California – Lake Tahoe Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour with Clearly Tahoe
Lake Tahoe Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour – it’s a mouthful! To break it down, the company Clearly Tahoe offers clear kayak tours on scenic Lake Tahoe. In addition to the daytime tours, they outfitted some of the kayaks with LED lights, where you can shift the colors or have it be a rainbow in the waters at night. The stargazing tour started well after dark, when we cruised around the Tahoe Keys Marina, then turned our kayaks to red and let our eyes adjust to the massive amount of stars above. Lake Tahoe is not a designated dark sky reserve, but it’s an excellent place for stargazing for its limited light pollution and 300 clear nights per year.
For the clear kayak stargazing tour, I took my father, who I knew would be a great paddler in a tandem kayak and would also enjoy seeing Lake Tahoe in a new light. We had a hilarious time with the lights, wide kayak, and overall couldn’t stop giggling about being out on the water at night. I felt like we were getting away with something! But before I give everything away, let’s get into the experience.
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Out on the Water: Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour
Clearly Tahoe spearheaded transparent kayaks on Lake Tahoe, which is impressive because there is something so alluring and pure about the clear kayaks on the vibrant blue waters. But then they took it to the next level by adding a LED strip around the bottom of the watercraft, allowing the entire kayak and surrounding water to glow! Such a cool idea.
Check-in Process/Getting Geared Up
You can check availability and book your spot on a variety of tours directly on the Clearly Tahoe Website. When booking this tour, I was so excited about the stargazing I didn’t really think about the timing of our trip in late June. Yep, being so close to the Solstice and a late sunset meant our tour didn’t start until 10 pm! While a shock at first since that was my bedtime, I was also happy to do something outside my regular routine.
Clearly Tahoe sends a few emails before your tour with reminders of where to meet, what’s included with the tour, and what you should bring. Skip down to my “What to Bring with You” section for what I wore out on the water. The company asks you to arrive 15 to 30 mins before the tour, so we arrived at 9:30 pm. At Tahoe Keys Marina, you’ll want to go all the way to the end of the public road. The company had a bus with all the gear inside for my tour and two people helping guests get ready.
This was a good call to arrive early as you need to sign a digital waiver, get fitted with a Life Preserver and glow-in-the-dark circle woven into the preserver, fill your dry bag, and decide if you want a blanket (I’m glad I took one!). When you’ve done all this, you’ll look like the picture of me holding all my goodies on land. Try to bring only a few things with you on the kayak and leave the rest in the car because I didn’t once try to get in the dry bag and retrieve something. While it might seem like several steps, the two staff members made it a breeze.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 3.5 (out of 4) stars; I had a great time, but check out the stargazing section for why I had to remove half a star.
- Intensity: Layers for warmth, beanie, closed-toed shoes, paddling gloves.
- Location: Tahoe Keys Marina
- Cost: $109/per person, $198 Double Kayak — the tour was given to me in exchange for this blog post, be sure to read my “Full Transparency” section for how I think that impacted my experience.
- Timing: 1.5 hours
Highlights:
- Super fun to be in a transparent kayak that glows!!!
- We saw a busy beaver hard at work.
- Clearly Tahoe’s organization of the tour was seamless, with blankets, water, and a snack ready for you.
- It was a little spooky being out on Lake Tahoe at dark, but a fun type of spooky.
- Little light, which was great for stargazing.
Lowlights:
- Because the kayak moves and you need a longer shutter speed, it was super tough to get photos (I’m surprised any of these came out!!) I recommend simply enjoying yourself instead of trying to capture the moment.
- Unfortunately, our guide didn’t know many constellations. After speaking with the company, they should have known a few more. I’m confident the company corrected this for future tours.
LED Transparent Kayaks
Once everyone was secure in their Life Preservers, we headed to the kayaks. Our tour guide introduced the tour, our route/what we would see, how to change the light color, and the kayaks. For the kayaks, the guide let us know how we would be loaded onto them and warned us that they are wider than standard kayaks, so we would need to paddle a little differently.
Our guide asked who wanted to load first, and I volunteered my dad and myself because I was eager to try out the kayaks. The guide and additional staff member pulled one of the kayaks forward so the front half was in the water. They had me get in first at the front, then scooched the kayak forward and had my father get in next. After he was in, they pushed us forward into the water.
The harbor was absolutely still when we entered the water and silently moved forward. I could see the water through the kayak, and also the water surrounding our kayak lit up in a slowly changing rainbow. It was SO COOL!! I was giddy with excitement to see all of the rainbow kayaks in the water. Some of the clearest photos I got were when we were still and had some light from the harbor while we waited for other guests to load up.
Paddling the Harbor + Beaver Sighting!
With everyone in kayaks, it was time to explore the harbor. As our guide had warned us, the kayaks were a little wider than I expected, so I got a few drips on me as I got used to doing a broader stroke in the water. We were not moving very quickly and would slow down/stop to answer trivia questions and learn a few tidbits about the giant watercraft around us. Our guide would use a flashlight to point out particular features.
As we turned the corner and got near some brush, our guide asked us all to use the remote control in the cooler to change the color of our kayaks to red. With the red light, our eyes could better adjust to the dark, and we could see more! Looking in the bushes, our guide spotted a beaver walking up the shore. The beaver was hard at work, and we watched it go into the bushes to get branches and come back down to the water. It was my first time seeing a beaver, so I was shocked at the size! It was beefy.
Now that everyone had practice paddle, it was time to head out to Lake Tahoe proper. First, we went through a narrow channel, where our guide checked a particular part of the kayak that hung down into the water for any invasive species. I’m not sure which one exactly, but Tahoe is actively fighting against allowing invasive species into the lake to keep it clear. Also, along the long narrow channel, we passed over two rows of bubbles. The “bubble curtains” also restrict the spread of invasive plants. When going over the bubbles, we could see them through the kayak! Fun!
Stargazing on Lake Tahoe
Going out on Lake Tahoe was like going into the dark expanse. It was much darker, with lights scattered around the lake’s edges. There was more motion with small waves to go over. I wouldn’t call it rough, but there was more movement than in the harbor. And, of course, we could see all of the stars above. The moon had not yet risen, so we had gorgeous dark skies. We paddled out and gathered near each other to hear the guide talk about the lake.
Several things surprised me about being out on the lake in the dark. It was chillier than expected, with a cool breeze, but the water was warmer than in the marina. I couldn’t figure out why until I noticed that the bottom of the lake was only about two or three feet underwater at this spot. It was also eerie on the lake with no other boats around, just the ominous shapes of the mountains surrounding us in the distance. It kinda felt like we were getting away with something.
The stars were stunning. Our guide asked us to point out the big dipper, which looked massive from this angle. Unfortunately, our guide did not know any more constellations or stars. I even asked to make sure I wasn’t missing something. Our guide passed around an iPad with a stars program and told a series of ghost stories about Lake Tahoe – perhaps that’s why I had an eerie feeling!! After the tour, I reached out to Clearly Tahoe, who told me that the guides are not expected to be astronomy experts but should know a few more constellations and stars. I believe our guide was newer to the company, was still learning the ropes, and knew more for the next tour.
Final Moments on the Lake and Paddling Back
I could have stayed out on the lake listening to ghost stories, fun facts about the depth, and admiring the stars for hours. It was quiet and peaceful, with the gentle waves rocking us back and forth. Our group included four tandem kayaks, two solo kayaks, and a guide. Everyone was very respectful with fascinating questions and interest in Lake Tahoe.
Eventually, we needed to paddle back toward the marina, where we did the steps in reverse. We went back into the channel and over the fun bubble curtain. Since we were nearing the end of the tour, I had some fun changing the kayak’s color over the bubbles and in the marina. By now, we had a grasp on how to paddle the kayaks and effortlessly cut through the still water.
Before unloading, our guide jumped onto a dock and took a photo of each kayak from above – I love this picture of my dad and me! Then we unloaded in a similar system to how we got in the kayaks. Our guide and the Clearly Tahoe staff member pulled the front part of the kayak onto the boat ramp for the front person to get out. Then again, for the second person. After being in one position for an extended period, I was stiff getting out of the boat! But I regained mobility as we walked back to the bus to return the life preserver, glow necklace, blanket, and dry back. Our guide air-dropped the photos she took and said goodbyes. My dad and I immediately put on the seat warmers in the car and reminisced about the experience. We were jazzed, and it would be hard to sleep afterward.
Photos While Night Kayaking – SO TOUGH
Going into the clear kayak stargazing tour, I knew it would be hard to get good photos, and I was right. It was tricky because you need to hold the phone or camera steady for a couple of seconds, so the shutter can stay open long enough to capture more light. With the movement of the kayak and low light, it was near impossible to stay still, so I was pleasantly surprised with the ones that did come out. Overall, I recommend not trying too hard to take photos but simply be present and soak up the experience.
However, if you would like to try, here are my recommendations:
- Go in a tandem kayak so one person can keep the kayak in one position and keep you on track with the group. My pops did a great job in the back of our tandem kayak!
- Have an iPhone 12, 13, or fancy camera. Taking your phone out on the water is dangerous, so have a way to stash it safely when you need to paddle. But you need a newer phone with night photo capabilities or a camera that can adjust the shutter speed.
- Get a few shots on land before and after you get into the kayaks – these may be all you get!
- Capture some video! When telling the rest of my family about the experience the next day, the videos were a much easier way to explain what it was like!
- Embrace red – while some other colors made capturing photos easier, red was the only way for me to see the stars and enjoy the experience in real life.
What To Bring With You – Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour
We did this trip on June 21, 2022, and it was chilly at 10 pm. While I wasn’t worried I would tip over, that is always a consideration. I recommend bringing very little with you out on the kayak – I honestly didn’t reach for anything except my phone and beanie. Instead, I wasn’t sure how much to bundle up. There wasn’t much wind, but it got chilly once we got out on the water! I’m glad I wore layers. Take a look at what Clearly Tahoe provides, and build out what you bring from there.
Clearly Tahoe Provides:
- USCG Approved Life Preserver
- Glow-in-the-dark ring on a personal floatation device
- Dry bag for the items you want to take with you on the kayak
- Blankets (if you want them)
- Cooler with boxed water and granola bars
What to Wear:
- Jacket – it was chilly! I wore my white Patagonia nano-puff hoody and was stoked to have it on while on the water.
- Beanie – a definite must! I got the grey one I’m wearing at Crater Lake National Park, but here’s a similar one at REI.
- Shoes – hilarious, I forgot to pack regular tennis shoes, so I wore the only close-toed shoes I brought, which were the Columbia Newton Ridge hiking boots. They kept me warm, so I was stoked to have them. If it’s a warm night, perhaps something like a Chaco sandal would be best.
- Gloves – it would have been nice to have gloves on. I’m considering buying these ones from REI for future paddling trips. Luckily my shirt had thumb holes, so part of my hands were covered.
- Headlamp – I never used mine!!! It was much easier to see with your eyes adjusted to the red light. But if you’d like to buy one, Black Diamond is the classic brand I’m familiar with, and the Spot 400 is a solid choice. OR the Petzl Actik Core has a rechargeable battery – very cool! It also gets very good reviews.
Who is this Tour Best For?
The kayaking on the clear kayak stargazing tour was very slow-paced and suitable for beginner kayakers. Those with kayaking experience can keep up easily and have downtime. My father and I both have kayaking experience, so we found this tour to be very easy. I enjoyed the leisurely pace and let my pops do the bulk of the paddling as I attempted to take photos for this blog post.
The trivia and information about Lake Tahoe were also pretty high-level and introductory, which is not a bad thing. While I didn’t know all the answers, my father kept getting the answers correct and sometimes waited for others to speak up before joining in. A+ student! Haha, but it’s simply because he adores Lake Tahoe and has been coming back/researching it for decades. I’m glad our guide had trivia and information about Tahoe, which made the tour engaging. Overall, this tour is great for beginner kayakers and those excited to see Lake Tahoe in a different light.
Other Water Experiences offered by Clearly Tahoe
In addition to the clear kayak stargazing tour, Clearly Tahoe offers additional ways to get out on the water, including daytime tours, early evening glow tours, and I thought I saw clear stand-up paddleboarding on their Instagram, but I’m not seeing a tour on their website. Here’s a quick breakdown of what they have as of August 2022:
- Daytime Tours: Paddle to the scenic Bonsai Rock, over rocks at Crystal Cove, and above the depths at Cave Rock.
- Other LED Tours: Other glowing LED tours include one at sunset in Tahoe Marina or the Truckee marshes to see plants and animals. ALSO, in October, they offer a haunted stargazing tour — our guide would absolutely shine when doing this tour.
- Explorer Tours: A relatively recent addition, this is where you take a boat out to a particular area and paddle one-way to explore coves and hidden gems. I love that this removes the slough back to your starting point with tired arms.
Other Things to do at Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a loved and familiar destination for my family and me. Here are other activities that I’ve done and written about in the area over the years:
- East Shore Bike Path – Bike and Swim in Lake Tahoe
- Maggie’s Peak Hike – Tough Hike with Incredible Views
- Rubicon Trail – Connecting Emerald Bay and DL Bliss State Park
- Cave Rock – Short Hike on the Southeast Shore
- My Favorite Lake Tahoe Beaches – Kick back or take a swim
- Monkey Rock Hike – 2.5 Miles to Uninterrupted Views of Lake Tahoe
- How to Cozy Cabin Experience – We stayed in Truckee in the fall with snow!
- Full details of a Full Boat Rental with Action Watersports of Tahoe
- Eagle Lake Hike – 2-Mile Hike through Alpine Scenery
- Sunset Sail and Sparkling Wine with Sail Tahoe Blue
- Rifle Peak Hike – Insanely strenuous hike… but worthwhile? Still deciding
Full Transparency
The clear kayak stargazing tour was given to me in exchange for writing this blog post, and I wanted to speak about how that might have impacted my experience. I’ve seen the clear kayaks on Instagram, but when I saw the LED lights and stargazing tour, I was immediately excited by such a unique experience and reached out to Clearly Tahoe. In addition to the type of tour, I loved that the company offered small group tours and is dedicated to limiting invasive species to keep Tahoe clear.
Regarding the experience, I believe you would have a similar experience as I did when booking with Clearly Tahoe. There was no special treatment to any single person, and the tour would have gone normally had we not been there. However, if I paid full price, I might be slightly disappointed in the lack of knowledge about constellations when on a “stargazing” tour. At the same time, I genuinely believe our tour was an anomaly with a less-experienced guide because the logistics and communication with the company were seamless. I also had a great time gazing at the stars (even if I didn’t know what I was looking at) and on the rest of the tour.
(If you end up booking with Clearly Tahoe due to this blog post, please let them know that I recommended them. Both them and I would deeply appreciate it.)
Overall Thoughts: Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour with Clearly Tahoe
I’ve seen the clear kayaks on Lake Tahoe all over social media, so I am stoked I got to try them out! They are incredibly scenic, move easily through the water, and the LED component was SO MUCH FUN. I enjoyed the leisurely pace of the clear kayak stargazing tour, seeing the beaver, spending time with my father, and being out on Lake Tahoe on a clear evening to look up at the stars. Plus, the booking, check-in, and tour were seamless and well-organized – I’d book with Clearly Tahoe again. I haven’t experienced anything like this, but now I’m curious to do more night kayaking – perhaps to see some bioluminescent plankton??
I’m always looking for more things to do around Lake Tahoe. Do you recommend any other activities or hikes for me to check out? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
