London may be famous for its historic buildings and sophisticated late-night restaurants, but there’s another side to the city that’s best explored by water and often missed by land tourists.
The River Thames, Regent’s Canal, and other natural or manmade water attractions provide an unforgettable backdrop for kayaking. It’s a chance to see the city from a new angle—away from the crowds and closer to nature.
Whether you’re a seasoned paddler or a curious beginner, London has a variety of kayak services to help you get started. And I’m sharing the top options with you in this blog!
1. Chelsea Kayak Club
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Website: https://www.chelseakayakclub.co.uk/
Address: Brentford Boating Arch, Unit 5 Kew Bridge Arches, Strand-on-the-Green
Contact Details: +44 7979 507374 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Thursday – 7:30 PM – 10 PM
Pricing: £
What I like about the Chelsea Kayak Club is that joining them is not complicated. You can be a member if you’re at least 18 and can swim in light clothing.
You can’t paddle to the Thames River with them immediately. But they do organise beginner sessions so you can eventually join them.
The beginner’s courses are available from April to October and only take a day to complete. The goal is to prepare you for the tides of the famous river.
It’s okay if you don’t want to take their beginner courses because you can join them in other bodies of water. Some places you can paddle with them immediately are Richmond, Chiswick, and Hammersmith.
Pro Tip:
If you’re a seasoned paddler, join their longer expeditions. They organise kayaking in places like Wales, Scotland, and Dorset.
2. Hampton Court Paddle Sports
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Website: https://www.hamptoncourtpaddlesports.com/
Address: 16 Cherry Orchard Gardens, West Molesey KT8 1QY
Contact Details: +44 7730 898802 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 8 AM – 8:30 PM
Pricing: £
I love the choices of kayaks you can rent at Hampton Court Paddle Sports. You can hire single or double sit-on-top kayaks and single or double touring kayaks. You can rent them for an hour or even a whole day.
I also love the 1:1 training sessions they offer to beginners. You will learn quickly as an expert is fully focused on you. The session is 90 minutes long and is available every day.
What I love most are the guided kayak tours they have. They offer tours in pubs, picnic parks, and islands.
You should give their island-hopping tour a try. They will take you to seven islands, including Tagg’s Island, Ash Island, and Sunbury Court Island.
Pro Tip:
Go for their custom kayak tours for a more personalised experience.
3. Active 360 Paddleboarding – Kew
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Website: https://active360.co.uk/
Address: Kew Bridge Paddlesports Arch, Strand-on-the-Green
Contact Details: +44 20 3393 5360 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8 AM – 9 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 8 AM – 8 PM
Pricing: £
I appreciate Active 360’s passion for helping paddleboarding enthusiasts own a kayak. They sell Oru Kayaks, a foldable kayak that allows paddlers to explore places they want.
But if you’re not ready to own one, they also have a double sit-on-top kayak that you can rent. You can use this kayak to paddle either at the canal side of Ladbroke Grove or the waters of Bretford Lock.
I love the paddle and pick sessions they offer. These sessions will have you cleaning up the waters of Kew Bridge, Ladbroke Grove, and Brentford Lock. They are only available for events, making it a perfect team-building activity for your company.
Pro Tip:
Try their Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) natural history tours on the River Thames.
4. London Kayak Company
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Website: https://londonkayakcompany.com/
Address: 8, Springham Walk, River Gardens Walk
Contact Details: +44 7741 205515 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday – 9 AM – 8 PM
Pricing: £
It’s hard not to love the kayak sightseeing tours the London Kayak Company offers. They are perfect for a long paddling experience filled with eye-catching views. You will see the beauty of London from the river’s perspective with their tours.
One of their sightseeing tours I like is the Kayak Bus. It’s a one-way trip that starts from Greenwich and ends in West London, or vice versa. They use a stable double kayak so that you can enjoy the tour with another person.
Some iconic landmarks you will see during the Kayak Bus sightseeing tour are Canary Wharf, Cutty Sark, and Tower Bridge. The tour can last for up to three hours.
Pro Tip:
Go for their Night Bus tour to see how bright London is at night.
5. Back of Beyond Adventures
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Website: https://backofbeyonduk.com/
Address: River Ln, Richmond TW10 7AG
Contact Details: +44 20 8050 4051 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 10 AM – 6 PM
Pricing: £
I appreciate that Back of Beyond Adventures offers kayak parties for children. The hour-long party takes place at River Lane in Richmond and can be joined by up to 10 people. This is a great way for your kid to have fun with friends.
Aside from kids’ parties, they offer bespoke adventures for adults as well. You can book a kayak session for stag or hen parties, birthday parties, and more. What’s even better is you can book for up to 120 people!
Lastly, I love the self-guided tour they offer for people who want to explore waterways on their own. They will give your group the freedom to kayak at your preferred time, allowing you to move at your own pace for hours.
Pro Tip:
Try one of their guided kayak adventures, such as the sunset adventure from Richmond and the Eel Pie Island trip.
6. Lee Valley White Water Centre
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Website: https://www.better.org.uk/destinations/lee-valley
Address: Station Rd, Waltham Cross EN9 1AB
Contact Details: +44 330 123 1500
Operating Hours:
- Monday – 3:30 PM – 7 PM
- Wednesday to Friday – 8 AM – 9 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 8 AM – 6 PM
Pricing: £
Lee Valley White Water Centre is the ideal venue to experience kayaking without worrying about the unpredictable tides of natural waterways. As a curious beginner, I tried one of their kayak activities with one of my friends.
Their sessions are safe because you’ll paddle on a steady lake. It’s good for beginners who want to learn kayaking basics. Each session will last one hour, with an extra 15 minutes during the off-peak season.
Hot dog kayaking, the one I tried before, offers a unique experience you will not find in other kayaking service providers. The experience will let you paddle from a two-seater inflatable kayak on their legacy loop.
Pro Tip:
Try other water activities they offer, such as hydrospeeding, white water rafting, and paddleboarding.
7. Moo Canoes
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Website: https://www.moocanoes.com/
Address: The Milk Float Barge Sweetwater Moorings E9 5EN
Contact Details: +44 7879 909423
Operating Hours:
- Saturday and Sunday – 10 AM – 6 PM
Pricing: £
Moo Canoes is another kayak service provider that’s great for beginners. They have two-seater kayaks for hire that you can paddle on the waterways of a park. It gives a relaxing vibe as you see the park’s green pasture.
I love that you have complete freedom about the routes you want to take. Once you rent their kayaks, you can explore Mile End Park, Three Mills, and more for two hours. Don’t worry if you exceed the given time because they allow additional hours at a fair price.
What I love most is the boat bar they operate. You can access The Milk Float bar on routes like Hackney Wick, Hackney Marshes, and Pohcahontas. It serves as a ‘pit stop’ to re-energise you after hours of paddling.
Pro Tip:
You can take your small-sized dog or your at least four-year-old child with you!
8. Secret Adventures
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Website: https://secretadventures.org/
Address: 6 College Cross
Contact Details: [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9 AM – 5 PM
Pricing: £
I love Secret Adventures’ kayak adventures. They focus on providing kayak services in the bodies of water in Hackney Wick, Battersea, and Greenwich.
One of the adventures they offer is the kayak trip to Crate Brewery’s bar. It starts at Limehouse and ends at the brewery. It’s an over five-kilometre kayaking experience with friends, loved ones, and strangers. The trip is available for those over 18 years old.
Another kayak adventure is the night trip from Battersea to Greenwich. It begins on the beach at St Mary’s Church and will end at the Enderby House Pub. You will see the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, and more iconic landmarks along the way.
Pro Tip:
Book as early as possible, as tickets get sold quickly, especially for the night kayak adventure.
9. Paddle Richmond
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Website: https://www.paddlerichmond.co.uk/
Address: Richmond, Bridge Boathouses, Richmond
Contact Details: +44 20 3488 1785 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 9 AM – 6 PM
- Sunday – 9 AM – 5 PM
Pricing: £
Paddle Richmond is another kayak service provider that offers lessons. Their lessons are suitable for beginners and those with little experience in kayaking. I like that they offer it for up to eight people, making it more fun with your loved ones.
If you’re confident in your kayaking skills, you can skip their lessons and book a private kayak experience. It’s a two-hour session you can enjoy with your partner or family. The experience is available for up to six people.
I like that they have many choices of bodies of water to paddle on. You can explore Eel Pie Island, Kew Gardens, and more. It’s also your choice to have a 20-minute ice cream or pub break.
Pro Tip:
Expect an increase in price if you paddle solo, especially during peak season.
10. Regents Canoe Club
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Website: https://www.regentscanoeclub.co.uk/
Address: 16 Graham St
Contact Details: +44 20 7704 1212 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Thursday – 7 PM – 9 PM
Pricing: £
I’m impressed with Regents Canoe Club’s dedication to training people who want to learn kayaking. They provide complete training for their beginner members.
They organise fortnightly pool sessions for beginners to help them feel safe while learning to ride and exit a kayak. This is a great precursor before diving into their whitewater kayaking sessions.
Speaking of, their whitewater kayaking progressive sessions are where you will learn the basic paddling techniques. After that, they’ll take you on a day trip to one of the London rivers so you can learn how to deal with moving water.
Pro Tip:
You must register online for their new members’ evening event, as they don’t entertain walk-ins. Attending the event is the only way to join the club aside from taking one of their courses.
