In one line: you book, you arrive in Arriondas between 10:30 and 12:30, we kit you out, you paddle down the river in your canoe, you stop for lunch on a river beach or at a riverside bar along the way, and we bring you back to your car by bus. Three to five hours on the Sella, with none of the faff sorted by you.
Doing the Sella descent for the first time isn't complicated, but it really helps to know what happens before, during and after so you arrive relaxed and properly enjoy it. This guide walks you through the 6 steps every family or group goes through with us: from booking your spot to getting back to your car in Arriondas after the descent.
We've been running the Sella descent from Arriondas for more than 25 years, with qualified instructors and the return shuttle bus included. If it's your first descent, all you've got to do is read this calmly, pick a date and let the river do the rest. We sort everything else.
Before you start: the only thing you really need to know
The Sella descent is a canoe trip down the River Sella starting from Arriondas. There are two routes: the 7 km Mini (perfect for families with kids or if you've never paddled before) and the 14.5 km Full (the "classic" one, the one most people picture when they think of the Sella). The river is class I (gentle rapids), you don't need any paddling experience and the minimum age in our canoes is 5 years or 1.15 m tall.
With just that, you can keep reading without worrying. Let's go step by step. If you want to see the whole route, here's the interactive map of the descent and every landmark along the river.
Step 1 · Book your spot
First things first: lock in your date. You don't pay when booking, we just confirm your spot so we can secure your canoe, life jacket and instructor.
When to book:
- In low season (May, June, late September) it's usually enough to give us a shout the day before.
- In July and August, better with 3 to 7 days' notice: the river fills up, especially on bank holidays and weekends, and we want to make sure we've got a spot and a canoe ready for you.
- For Easter week or the International Sella Descent (Saturday 8 August 2026), the sooner the better.
How to book (four ways, pick whichever you fancy):
- Web: book online with a live calendar so you see real availability.
- WhatsApp: +34 681 09 36 73 (the easiest if you've got questions).
- Phone: same number, you'll get us directly.
- Email: info@aventuraenelsella.es.
What we need to know about you: name, number of people and ages (so we can prep canoes and life jackets in the right size), whether you're bringing a dog, and whether you want the Mini or Full route. If you're not sure, we'll recommend the right one based on your group. For big groups and stag/hen dos we've got a dedicated guide.
No. We confirm your spot and you pay on the day at our office, in cash, by Bizum or by card. If something comes up, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Step 2 · Arriving in Arriondas on the day
Our base is in Arriondas (Parres, Asturias), right at the gateway to the Sella. The full address is Calle Juan Carlos I, 18 BAJO II, 33540 Arriondas. For exact coordinates, access roads and parking, here's our step-by-step how to get there page.
Open Premium window: 10:30 to 12:30. This bit is important and it's what makes us different from other outfits: you don't pick an exact departure time. You arrive whenever suits you within that window, no rush. If you're descending with kids and you get a slow start at home, no drama: 12:25 still gets you out in time. We go into it on the Premium option page.
What you'll find when you arrive:
- Check-in desk where you give the name on the booking, pay if you chose to pay on arrival, and we hand you your life jacket and dry barrel.
- Changing rooms with hot showers and lockers with keys for your phone, wallet and dry clothes while you're on the water.
- If you've come as a group, just one of you does the check-in and we bring the gear over to the car park so the rest of the group doesn't have to come through the office.
Once you've checked in and got your kit, head to the put-in car park on the other side of the river (short walk across the bridge, or by car if you're a big group). The car park is free, 300 spaces, motorhomes welcome, no meters, no restrictions. Your car can stay there until 20:00.
If you're coming from Oviedo, Gijón, Santander or Bilbao, leave with a bit of margin: it's about an hour from central Asturias and the N-634 can slow down in August. If you want to fine-tune your arrival, we've got a guide on the best time of day for the descent.
Step 3 · Kitting out and the short briefing with the instructor
The kit is split between the two locations. At the office we already hand you the bulk of it (life jacket, dry barrel, wetsuit if needed). At the put-in car park, just before you get on the canoe, you get the rest:
- Certified life jacket (handed over at the office · must stay on at all times, kids and dog included).
- Dry barrel (handed over at the office · for phone, keys, change of clothes and the food you bring).
- Short wetsuit included (handed over at the office if the water is cold · usual from April to June and late September; in July and August you generally don't need it).
- Double paddle per person (handed over at the car park next to the canoe).
- K1, K2 or K3 canoe (handed over at the car park · 1, 2 or 3 seats depending on your group · K3 is the maximum on the Sella: there's no 4-person canoe on this river · if there are 4 of you, we book 2 canoes that the instructor pairs up). The backrest is factory-fitted, not adjustable.
If you bring a dog, we kit them out with their canine life jacket (we provide it). Pets travel free; we cover it in Sella descent with dog.
The short briefing: at the same car park, just before you launch, a qualified instructor gives you about a 5-minute briefing: how to hold the paddle, how to paddle forward, how to turn, what to do if the canoe brushes a rock and what to do if someone goes over (very rare, but worth knowing). It's short, but it covers everything you need to start safely. Knowing how to swim is a legal requirement for every participant, kids included — the life jacket is help, not a substitute.
No alcohol is allowed on the river or at the riverside bars during the descent. It's down to safety and respect for the environment. Keep the beer or cider for after the shower.
If you're not sure what clothes to bring, what footwear works best and what to leave in the locker, we've got the full guide on what to bring to the Sella descent.
Step 4 · Paddling and enjoying the river
The put-in is right at the same car park on the other side of the river, next to the boarding ramp. No extra trips: you park, get the short briefing, we hand you the canoe and down you go to the ramp. And then the good bit starts.
The Sella is a calm, beautiful river: it winds between green mountains, historic footbridges and meadows full of Asturian cows. There are a few class I rapids, which are just enough to give it a bit of buzz without scaring anyone. No big rocks to dodge, no dangerous drops to worry about. If you want to get into the human side of the river, here's the history of the descent since 1929.
What you'll see (key points along the route):
- Km 1 · Riverland riverside bar.
- Km 3 · El Oasis and El Prau (two very close options).
- Km 4 · El Bosque and La Mediana.
- Km 7 · Toraño (end of the Mini route).
- Km 14.5 · Fríes (end of the Full route).
Along the way, 6 riverside bars with tables, shade and toilets where you can stop as long as you like (within river hours). If you want to pick yours before coming, we run through them one by one in the riverside bars of the Sella descent. And if you're worried about fitness, we answer it straight in is the Sella descent tiring?.
The Cantabrian Water Authority closes the river at 18:00. That means every canoe has to be off the water by then. So it's a good idea to set off before 13:00, especially if you're doing the Full route.
Step 5 · Stopping for lunch (everyone's favourite bit)
Halfway down, you stop for lunch. Two equally good options: bring your own lunch in the dry barrel and enjoy it on a river beach, or stop at one of the riverside bars along the way for something there (soft drinks, juices, sandwiches, omelette, snacks). Plenty of people combine both: home-made food on the bank, then drop into the bar for a soft drink in the shade.
The usual stop is 30 to 45 minutes. We'd suggest picking a riverside bar with shade (massively appreciated in August) and a free table. If you're with kids, this is the moment to take their shoes off, dip their feet in the water and breathe. There's a lovely spot halfway down the river that hardly anyone knows about: we tell you about it in the Pozo del Arco of the Sella.
No drinking alcohol bought at the riverside bar while you're still on the descent. It's the standard safety rule for every operator on the Sella.
Step 6 · Take-out and back to Arriondas
Take-out:
- Mini route: you get out at Toraño (km 7).
- Full route: you get out at Fríes (km 14.5).
You'll see a sign and a team of ours picking up canoes. You leave your paddle and life jacket, hop on the return shuttle bus (included in the price) and we drive you back to Arriondas in about 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic and route. No moving canoes, no carrying anything, no managing your car elsewhere: you just rest.
Back at base after the descent:
- The return shuttle drops you at our office by default, where you've got hot showers, changing rooms and lockers with keys. Shower, change and pick up your stuff in your own time.
- Then you walk over to the car park yourself (short walk across the bridge), or take a stroll around Arriondas before getting in the car. The car park is open until 20:00.
- If you don't want to bother with the showers, just tell the instructor on the shuttle and the bus drops you straight at the car park.
And that's where the descent ends. If you ask us, after a descent we always recommend tucking into a fabada in Arriondas or a glass of cider — we're in Asturias, after all. And if you've still got the afternoon free, we've got a full plan in what to do after the descent in Ribadesella.
What if something happens: the real worries first-timers have
These are the three questions we get most often by WhatsApp just before the day of the descent. Straight answers, no waffle.
What if I'm scared of capsizing? Very rare. The river is class I and our instructors keep an eye on the group. If someone goes over, the life jacket keeps you afloat, we recover the canoe and you carry on. You're covered by activity insurance and public liability from the moment you sign the booking form.
What if it rains? You paddle anyway: you're getting wet either way. The only reason we cancel is if the Cantabrian Water Authority closes the river due to high water, or if there's an amber/red weather alert. In that case we move your booking for free or refund you. For the month you're coming, we've got the best time to do the descent with average conditions.
What if I'm running late to the office? As long as you're still inside the 10:30-12:30 Premium window, you've got nothing to worry about. If you can see you're not going to make it, give us a shout on WhatsApp +34 681 09 36 73 and we'll sort it.
In summary: your first Sella descent on a single page
Doing the Sella descent for the first time is much simpler than it looks from the outside: you book, you arrive in Arriondas between 10:30 and 12:30, we kit you out, you paddle your route (Mini 7 km or Full 14.5 km), you stop for lunch on a river beach or at a riverside bar, and we drive you back to the office by bus. Three hours, on the most iconic river in Asturias, with none of the extra faff.
2026 prices: €25 kids aged 5 to 12 · €35 adults · pets free. Same price for Mini and Full, and includes canoe, life jacket, paddle, wetsuit if needed, instructor, shuttle, parking, changing rooms and locker. Full breakdown in prices and exactly what's included.
If it's your first descent or you're coming with the family, we'd recommend the 7 km Mini route: it leaves you with a great taste in your mouth and plenty of time to do other things in Arriondas or head up to the Lakes of Covadonga in the afternoon. If you're staying overnight, we've got options in where to stay near the Sella descent.
And if you want to meet the team that'll be with you at the put-in, we tell you all about us in about us and in the 147 real reviews from people who have already paddled with us. To get started, the easiest thing is to check dates and book online without paying now, or step it up with the small-group Premium option.
What you ask us most
- How long does the Sella descent take?
The 7 km Mini route takes around 2 hours at a gentle pace, stops included. The 14.5 km Full route takes 3.5 to 4 hours depending on water flow and how long you linger at the riverside bars.
- Do I need any paddling experience?
No. The Sella is a class I river (very gentle rapids) and before you set off we give you a 5-minute short briefing with a qualified instructor. It is suitable for people who have never been in a canoe, kids from 5 years or 1.15 m, and older adults too.
- Do I need to book far in advance?
It depends on the date. In May, June and September, letting us know the day before is usually enough. In July and August, better to book 3 to 7 days ahead. For the International Sella Descent or Easter week, the sooner the better. Check live availability here.
- What does the price include?
Canoe, paddle, life jacket (human and canine if you bring your dog), short wetsuit if the water is cold, short briefing with a qualified instructor, return shuttle bus from the take-out, free parking, changing rooms and lockers with keys. See prices and exactly what is included.
- Can you do the Sella descent with kids?
Yes, from 5 years or 1.15 m tall. The most family-friendly option is the 7 km Mini route: about two hours, time to stop at a riverside bar, and the kids finish happy rather than shattered. We cover it in Sella descent with kids and in the guide for families with little ones.
