Kayak Catalunya

For my final destination in Catalunya I recently visited the city of Deltebre in southern Catalunya. Deltebre is a word that derives its name from the words delta and l’ebre. Delta meaning exactly that, the delta of a river, and l’ebre being the Catalan name for the river Ebro. The Ebro river runs from northern Spain to Deltebre where it flows into the sea. The Ebro has a very important historical significance for the region and for Spain as it has been instrumental in trade and culture for centuries.

I got to experience to Kayak in the Ebro with a few other families the other day and it was a enjoyable. Kayaking is always an interesting way to get to see the land as you get a different perspective and some exercise as well. I chose a company called Riu al’Ebre. In addition to kayaking, Riu al’Ebre offers a variety of services from hiking, to 4×4 excursions, and bicycle tours of the delta.

I found their tour nice as they were local people with real knowledge of the land. They were able to explain things well. As we paddled, we would stop and rest while talking about the city, history, or delta region.

What you’ll see and learn

During the kayaking excursion we took about one hour or so to complete the roughly 3 km journey. They offer longer excursions, but it was late in the afternoon and the only one that I was able to complete with my time constraints. We arrived and within minutes we were paddling down the river toward our destined stopping point.

The delta is a small yet rich region covering nearly 320 km and is of significant importance to Catalunya for many reasons. When kayaking have the opportunity to learn about the water of the Ebro and its importance to the surrounding rice fields. Additionally as you paddle you will find the opportunity to discuss and learn about the different types of vegetation and animal species that rely on the river for survival.

We even learned about some invasive species of snails that have red eggs and prolific population growth. As pictured here:

All in all, I think you would really enjoy a tour of either the Ebro or one of the Arrozals. Both can be quite interesting and educational as well. One of the things that I liked about staying in Deltebre was the fact that it was different than all of the other cities that I have visited in Spain. It was small, local, and not full of summer tourists.

Where to stay in Deltebre?

When visiting Deltebre, I stayed in the Urbany Hostel. The alberg is not too far away from the other activities in the delta and it is one of your most efficient or economic options in the city as there are no other hostels there.

How to get to Deltebre?

The first thing that you will need to do is take the bus or train to Tortosa, which is the largest town in the region. Renfe has multiple services daily from Barcelona, and Alsa also runs several services there daily via Movelia. Cost for the bus is about 19€ one way and lasts just over two hours (as of 31/7/2013). The train costs about the same.

Once you arrive in Tortosa, you will need to take a local bus from there to Deltebre, which takes approximately one hour. The bus should cost less than 5€.

Have you been Kayaking in Spain before?