Jean-Luc Demaret G
« A perfect family day on the Semois. The welcome at Kayak Belgique is warm, the equipment is spotless (the kayaks are modern and clean), and the free shuttle system is superbly organised. A must-visit in the Ardennes! »
Before you set off · The list to tick
What to bring? A kayak packing checklist for the Semois
Not too much, not too little. Here is the complete list of what to plan for a successful descent on the Semois, and of what is better left in the car. It can be printed and applies to every river in the Ardennes.
A kayak descent asks for almost nothing… as long as you plan the right almost-nothing. The golden rule : travel light, dress for the water (not for the sun), and protect what fears water. The operator already supplies the essentials — kayak, paddle, buoyancy aid and dry barrel ; your job is to add a few well-chosen personal items. Tick off the list below before you zip up your bag.
This checklist was born from hundreds of departures observed on the Semois : it gathers what comes up every time, the most frequent forgotten items as well as the pointless excesses. It is organised in four steps : what you wear on you, what you slip into the dry barrel, what is already provided by the operator, and what is better left in the car. Read it once calmly at home, then tick it again with your bag open on the morning of departure. Two minutes of attention that make all the difference between a smooth day and an outing spoiled by a forgotten item : the change of clothes left at home, the flip-flops lost in a rapid, or the phone drowned for want of a pouch.
🩳 On you (clothing)
- Swim shorts or a swimming costume (quick-drying)
- Technical t-shirt or lycra (NO cotton: it stays cold when wet)
- Closed shoes that stay on your feet and are fine in water (old trainers, neoprene boots, sandals with back straps)
- Cap or hat + sunglasses with a retainer cord
- A light windbreaker if the weather is uncertain
- A neoprene wetsuit if the water is below 15 °C (see our water temperature page)
🎒 In the dry barrel (provided)
- Phone in a waterproof pouch
- Car keys and ID documents
- A little cash / bank card
- Energy snack (bars, dried fruit) and water
- Sunscreen that resists water (essential even on a cloudy day)
- DRY change of clothes for the finish
✅ Provided by the operator (do not bring)
- The kayak or canoe and the paddles
- The approved buoyancy aid (compulsory, and worn at all times)
- The dry barrel for your belongings
- The shuttle back to the starting point
- The safety briefing before departure
🚫 What NOT to bring
- Valuables you do not need (jewellery, large unprotected cameras)
- Cotton clothing (jeans, cotton sweatshirts), which is heavy and cold once wet
- Flip-flops or sliders (they get lost in the water and the rapids)
- Glass bottles: forbidden, and dangerous on the river
- Excess luggage: travel light, because the barrel has a limited capacity
What to wear: follow the rule of the water, not the air
The biggest beginner's mistake : dressing according to the forecast weather. Yet, on the water, you will get wet — from splashes, a swim or a fall — and it is the temperature of the river that decides your comfort and your safety. Bright sunshine at 25 °C will not warm a Semois at 12 °C. So favour synthetic materials that dry quickly and, in cool water, a neoprene wetsuit. Cotton must be banned : once wet, it stays heavy, cold and slow to dry, and increases the risk of getting chilled.
Think too about wind chill : as soon as you are damp and a little wind picks up, the sensation of cold climbs. A simple windbreaker in the barrel changes everything. And don't forget the sun : the glare off the water burns even in cloudy weather — a cap, sunglasses with a cord and water-resistant sunscreen are essential. To know precisely whether you need a wetsuit, check the water temperature of the day.
The dry barrel: your floating safe
The dry barrel (provided) is the most precious accessory of the day. It protects phone, keys, papers, money and a change of clothes from the water — and floats in the event of a capsize. A few good habits : close it carefully (most roll down and then clip shut). Open it only ashore, and put in only the essentials in it as its capacity is limited. The phone is best double-protected : a waterproof pouch inside the barrel. And the best advice remains to leave pointless valuables in the car : the less you bring, the less you have to protect.
What changes with the season
🌱
Spring & autumn
Cool water (often 8-15 °C): add a neoprene wetsuit, boots and a windbreaker. On the way back, a dry change of clothes is essential.
☀️
High summer
A swimming costume and lycra are enough. Step up your sun protection and your hydration: set off early, take enough water and plan for a snack.
👨👩👧
As a family
For the children, bring a buoyancy aid in their size (provided), an extra layer because they get cold quickly, a full change of clothes and something to nibble. See the family guide.
🐕
With a dog
A canine buoyancy aid, water and a foldable bowl, plus a towel. You will find all the details on our kayaking with your dog page.
The classic mistakes to avoid
Year after year, the same forgotten or excessive items spoil an outing. Jeans and the cotton sweatshirt : superb in the car park, catastrophic on the water. Flip-flops : they float far away at the first rapid. The phone in your pocket : one fall and it's over — always in the barrel. Too much luggage : the barrel is not a suitcase, you pare down to the essentials. Glass (bottles) : forbidden and dangerous. And the most frequent forgotten item : the dry change of clothes, which turns a shivering return into a pleasant end to the day.
Conversely, we sometimes tend to take too much « just in case ». Trust the gear provided : buoyancy aid, barrel and paddle are there, the briefing explains everything, and the shuttle brings you back. The rest fits in a small bag. This lightness is part of the pleasure : you set off hands free, mind at ease, ready to enjoy the valley.
Before leaving home: the final check
Three last habits for the morning of departure. Check the weather and above all the flow of the river : there is no point preparing everything if the Semois is outside its navigable range (and in that case, our cancellation policy protects you). Check the time and place of the meeting point, and leave a margin if you are coming from far away or by train. Finally, go through this checklist one last time with your bag open : two minutes that avoid the forgotten item that spoils everything. You are all set — have a great descent !
A list valid for the whole of the Ardennes
Good news : this checklist is not just for the Semois. It applies as it stands to every descent in the region — the Lesse, the Ourthe, the Amblève or the smaller watercourses. The rivers of the Ardennes share the same profile : often-cool mid-mountain water, rocky beds, sunlight reflected off the water, and the same need to travel light and well protected. Only the detail of the thermal kit changes with the temperature of the day, lower in spring on upland rivers such as the Amblève.
If you are still undecided about which river suits you, our river comparison will help you choose according to your level, your group and the atmosphere you are after ; and our real-time dashboards give you, for each one, the flow and navigability of the day. Keep this page bookmarked : printed or consulted on the phone the night before, it will quickly become your preparation ritual, season after season.
The gear provided, in detail
Many beginners overload their bag because they do not know what awaits them on site. Below is what the operator makes available to you, and what you therefore do not have to bring. The kayak or canoe and the paddles, matched to the number of participants and the type of route. The approved buoyancy aid, in your size (and the children's) : it is worn snugly at all times, that is safety rule number one, non-negotiable whatever your ease in the water. The dry barrel, where you stow your sensitive belongings.
Added to that is a full safety briefing before departure, covering instructions, reading the river and what to do if you fall, and above all the return shuttle that brings you back to the starting point at the end of the descent. This shuttle, often included, is what makes the adventure so simple : you set off from one point, you arrive at another, and the logistics of the return are handled for you. Knowing this kit is the way to spare yourself the reflex of « taking everything just in case » and to enjoy the lightness of a well-prepared outing.
A close look at shoes and feet
This detail is the one most often neglected, and the one that can spoil a descent the most. On the Semois, you frequently set foot on the ground : to clear a sill, drag the craft over a shallow, take a break on a pebble beach. The bed is rocky, sometimes slippery, and going barefoot exposes you to cuts as well as slips. What you need, then, is closed shoes that are well held on the foot and that accept water.
The best options : old trainers you don't mind ruining, neoprene boots (ideal in cool water, since they keep you warm and protect you), or sandals with back straps that don't get lost. To be banned absolutely : flip-flops and sliders, which float away at the first rapid, and boots or heavy shoes, dangerous if they fill with water. One well-chosen pair, and you forget your feet entirely : that's the whole point.
Eating and drinking: don't forget
Paddling is a gentle but real endurance effort, sometimes lasting several hours, in full sun and far from any shop. Water is therefore essential : plan to hydrate regularly, more so in summer. Slip in too an energy snack — cereal bars, dried fruit, fresh fruit — to keep up the pace and savour a well-earned break on a sunny bank. In great heat, the body quickly draws on its reserves ; in cool water, it burns energy to fight the cold. In both cases, a small supply within reach is best. Avoid alcohol, however, before and during the descent : it impairs alertness and thermoregulation, two precious things on the water.
Frequently asked questions
What to take kayaking on the Semois?
The essentials are a swimming costume, a technical t-shirt (no cotton), closed shoes that can go in the water, a cap, sunscreen, water, a snack and a dry change of clothes. The kayak, the paddle, the buoyancy aid and the dry barrel are provided.
Which shoes for kayaking?
Choose closed shoes that stay on your feet and accept water: old trainers, neoprene boots or sandals with straps. Avoid flip-flops and sliders, and do not walk barefoot.
Can you take your phone?
Yes, in a waterproof pouch stowed in the dry barrel provided. If you capsize, this is the only way to be sure of getting it back dry.
Do you need a neoprene wetsuit?
The water temperature matters here, not the air: a wetsuit is recommended below 15 °C, while above 18 °C a swimming costume is enough. Check the water temperature of the day.
Bag packed? Book your descent
Now that you know what to bring, all that's left is to choose your route on the Semois.
🛶 Book a descent