Clearly Tahoe

What Clearly Tahoe does

Clearly Tahoe is a privately-held recreational tourism company operating in the Lake Tahoe basin since 2016. The company offers guided clear kayak tours, LED-lit night kayaking experiences, eco canoe tours, and all-inclusive excursions aboard a 46-foot tri-toon vessel called the Clearly Explorer. Its core technology centers on a fleet of completely transparent clear-bottom kayaks that allow passengers to view Lake Tahoe's underwater features and depths up to 75 feet — a design enabled by the lake's exceptional water clarity. Beyond tours, the company rents kayaks, paddle boards, and specialty crafts (from Sand Harbor Nevada State Park and its Zephyr Cove shop), rents pedal-assist beach cruisers and mountain bikes, operates three adventure-themed retail gift shops, and provides seasonal winter offerings including Polar Paddle kayak tours and snowshoe rentals.

The company operates from five Lake Tahoe destinations — Incline Village, South Lake Tahoe, Zephyr Cove, Camp Richardson Resort, and Edgewood Tahoe — and runs more than 20 distinct recreational experiences. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a 24/7 online booking system powered by FareHarbor, three physical shop locations, walk-up rentals at Sand Harbor, and group booking channels serving corporate retreats, weddings, and private events. Clearly Tahoe employs 60+ staff, the majority part-time or full-time across a six-month May–October operating season with returners working an 8–10 month stretch. Tour pricing ranges from entry-level experiences to $219 per person for premium Emerald Bay excursions, with a documented 50% cancellation fee, $20 reservation change fee, $20 pet fee, multi-tour discount of 20%, and gift card availability. The business also engages in formal media/influencer collaborations and maintains environmental partnerships with the League to Save Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Clean Up the Lake, and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time transactional tour fees and equipment rentals, supplemented by retail merchandise sales. No subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue model exists. The company is an independent Nevada LLC with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or funding history. Operational risks include heavy seasonality concentration in summer months, weather dependency (illustrated by the June 26 wind advisory closure), and reliance on a single geographic market (Lake Tahoe). Strategic strengths include first-mover brand recognition as 'the original home of clear kayak tours on Lake Tahoe,' the largest paddle craft fleet on the lake, multi-location distribution, and meaningful capital deployed in distinctive physical assets.

Name

Clearly Tahoe

Legal name

Clearly Tahoe, LLC

Website

https://clearlytahoe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clearly Tahoe is a Lake Tahoe-based recreational tourism company operating guided clear kayak tours, night LED kayak tours, eco canoe tours, and the Clearly Explorer tri-toon excursions across five destinations, serving individual tourists, families, and private groups with equipment rentals and retail merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Tour Operators (561520), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotourism & Geology/Volcano/National Monument Tours (THAAAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shore Excursion Operators (Tours & Activities) (THAEAFAC), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Guided kayak tours
• Paddle craft rentals
• Lake adventure excursions
• Eco canoe tours
• Bike rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Zephyr Cove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Guided Clear Kayak Tours: The company offers over 20 full-service recreational experiences including clear kayak shoreline tours, LED night stargazing experiences, Eco Canoe tours, and the Clearly Explorer excursion. Tours range from 1.5 hours to 3 hours and are priced per person with various add-ons available.
2. Water Equipment Rentals: Rental of kayaks, paddle boards, and specialty crafts from Sand Harbor Nevada State Park and Zephyr Cove shop on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Bike Rentals: Pedal Assist Beach Cruisers, Mountain Bikes, Analog Bikes available for rental from the Zephyr Cove shop.
4. Retail Shop Sales: Three adventure-themed gift shops offering Lake Tahoe themed merchandise, apparel, and souvenirs.
5. Winter Activities: Seasonal Snowshoe Rentals and Winter Clear Bottom Kayak Tours during the off-season.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clearly Tahoe operates guided clear kayak tours, LED night kayak experiences, eco canoe tours, and all-inclusive Clearly Explorer charters on Lake Tahoe. The company also rents kayaks, paddle boards, bikes, and snowshoes from multiple locations and sells Lake Tahoe-themed merchandise through three retail gift shops.

Product overview

Clearly Tahoe is a full-service recreational tourism company offering guided outdoor experiences and equipment rentals across Lake Tahoe. The company operates from 5 destinations and provides more than 20 recreational experiences. Core offerings center on clear kayak tours, where guests paddle in fully transparent vessels to view Lake Tahoe's famous crystal-clear waters up to 75 feet deep. The product portfolio includes guided kayak tours (Emerald Bay, Bonsai Rock, Shoreline tours), specialty night experiences (LED Night Tours, LED Stargazing), water-based tours (Eco Canoe, Clearly Explorer tri-toon charters), and seasonal offerings (Polar Paddle winter kayaking). Supporting services include water sport rentals (kayaks, SUPs), bike rentals (electric and standard), and an adventure-themed retail shop. The company operates year-round with guided snowshoe experiences and winter kayaking available during off-season.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers can view depths up to 75 feet through transparent kayak bottoms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Edgewood Tahoe LodgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate partnership with Edgewood Tahoe Lodge providing exclusive clear kayak tour experiences exclusively for hotel guests. This partnership targets hotel guests seeking premium recreational experiences during their Lake Tahoe stay.
• Sand Harbor Nevada State ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperating agreement to run on-site rental concession within Sand Harbor Nevada State Park. This is a key operating location for walk-up kayak and paddleboard rentals, providing access to one of Lake Tahoe's most popular state parks.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking and reservation management platform embedded in Clearly Tahoe's website. FareHarbor handles calendar management, online bookings, and payment processing for tour reservations.
• Camp Richardson ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperating tour location at Camp Richardson Resort, one of five Lake Tahoe operating locations for Clearly Tahoe's guided clear kayak experiences.
• League to Save Lake TahoeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental nonprofit organization that Clearly Tahoe recommends to guests for donation support and environmental education. Partnership focused on environmental conservation awareness.
• Lake Tahoe Wildlife CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWildlife rehabilitation organization in Lake Tahoe that Clearly Tahoe promotes to guests for donations and support.
• Clean Up the LakeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLake Tahoe environmental cleanup organization that Clearly Tahoe recommends to guests for volunteering and donation support.
• Tahoe Rim Trail AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrail maintenance and hiking organization that Clearly Tahoe recommends to guests for volunteering and donation support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tahoe Adventure Company: Tahoe-based outfitter offering guided kayak and paddleboard tours, bike rentals, and snowshoe tours on Lake Tahoe. Directly competes with Clearly Tahoe for guided paddlecraft bookings at premium price points across the same geography.
• Action Watersports: Lake Tahoe operator offering kayak, paddleboard, and watercraft rentals and tours out of multiple marinas. Closely comparable business model combining rentals and guided experiences in the same Lake Tahoe basin.
• Sierra Cloud Adventure Co. Lake Tahoe-based small-group adventure outfitter offering guided kayak, canoe, and paddleboard tours on the lake. Overlaps with Clearly Tahoe's guided kayak and Eco Canoe tour products for the same tourist customer base.

Emerging players

• Get Up and Go Kayaking: Multi-location clear and crystal kayak tour operator in Florida springs and other high-clarity waters. Uses the same transparent-kayak concept as Clearly Tahoe and represents the most direct proof point that the model can be replicated in other geographies.

Broad incumbents

• La Jolla Kayak: Established California coastal kayak tour and rental operator with multiple experience tiers. Comparable in that it combines guided kayak tours, rentals, and eco-focused experiences for a tourist customer base, though in a marine rather than alpine lake setting.
• OARS: Long-established US adventure tourism operator running guided rafting, kayaking, and multi-day paddling trips nationwide. Comparable as a guided water-based adventure outfitter targeting experience-seeking tourists, though at a much larger scale and broader product mix.
• REI Co-op Experiences: Outdoor co-op's guided experiences division offers multi-day kayaking, hiking, and paddling trips across the US. While not a Lake Tahoe specialist, it competes for the same guided outdoor-adventure tourist dollars as Clearly Tahoe.

Regional players

• Tahoe Keys Marina: Lake Tahoe marina offering boat rentals, charters, and water-based activities. Operates in the same regional market as Clearly Tahoe and hosts the Clearly Explorer departure point, making it both a partner and a competitive rental channel.

Others

• Viator: Major online marketplace for tours, attractions, and experiences. While not a direct operator, Viator is a key distribution channel for activity-based tourism operators and influences pricing and discoverability for companies like Clearly Tahoe.
• FareHarbor: Booking and reservation management platform used by Clearly Tahoe for online tour bookings. Functions as a critical infrastructure vendor for the company's e-commerce motion rather than a competitor, but shapes the unit economics of the tour business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clearlytahoe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clearly Tahoe