In one sentence: the Sella descent is done in an open canoe with 2 or 3 seats, the most stable, simple and family-friendly boat there is. Here we tell you what that canoe is like, what it feels like to paddle it and why it is the perfect way to discover the river, whatever your experience.
When someone searches for "Sella descent by canoe", they have usually half decided on the plan already and only want to know one thing: what it is like to go down the river in one of those canoes. Whether it is easy, whether it tips over, whether you need experience, whether children can do it. We are going to tell you exactly how it is, from Arriondas and with more than 25 years putting people into canoes every summer.
A reassuring spoiler: the Sella canoe is the most comfortable and safe option on the river. It is not a sporty kayak that tips over at the first chance. It is a wide, open and stable boat, designed precisely so that a family who has never paddled can go down the kilometres enjoying themselves, not suffering.
Why the Sella is gone down by canoe
The open canoe is the standard boat of the Sella descent for a simple reason: it is the one that best combines stability, comfort and ease. Compared with a closed single kayak, the open canoe has several advantages for the visitor:
- It is very stable. Its wide hull means you have to make an effort to tip it. You can move around, turn to talk, take a photo, and nothing happens.
- You paddle between two or three. The effort is shared. If a child gets tired, the adults keep paddling and the canoe moves on just the same.
- You go with your own people. The family, the couple or the friends all fit in the same canoe. You go down together, not each on your own.
- You do not need technique. The mini class at launch is more than enough to manage.
If you want to understand the differences between canoe and kayak before deciding, we break them down in Sella descent: kayak or canoe. But for the vast majority of people who come to enjoy the river as a family, the answer is the canoe.
What the descent canoe is like
So that you know exactly what you will find at the launch ramp, this is what our canoes are like:
- Open, Canadian type. You sit inside it, not wedged in as in a closed kayak. You get in and out easily.
- With 2 seats (K2) or 3 seats (K3), depending on whether there are two or three of you. Children count as a seat. On the Sella, 4-person canoes are not used for safety reasons: if there are four of you, two canoes grouped together with the same monitor.
- With a backrest as standard. Our canoes come with a factory-fitted backrest, at no extra cost. It is hugely appreciated on the long route and with little ones or older people. We tell you about it in canoes with a backrest.
- With an unsinkable system. Even if you did tip over (a rare thing, and one that brings more laughter than fright on a gentle rapid), the canoe floats and is easily recovered.
With each canoe we give you a double paddle per person, an approved life jacket and a watertight drum for your phone. And if the water comes down cold, a wetsuit (we tell you when below). The full detail of what the price includes is in prices and what is included.
What it feels like to go down by canoe
This is what we are asked most on the phone, and what you remember best when you come back. The Sella by canoe is not white water. It is a wide and mostly calm river, with gentle short rapids interspersed with long stretches of flat water where the water almost carries you along on its own.
The feeling is one of an active stroll: you paddle a little, you let yourself drift, you stop for a swim, you carry on. In the rapids there is nothing heroic to do — in fact the trick is not to over-paddle and let the current do the work — just correct your direction with gentle strokes. Whoever paddles like mad in every rapid arrives tired; whoever relaxes finishes fresh.
What surprises first-timers most is not the adventure: it is the calmness. After 15 minutes in the canoe all you can hear is the water and the birds.
If you want to see the river stretch by stretch before you come, you have the interactive route map with all the landmarks.
Who to go down with by canoe: family, couple, dog
The open canoe is so versatile that it adapts to almost any plan:
- With kids. It is the family plan par excellence. The minimum age is 5 years old and 1.15 m tall (a safety and insurance requirement, with no exceptions). We develop it in Sella descent with kids and, for the youngest in that bracket, in going down with small children.
- As a couple. A K2 canoe for the two of you, no rush, with a stop to eat by the bank. One of the loveliest getaways in the north.
- With your dog. Your pet goes down free in the canoe, with the canine life jacket that we provide. One dog per canoe, for space and balance.
- In a group. Several canoes grouped together with your monitor. Ideal for friends, birthdays or relaxed celebrations.
How long it lasts and how much it costs to go down by canoe
You choose between two routes, both in the same canoe and at the same price:
- Mini route · 7 km · about 2 hours on the water. Ideal with small children, your first time or a relaxed morning.
- Full route · 14.5 km · about 4 hours. The classic Arriondas–Fríes, with more river and more stops.
The times in detail are in how long the Sella descent takes. And the 2026 price, with no surprises at the desk:
- 35 € for adults · 25 € for children aged 5 to 12 · pets free.
- Includes canoe, paddle, life jacket, return transfer to Arriondas, car park, changing rooms with hot water and lockers. What you see is what you pay.
If you want a friction-free day, you have the Premium window with an open 10:30-12:30 time: you arrive when it suits you within that window, without choosing an exact time.
What you need to go down by canoe
Not much, and no small print:
- Knowing how to swim. It is a legal requirement, for children too. The life jacket is an essential help, but it does not replace knowing how to swim.
- Closed or snug-fitting footwear that can get wet: old trainers, neoprene boots or sandals with a heel strap. Flip-flops get lost in the first rapid.
- Swimwear on and some enthusiasm. The rest of the kit we provide.
Wetsuit: we give it to you at no cost only when the water is cold (in practice, outside 15 June to 28 September). In high summer it is not needed. The monitor decides, looking at the water that day.
Food: we do not include a picnic. You can bring your own food in the watertight drum or stop at one of the riverside bars along the route.
How to book your descent by canoe
Booking is easy and you do not pay until the day (or by card in advance, whichever is more convenient for you):
- Choose your day and route (Mini or Full) on the real-time calendar, or write to us by WhatsApp, phone or email.
- Arrive between 10:30 and 12:30, the best window of the day for water temperature and light.
- In July and August, book a few days ahead. The rest of the year, the day before usually does, and often you can go the same day if there is space.
Bookings are made by web, WhatsApp, phone or email (not by turning up unannounced), so we can make sure we have a canoe and a monitor for you. Remember that the river closes at 18:00 by rule of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Cantábrico.
If you are coming from out of town, we help you in how to get to Arriondas and to choose your date in the best time. And if you want to see who you will be going down with, we are the Arriondas team we tell you about in about us, with 147 real reviews (4.5★) from families who have already gone down the Sella by canoe with us.
Grab your canoe, sit your loved ones down and let the Sella carry you along. Book your canoe descent here and we will see you on the water.
What you ask us most
- Is the Sella descent done in a canoe or a kayak?
The tourist descent of the Sella is usually done in an open canoe with 2 or 3 seats (what we call a K2 or K3). It is the standard boat because it is stable, easy to paddle and perfect for families and beginners. The closed single kayak does exist, but it is for more sporty profiles. If you want to see the differences in detail, we compare them in Sella descent: kayak or canoe.
- Is it hard to go down the Sella by canoe?
No. The open canoe is very stable and forgiving of beginner mistakes. Before you set off you have a mini class with a qualified monitor, and the river is calm, with gentle short rapids. Most people who come down with us are paddling for the first time. If you are worried about the effort, we clear it up in is the Sella descent tiring?
- How many people fit in a Sella canoe?
Two or three people per canoe (K2 or K3), depending on weight and age. As a safety rule, 4-person canoes are not used on the Sella: if there are 4 of you, you split into 2 canoes grouped together with the same monitor. Children count as a seat. We go into it in Sella descent by canoe for 4 people.
- Do the canoes have backrests?
Yes, our canoes come with a factory-fitted backrest as standard, at no extra cost or supplement. It makes the descent much more comfortable, especially on the Full route and with children or older people. We tell you about it in canoes with a backrest.
- How much does it cost to go down the Sella by canoe in 2026?
35 € for adults and 25 € for children aged 5 to 12, with pets free (canine life jacket included). Same price for the Mini route and the Full route, with canoe, paddle, life jacket, return transfer, car park, changing rooms and lockers included. You have the breakdown in prices and what is included.
