I went kayaking with 2 friends on July 3, and one of my friends rented a kayak from them. The whole experience was great! The rental people go over the route and helped us get in the river. The lady that was working went above and beyond to accommodate us even though only one of us rented from them. She helped us get our 2 kayaks back(with the one rental) to the starting point. The route is about 6 miles. I definitely recommend this company if you want to go kayaking on the river read more

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We've rented here several times, with groups from two people to ten and have always had a fantastic experience. The staff is super knowledgeable about the area and always has great "hidden gem" tips to share. They are helpful and accommodating, you can tell they have a passion for the river and canal and want everyone to love it like they do! read more

We had a great time kayaking down the canal! SRKR was super helpful when selecting a kayak for me and made sure I felt comfortable before sending us on our way. Excited to return. read more

We decided to have a "staycation" right here in Augusta and couldn't have been happier with the service provided by Savannah Rapids Kayak Rentals. They sanitize the kayaks and the life-vests after each use. It seemed like a great way to enjoy the beautiful nature while social distancing. We saw at least twenty turtles along the four mile ride down the canal. The people who work there are extremely friendly. They also give a $5 discount for military service members. I'll definitely be going back. read more

Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental - A sign to let you know where to turn to get to the lake - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

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it's our first time visit and this place is awesome. A lot of people go here for a walk, bike and kayak or just relax, and some are doing pictorial. They also have military discounts for bike or kayak rentals.. Definitely going back here again.. read more

Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

When looking in the area for things to do the list can be rather short. While walking my dog on the Savannah Rapids trail I noticed the Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental. On my way back I wondered over, spoke with the very friendly old man. A week later my wife and I were in a kayak with some friends. - Weekday $15 (Single) $25 (Tandem) Shuttle $8 - Weekends $25 (Single) $35 (Tandem) Shuttle $10 - Paddles, lifevests, whistles are included in price - Shuttle price is per person - You may want to park a car at the Lake Olmstead to avoid shuttle price - They take credit! Swipe your card on their iPad and email yourself a receipt - Really friendly people and very accommodating The owner is a retied school teacher looking to revive a business he recently purchased. They are looking at expanding hours and routes. I was told the shuttle was a new option. I just want to point out how friendly these people were! When my group showed up we had forgotten sunscreen in our car and instead of walking back, we were given some spray-on to use. Not only that but we were given a free trip in the shuttle after a frustrating mix-up. While we had parked our car at Lake Olmstead my wife left her keys in the other car we parked at the starting point DOH! The route that is planned out is pretty easy to follow and can be paddled in about 2.5 hours at a decent rate. If you just wanted to float the whole way down and get some sun it might take 3 hours. Only get the tandem if you don't mind fighting when to paddle without going in circles the entire way down. I speak from experience. One word, coordination. You WILL get WET! Just by the nature of paddling you will get water on yourself, no matter how hard you try. Just be prepared for it, you're in a canal for Pete's sake. There are shady spots in the canal for those hot days (I used them!) and some beautiful sights along the way. I recommend bringing a waterproof camera or being careful with your phone to take photos. For the price Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental is a fun experience and I will be going back. Little pop-up rental area down the one way road at the Savannah Pavillion. read more

Leslie and the team at Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental made us feel at home! We had a blast. It was definitely the highlight of our trip to Augusta and I highly recommend it. It was a great way to explore! We saw so many turtles and the views from the water were great! It is highly recommended! Make sure you bring water and sunscreen! read more

We rented two single kayaks for $40 total, and had a free shuttle back since we're military. There's not much need to paddle down river since the current will take you, but you can if you want. We saw lots of turtles, a snake (maybe a water moccasin?), a muskrat swimming, birds, and some big fish jumping. I know a lot of people prefer to do things on the water when it's hot and sunny out, but it's so much nicer when it's overcast. You can pretty much float the river until you get to the inlet for Lake Olmstead and then the current leaves you and you actually have to paddle. It's a nice activity to do for a morning or an afternoon and you can eat at one of the great places down in Augusta or off of Washington. They also do rentals for the river on the other side and jet skis up on the lake. read more

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Definitely a company that is changing Augusta's outdoors! This is the route you want to go for a kayak trip on the canal with a group or solo. The rates are great for what you get. The best part, if you already own a kayak, just call them and they will pick you up at the end of your trip. My wife and I love kayak the entire canal (The Locks to 13th Street) and we get this company to pick us up and take us back. read more

We initially only planned to sleep in Augusta and then continue driving on into South Carolina. The weekend before leaving we learned about the Augusta Canal and the kayaking the canal. We called that preceding weekend to Savannah River Rapids Kayak (SRRK) and reserved two tandem kayaks. When we arrived Sunday afternoon, it was quite hot, right at 100 with a heat index of about 110. The Savannah Kayak team was quite helpful, speeding us into the water, which proved quite cooling (not cold, but neither hot) when we dipped feet and ball caps into the water. If you don't float, you'll float at quite the peaceful pace. We paddled and moved at a good pace, zipping along, then floating slowly and ejoying the awesome scenery. The kayaks have elastic tie-downs, which helped... I put the old iPhone 4 (no longer use as a phone, but it still receives GPS and can map routes), in the backpack behind me, and he kept the iPhone 6 and Tupperware in front of me. (recommendation: garbage or grocery back around your backpacks and items before strapping them in - an extra barrier from the water). We saw a LOT of wildlife: - turtles lined so many trees along the shore, basking in the sun - Giant blue heron looking for fish - Several different kinds of dragonflies My daughter and I paddled under a couple felled trees, and also visited some of the grassy flowers growing up from the bottom of the canal. We also had a blast floating under the couple overpasses... and slaloming between the concrete pylons/piers under the highway - that was awesome. You park at the head of the canal, at the dam, and float down. There in Olmstead Lake, you are re-greeted by the Savannah River Rapids Kayak (SRRK) team, who gathered us and the kayaks into the van and returned us to our minivan back at the start of the float. We had a great time and would love to return and float/paddle again It was warm on the kayak, but dipping our feet in the water, and out ball caps too, helped. The lady who drove us back said that the water is cool because the Savannah River is dammed upriver and the water flowing past Augusta came from the bottom of the dam, where it is cooler. So even on a hundred degree day we stayed cool. And we had so much fun we didn't even notice that our shins were getting sunburned... We just didn't think to apply any sunscreen. Later, the shoes didn't smell so good. We cleaned them with vinegar and baking soda, soaking them in a bucket overnight and then letting the sun dry them. Recommendation: Do cool your feet with the canal water... just keep your shoes dryby putting only your feet in the water. And... remember sunscreen, on your shins and ankles... where you likely usually don't use sunscreen. ; ) Thanks, Savannah River Rapids Kayak (SRRK), and God bless! read more

This was my first time kayaking at all but it was super cool! the view was beautiful! We only payed $40 for two people and got a free ride back because we're military. Over all the instructions were really easy to follow. It took us about 3 hours to reach the end and it was at our own pace, we just had to be back by 5pm. I would recommend taking a little backpack with sunscreen and water bottles because it can get hot. Besides that I really recommend it! read more

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Do not use. Shuttle takes forever and is unsafe. The driver started driving off before my kids and I could get out of the shuttle. If you do use them have your own transport. It took almost two hours from the time we returned the kayak to get back to our car. We got to the end of the ride as it were and the shuttle was full. So we waited 45 minutes for the next one. They couldn't get boats on the trailer properly and when the previous shuttle returned instead of leaving immediately since there were more people than seats they kept rearranging the boats. At the parking lot they stopped and didn't open the door or say anything to us. Passengers just got out after a few minutes. Then closed the door on us. Son says i guess we're not getting out. To which I replied yes we're getting out. The driver then starts driving as my son is trying to open the door. Daughter and I are standing in the van. We struggled for a bit until the other employee reached back to help. Not get out to help just lazily reaches. Also, they don't really have a line per se, people just get in. A family with an infant got left behind because some intimidating young people just got in the van. Jumping the line. Its not their fault since it was the wild west and they had been waiting too long as well. No order. No semblance of consideration. We sat in a hot van for at least thirty minutes. They didn't think to turn on the ac. I didn't ask cause i thought at any minute we would leave. I was wrong. The worst shuttle experience I've ever had. Used many skiing, etc. Do not use. read more

The owner was so personable. She gave us great information on the town and the kayaking was as advertised.

I booked online after reviewing the website and making sure we were set. We arrived across town because we had been talking about doing this for months and excitedly walked up to the kiosk. The man refused us to ride stating since we had never kayaked he declined to let us ride with him and asked us to come back in the summer months because he claimed the "novice center" was closed during winter. He gave us this story about how he couldn't get to us if anything happened and he didn't want the liability but I'm almost certain this is what a waiver is specifically made for. He states he would release the deposit which I'll be looking out for but I seriously doubt. We could have avoided this if this information had been posted on the website instead I spent half my morning getting ready to make memories with my best friend that I will have to reschedule but it won't be with this company. read more

Great company! We have our own kayak (an inflatable Sea Eagle), and a month or so ago a SRKR employee saw us inflating it and offered to let us use their air pump. I thought it was cool of them to offer help to people who obviously don't have a need for their services. We remembered their friendliness when our family was visiting us this past weekend and wanted to go kayaking. We rented a kayak and had a great time on the canal. There are so many birds and turtles, and it was a really relaxing ride to Lake Olmstead. Once we got to the lake, the SRKR employee waiting there helped us pull out our personal kayak as well as the rented one. Very impressed with this company and we'll keep them in mind for when we have family visiting again. read more

If ever in the Augusta area, check out this place! Incredibly friendly. They make you feel like family! Easy route down the Savannah River and jus call when you're headed into lake for a pick up. They also have a bike shop. I will forever recommend this place and will visit whenever I am in the area! read more

My wife and I have been here multiple times. The family that runs this business is super friendly and helpful. We took my parents (+-60) today and they loved it! Oh, and the shuttle that some complained about is not bad at all. Each vehicle has a/c and a friendly driver that wants to know how you enjoyed your trip! If you are that impatient don't pay for the shuttle and call a cab. read more

It was a very fun and inexpensive activity to do. This was my first time and I plan on going back often. The ride was about 2 hours. You can rent a double kayek or a single, the price will be the same either way. The route was straight forward and the staff is really friendly. read more

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1. Sign waiver 2. Pay the fee 3. Go as you please, but get back by the closing time (4pm weekdays, 6pm weekends) **tip - leave a car at Lake Olmstead so you have to wait for the shuttle. Basically, you get the the Savannah Rapids Park, go all the way down where the mill house is, go down by the river, and SRKR is there under a tent. It's not cheap - $30 a person on weekends for a single kayak (they had no tandems at the time). I would recommend making a reservation, as they do take them ahead of time and that way you will be sure to not be left without a kayak. I liked that SRKR basically puts you on the kayak and leaves you alone to do whatever you please, after you pay the fee and sign the waiver, of course. They also provide life jackets. You don't HAVE to wear one, but remember, you signed a waiver - and if you don't swim, I'd suggest you put it on (like I did!) We had a group of 8 and they gave us a $5 discount each person. The river was "not open" to kayak rentals because of low water levels. Some of us were a bit skeptical, since it just rained a ton the two days before. Oh well. The canal took us about 2 hours to get through - we did a lot of lazing around and just floating down the river, but maybe 30 min worth of paddling as well. Your arms will get tired.... that's for sure. Lovely scenery and lots of turtles. This was really relaxing and perfect on a 75 degree weather day! Just remember - pass 3 bridges, pass 3 houses to your right, and make a right hand turn to Lake Olmstead. Someone is there to pull you out of the water and shuttle you back to the park if needed. I'd suggest you and your friends park one car at Lake Olmstead and drive the other person back... that way you won't be dependent on anyone taking you back! read more

I've done it twice now and each was a great time. The staff is very friendly and gets you in the water fast! The canal has a strong enough current to allow you to coast to the end if you're worried the route (5.3 miles) is too long. There were turtles, ducks, and otters in the water and plenty of shade. When we were done, the shuttle was waiting for us. I don't kayak often enough to justify purchasing one of my own, so the convenience of SRKR is very much appreciated. (If the minimal effort required to help the staff put the kayak onto a rack is something that would ruin your experience, then this probably isn't the activity for you to begin with.) read more

I've only done this once, but it was a great time. We went in a huge family group (four single kayaks and two doubles) and they had plenty of kayaks to accommodate that. We also went the course that goes up the Savannah River, around Stallings Island and back down the River to the Canal headgates. This took us about 2hrs and isn't for the lazy, as you spend the entire first half paddling against the current, then can float back down. I found the price to be entirely reasonable even though we only used it for half of the rental time. It is cheaper on the weekends than other offered local kayak rentals and is RIGHT on the Canal/River (we only had to transport because we had to get the kayaks from the tent to the place where they put in/out on the River.) A bit of carrying involved because the Pavilion had locked the trail pylons. Not the Rental Company's fault. I had a ton of fun with this and am considering taking my parents to enjoy it. I would recommend it to anyone looking to traverse the River or Canal in a rented kayak. read more

Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental - Ok so I was stuck on some rocks, but look at how beautiful the Savannah River is!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Augusta, Georgia

Great route but moody workers/bad customer service. Before leaving they mentioned having a shuttle every hour on the hour. When getting to the end we waited 30 min for a shuttle (5 min past). Upon calling the shuttle we found out they hadn't even left. The shuttle is extra as well. read more

Allene T. Left a pretty spot on review for this place. I have been here two or three times now to kayak the rapids, and it's pretty awesome and fun. You come, sign the waiver, decide whether you are getting a single or tandem kayak (you can also bring your own for a lower price), pay, and get out and go. MAKE SURE YOU BRING WATER!!!!!!!!! You will overheat out there on the river, as it takes 2+ hours to kayak to Lake Olmstead - (the end), and there is literally no shade the entire way. It is a great time, and is fun to just go with one or two other people, or an entire group - I have done both. Definitely, like suggested, if possible, leave a car at Lake Olmstead so that you can leave as soon as you're finished (you'll want to). Your butt and back will probably be soaked as well from the air holes in the kayaks, so if you want, make sure you bring towels and/or a change of pants/clothes after if you want to be dry. Don't wear anything you care about, just in case, especially shoes. Bring snacks if you want, and put your phone in a plastic ziploc bag or in one of those waterproof phone bags. The ending of the 'course' is the most difficult, by far, because you have to turn completely out of the rapids, and into the lake, which is almost completely still and filled with algae and such under the surface, which your oars will get caught in, so be patient. It will take the most work getting through the boat lanes at the lake to get to the end and be able to pull the kayak in. BLUF: Great fun, just make sure you plan accordingly! read more

Awesome group of people, very informative. We were not from the area they answered all of our questions with ease even showed us a map of the route on the river before sending us. Highly recommended!!! read more

First, I want to mention that I've used this company about 4-5 times and never had an issue. My family and I kayaked with this company recently and had a problem. A member of our party fell off of their kayak and was unable to get back on. The daughter of the owner was in charge at the time and showed no urgency for this issue. Instead of providing assurance that help was on the way, she stated that in fact, they would need to "just get back on" their kayak. Otherwise, the person would be "stuck on the banks of the canal for hours". The rest of our party (consisting of two kids, btw) has kayaked before, but is in no way experienced enough to paddle back up the canal against the wind and current. After multiple calls back to this company with no actual help, it took a family that was further behind us and the fire department to help get our person to safety, which we are extremely thankful for. I am in no way blaming SRKR for what happened, however I am leaving this review as a suggestion for them to have a proper protocol in place for emergencies. Perhaps use the jet skis they rent to help a person back on to their kayak? read more

It should have been a fun late morning of leisurely paddling down the Augusta Canal. Instead we got that our sweetjack (previously recommended by Savannah Rapids Kayak Rental to my husband) coupons were in some way annoying. No friendly chit-chat to figure out our level of kayaking or our familiarity with the route we were about to take. The "continuous" shuttle took over an hour to come to pick us up and the ride back was at the most 15 minutes. We were "continuously" told for an hour that the shuttle was coming "real soon". They clearly waited to come until there were enough kayaks to pick up, not bothered with the fact that somewhat tired and dehydrated people are waiting. And when the shuttle came, the driver basically ordered us "to help out", even though we had to pay for the shuttle ride. If you would like to rent kayaks from this crew, make sure you park your car at Lake Olmstead if you are going down the canal or at North Augusta boat ramp if you are good enough for Savannah River, so you don't have to rely on their transportation and do not expect any kind of customer service or friendliness. These people are just charging for kayak use, they are not trying to create a fun experience for you. read more

Actual kayak rentals weren't bad. They charge $5 for a shuttle back to the launch site, but don't tell you that you have to wait OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF for the shuttle to get there. Staff wasn't super friendly, either. I recommend buying your own, or rent from Escape Outdoors and transport your own. read more

We called early yesterday morning (a holiday weekend) to get a last-minute reservation and were told that they had no kayaks available. During our brief call, the owner asked me if I had any flexibility on kayak type and timing - and when I indicated that I had a small window, he told me to come and they would find a solution. We arrived, were warmly welcomed, rented 1 tandem and 2 single kayaks. After an overview of the path we would take, we were loaded into the our kayaks and had an amazing and peaceful journey down the canal. We were met at the other end by two very friendly people and safely taken back to the starting point. We will do this again and again - what a great morning!! read more

Fantastic people, great views, and a quality outdoor opportunity to spend time with friends or family. This rental company truly represents a gem in Augusta, not only in the sights you can see, but also in the people that you meet. The rental is family owned and run and you can tell that they value their customers and are focused on customer satisfaction. Definitely a place to bring your kids and loved ones again and again. read more

We loved it! Tyler is the best and picked us up right on time. We love using them for kayaks. They are the best and very responsive and flexible. Just send them a text and they will reserve it for you! read more

I am always impressed when I interact with them. They are very helpful and go out of their way to assist anyone on the canal, even WHEN you are not renting from them. They provide a great shuttle service, even when you don't rent kayaks from them, for a fee, they will shuttle you and your boat back to where you begin. They do all the loading and unloading or your boat! read more

New to Augusta and wanted to kayak the canal. So excited to see what other trips I. An take with this group. Shuttle was very convenient. Boats were in good condition. Route was scenic and easy. read more

Enjoyed a beautiful day on the water! Only loses a star because you have to pay 5 bucks for the ride back.

Breathtaking and relaxing are two words that describe the trip. I highly recommend you bring your camera on your journey down the canal you will see a family of turtles on a log , birds making a nest in the trees and a otter swimming near the banks. Needles to say for just a moment you let the current take you down the canal and you start to dream how It must have been long time ago the only transportation was this canal. Wow I lay still and a dragonfly landed on my leg while I splash cool water on my shoulders. What a beautiful day!! The owner was there to pick me up, just as they said and shuttle me back to my car. I highly recommend if you are visiting out with your family to take some time this is a great way to spend time out in Augusta Ga. read more

I despise the fact i have to post a star to write a review. I made reservations for 2 kayaks for 2:30 pm on May 7, 2016 by email. We arrived and reservations were not honored. Update on 5/7/2016 review: I received a call regarding my complaint the same day. They were very nice and accommodating. I think the lake was just very busy on 5/7/2016 because of the dragon race. I made new reservations for 5/9/2016 and went kayaking. I loved every minute. Plan to do it again. I recommend it. Thank you, Savannah Rapids. Beatrix D. read more

Apparently they deleted my review. Awful place to go kayaking. Obviously they get their friends to come on here & give them good reviews because I see no other way theyd get one. The man that owns this place will follow you to your vehicle attacking you. Threatening to "ruin your reputation all over Augusta" and tell you about how much you need "God". Why? Because you had an accident on the river and returned the kayak back late. Paid the late fee and he still wouldnt stop attacking. The previous trip we used his shuttle service and waited 2.5 hrs because the axle on their van "broke". Once it arrived they demand you help them. Not to mention, $30 for a kayak rental is ridiculous. Save your money and take your family somewhere nice and stress free. Hope another kayaking business with kind people come along. read more

I would like to share my phenomenal experience with Savannah Kayak. We were looking for something to do at Georgia Southern on a beautiful Friday afternoon so we took the 90 minute drive north to Savannah Kayak on the Augusta Canal. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and they took credit card too. The prices were much cheaper than what it costs to kayak in the Savannah area or even at a Georgia state park (for a comparable time period. The kayak we used was arguably in the best shape of any kayak I've rented before...and we kayak a lot. It looked like one of the very nice $500-$600 ones with an extremely comfortable seat. The parking, launch, etc was easy. The route was good and we enjoyed the quiet part the most...quite peaceful and relaxing. There were some cool sights along the way that I won't spoil. We called once we turned into the lake (just as we had been advised to do) and were met by a friendly staff member at the ramp to help us take the kayak out, load it, and take us back to our car. Awesome weather and even better service at the end of the day. All in all I would rate the experience a 10 out of 10 and highly recommend it. We will be returning with an even bigger group in the future. Make sure to check out the pavilion area and the locks near where you launch...it's a beautiful area. Next time I'll try to kayak on the Savannah River if the water level is high enough. read more

I had a splendid experience with the moonlight paddle. Fantastic atmosphere, well-informed and easy-going guides, and the river was just delicious! Truly a unique and enjoyable way to spend the evening :) read more

We had a party of 5 people including my family and husband this week. We rented two tandem kayaks and one single kayak. It was $30 per tandem and $20 for the single. We parked a car at Lake Olmstead near the stadium after the recommendation of other Yelpers. We weren't 100% sure where to park because there weren't any signs and we aren't really from the area, but we parked right near the Lake Olmstead Stadium and drove another car to the takeoff point. The guy working at the takeoff point seemed kind of rude and like he thought he was too cool to answer my mother's questions. I thought that was offputting, but we said whatever and had a good time anyway on the tour. He said we would pass under three bridges then someone would pick us up at Lake Olmstead after we turned right off the Canal onto it. That was all fine and dandy until we reached Lake Olmstead and didn't see anyone or any signs. The one dock that seemed obvious had no signs and there wasn't anyone there waiting for us. My husband and I even ventured off to the bridge at the other end of Lake Olmstead thinking maybe the guy forgot to tell us it was past that. We waited on the lake for a good 25 minutes super confused with my out of town visiting family and finally a girl in a van showed up to pick up the kayaks. At this point, my husband and I were ticked and thought this was unprofessional. I don't know if it's because we went at the end of the summer or what, but the service sucked. read more

Nice folks and a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Never had an equipment problem. Bring water bottles and some extra back support as the supplied cushions are merely functional, not comfortable. Very easy trip for newbies, but be prepared to paddle the final stretch across Lake Olmstead. read more