Katabatik - Aventure dans Charlevoix

I had a very good experience with Kayaking at rivière du Gouffre. The kayaking was very fun due to some small tides that were during the path, especially for people that want a bit of adventure.

The smal shop set you up nicely with any water toys that they have. Kayak and all. Great staff and great spot to get on the beach (no lifeguards) and nice kids play area. Very great view too.

We did the Familiale. Very nice activity, small rapids were fun. We did get stuck towards the end on shallow water and rocks as many reported but we made it through. Easy enough to do, I would not have taken the longer route though! Nice friendly staff.

Highly recommend if you're in the area and are looking for a great activity to do with friends or family. Great and welcoming staff and very well organized.

Loved this place! Great experience.

25 km. Not going with them again. Staff were nice in the beginning. The danger that the instructor mentioned were nothing like what the river looked like. The first 5 km took us at least 2 hours because we helped the other groups and our friends who felled (very difficulty. Not fun for beginners as they sell it.) The rest was really nice and calm. We arrived late at the end (which we didn't know because there were no mention of the time). Started at 11 am. Arrived at 5h30 (15 min late according to them). The instructor was patronizing and kind of laughing at us. Someone broke its paddle by accident, but we bought the 2$ insurance. We didn't have to pay, but the staff were not very happy or understanding.I would not recommend for a group of beginners. 20 km might be better though.(In 2021) Considerations in the first 5 km :Fallen trees. When you see a fallen tree. Really consider transporting your kayak by hand. You might lose your stuff and be frustrated. At least 2-3 hard places for two-places kayak.There's a danger sign with a barrier to count fish. Consider stopping on the side to transport your kayak not to disturb fish reproduction.

We did the 8km family kayak route with a young child and had no issues (everyone needs to know how to swim though). The water was very shallow so you could walk across almost anywhere, however this could possibly change based on water levels. There were some small rapids and some debris in the water, such as rocks and trees, but we did not have any issues (others did though even in this small trek). Best to follow their guides online, wear water shoes, do not wear your nice running shoes and place all your items in the water bag. With that, it was amazing. Great views, a lot of fun for all of us (a highlight of our trip to Charlevoix). It took about 3 hours with a nice lunch break but can easily be done in 2 hours for adults without stopping, but that seems less fun.

Kayaking down the Riviere aux Gouffres (20 km) was an experience we'd like do again with Katabatik. Note that in mid August the level of the water of the river is rather low, so it's best kayaking solo instead of tandem, as we did.

We did the 20km river kayak, it was nice. There were some tiny rapids but nothing too crazy, though many places were too shallow if you didn't see the one spot that the river was deep enough for a kayak. Plus, if you get put in the water with a large group, things get backed up when you reach a narrow or shallow area. Otherwise, it was a nice smooth ride, with lots of places to stop for lunch or a swim. Dry bags were provided.