our private access point to launch your trip. The trip lasts approximately 2.5-3 hours. On this trip you will float down the majestic French Broad river starting south of the city. Along the way you will see views of the surrounding southern Appalachian mountains and will often have a chance to see some of the local wildlife (if you’re lucky). At the conclusion of this trip you will finish back at our Outpost in the heart of the famous River Arts District where you can relax and enjoy a beer at our bar by the river. Could there be a better afternoon?
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will float by the huge Biltmore property with plenty of views of the Biltmore house and farm.
This trip starts at the feet of Bent Creek Experimental Forest, a beautiful national forest just on the outskirts of the city.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your trip time
Reviews(59)
Great, well organized trip. Highly recommend.
Great trip. Very peaceful. Saw lots of birds, ducks and geese. Saw a bear crossing the river, which was definitely the highlight.
We had a great time! Everyone was super friendly at Asheville Adventure Co. It was quite a haul! 7 miles on the river; it’s a lot farther than you think! Took us about 2-1/2 hours of steady paddling! Good workout! Water was low, so had to navigate a bit through the rapids. Once we figured it out we were fine. Once they drop you off, you are on your own. Worth the price. Could see a quick view of the Biltmore house in the distance, and paddled along the property. Overall a great adventure!
We had an absolutely wonderful time kayaking down the French Broad River with AAC. Eric and the staff expertly prepared us beforehand. The trip was magical - the birds, the shoreline! We highly recommend this outfit and tour when you visit Asheville!
The description of the tour is a little deceptive. It was not very scenic, it was the exact same landscape the entire trip. You saw the Biltmore for about a minute. The tour was way too long! Should only be an hour long.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear the kayaking trip didn't meet your expectations. Our self-guided kayaking trip follows the French Broad River through Asheville and is designed to be a relaxed paddle that showcases the area's river corridor, including views of the Biltmore Estate, local wildlife, and the surrounding mountains. As described on our website and covered during our safety briefing, trip duration is dependent on river flow and water levels. Under normal conditions, the trip can take up to approximately four hours to complete, and actual paddle times will vary based on current conditions and each group's pace. We understand that this style and length of trip may not be what every guest is looking for, and we appreciate your feedback. Your comments help us continue setting clear expectations so guests can choose the adventure that's the best fit for them.
We enjoy kayaking but this one was longer (2.5hours vs 1.5 hours) and the water was lower so we had to self navigate some small class 1 rapids. We felt we really learned to read the water better on this trip as opposed to other trips where we had guilds. If the water was at its normal height I would imagine no one would have any issues. The people were super friendly and the equipment was in good shape. We enjoyed the wildlife especially the hitchhiking dragon flies. If you’re in area and want a bit of a workout while enjoying the beautiful scenery I would recommend. Also, you can see the Biltmore and Biltmore inn from the river. When you do you’re close to 3/4 of the way to the end. It’s a nice treat.
We had the absolute best time!! The staff was amazing. We did the kayak self guided trip and the river was so peaceful and we saw lots of wildlife. We didn’t want the day to end! We recommend!
This was my first ever time kayaking, and I had a wonderful time. The river was easy to navigate, the guides were good at explaining how to paddle and steer, and the trip itself was calm, peaceful, and scenic. Highly recommended.
Trip took my close to four hours. Lots of bird life, some fun spots of moving water but nothing tricky.
They didnt prepare us for all of the rocks we had to to manuver through and did not tell us how to maneuver through them. If I had not been an experienced kayaker, I would have been very nervous. The day we went, the current was slow and the wind was blowing and we had to paddle the entire way. It wasn’t really a relaxing float - not their fault. All you really see are thick trees and more thick trees. After 2hr we saw a partial view of the Biltmore House between the trees. It was ok. Not great. But the employees were super nice.
