We are so excited that Light at Night is BACK for 2026, and our very first tour embarks this Friday evening. After an incredible 2025 season, we have spent the off-season thinking hard about how to make this experience even better for our guests. The answer? New kayaks, new seats, new guides, new technology, and more dates than ever before. We cannot wait to get you on the water.

What's new for 2026

We listened carefully to our guests from last season and made some meaningful upgrades. Here is what is new this year:

What to expect on a Light at Night tour

If this is your first time joining us, here is what the evening looks like. Every tour begins at Patterson Creek, a quiet and charming launch point that sets a lovely tone for the evening ahead. After a safety briefing and an introduction to your kayak, you set off at dusk as the sun begins to cast its golden glow over the canal.

The paddle takes you north along the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, winding through the heart of downtown Ottawa over 5.5 kilometres. Your guide will share stories, history, and fun facts about the landmarks you pass along the way. The headsets this year mean you will catch every single one.

• Patterson Creek — your launch point as dusk settles in
• Pretoria Bridge and the Corktown Footbridge
• University of Ottawa
• National Arts Centre
• Shaw Centre
• Chateau Laurier
• Parliament Hill and the Peace Tower
• Rideau Canal Locks 1 to 8
• National War Memorial
• Senate of Canada Building

By the time full dark settles in, the LED lights on your kayak create a magical glow across the surface of the canal. Colours dance on the water, the city lights come alive overhead, and the slow rhythm of the paddle gives you space to take it all in. It is the perfect date night, a wonderful way to see Ottawa from a completely new perspective, and genuinely one of those experiences that is hard to put into words.

A look back at 2025

Last season was our biggest yet. We ran 29 Light at Night tours, every single one sold out, and only had to cancel two due to high winds and lightning. We paddled through rain, extreme heat, and smoky wildfire days, and our guests braved it all with incredible spirit.

Some highlights from 2025 that will stay with us: our first ever bachelorette party on the water, two fish that jumped directly into guests' kayaks (twice!), a couple who got engaged along the shore, a music video filmed in our glowing boats, and a beaver swimming through downtown Ottawa that our lead guide Marc described as a sign of just how healthy the Rideau Canal has become. We also rescued a tired pigeon, which is not something you expect to put in a tour recap, but here we are.

If you want the full story from last season, read our 2025 Light at Night recap blog here.

2026 launch times

Launch times shift throughout the season to align with sunset. Here is the full schedule for 2026:

Perfect for all experience levels

One of the things we are most proud of with Light at Night is how welcoming it is. You don't need to be an expert kayaker; in fact, you can come along even if you have never paddled a kayak before! The Oru Beach is a stable, forgiving boat, and our guides are with you every step of the way. The pace is relaxed and leisurely, designed for the evening atmosphere rather than any kind of fitness challenge. The one thing worth knowing is that getting into the kayak requires lowering yourself down about 10 inches from the dock into the boat, which can sometimes be a little challenging on the knees or hips. That said, our guides are right there to assist, and our oldest guest to date was 93 years old — so don't let that put you off!

That said, it is equally wonderful for experienced paddlers who just want a beautiful and unique way to spend an evening on the water. We regularly have paddlers join us who have been kayaking for years and tell us it is unlike anything they have done before!

Book a private event

Did you know you can book Light at Night as a private event? We hosted our first-ever bachelorette party on the water in 2025, and it was an absolute blast! Whether you are planning a birthday, anniversary, team-building outing, reunion, or any other celebration, we would love to help you create a one-of-a-kind evening on the Rideau Canal.