Tomales Bay Guided Kayaking Tours

All of our tours are led by local guides with many years of experience on Tomales Bay. Paddling with a guide can be an excellent way to enhance your kayaking skills and expand your knowledge of the area at the same time!

Kayaking Day Tours

Tomales Bay Expeditions offers guided kayaking tours of Tomales Bay. Tours typically run 3 hours and begin in the morning to take advantage of the best paddling conditions (longer tours available by request). All tours include instruction on safety, paddling technique and proper use of the kayaks before going out on the water. Paddlers will experience the epic scenery, abundant wildlife and favorable kayaking conditions that make Tomales Bay a world class destination for recreational paddling.

Kayaking Night Tours

A unique way to experience Tomales Bay is to take a night tour! Led by our highly experienced guides, these 3-hour tours explore the wonders of Tomales Bay after dark. These can include bioluminescent organisms, nocturnal predators such as owls, and if the skies are clear, excellent star gazing! Tours leave from various locations depending on tidal conditions.

Tomales Bay Bioluminescense!

Tomales Bay has become well known as a great place to see planktonic bioluminescence at night. This phenomenon occurs in many oceans around the world but is best viewed in a place like Tomales Bay where low ambient light makes the effect much brighter. It is usually seen as sparkles or a glow around anything which disturbs the water. Paddle strokes, the wake of a kayak or even a fish will leave a beautiful trail of light. Bioluminescence tends to be strongest in the summer and fall, although in recent years it has been seen regularly throughout the spring as well. All of our scheduled night tours have a good chance of seeing bioluminescence, however there are many factors which affect its density and brightness.

At Tomales Bay Expeditions safety is our top priority; conditions on Tomales Bay can vary and we call on our years of experience to determine the best times and places to paddle. As such, all of our tours (especially night tours) are subject to environmental conditions such as tide and weather.