Primitive Outback Kayaking & Gem Mining

Alice Hoffman

2023-11

We loved our experience with primitive- they were so kind and accommodating! Loved seeing all the goats and the soft rabbits. We had a lovely day to kayak! The river was low and so we went slowly down. We had brought a small picnic lunch and stopped along the way and ate on some rocks. Was a lovely time. They picked us up and brought us back to our car. Our hosts held onto our keys to our car and handed them promptly back once back at the starting point. Highly recommend!!

za flores

2023-05

easy going kayaking with some basic maneuvering needed to navigate around downed trees. family owned and operated. very friendly. they space out their reservations so that your crew can have their own experience together. of course, i was a party of one. but, that is very enjoyable, too! loved it.

K. Dohn

2023-06

Jenn and Ivan were wonderful hosts for our large group kayak outing. They had a great petting zoo with cool fainting goats and many soft angora bunnies the kids loved. Also this river runs through old Cherokee land so you can add a hunt for Cherokee pottery to your bucket list… gets uncovered by the river. They had even recently found a peace pipe. Great experience! Jenn even gave us some pointers to some nearby waterfalls at the end without us asking… that’s one of my wife’s favorite things to do together in our travels. Thanks Jenn!

Ed Carroll

2023-05

What a great afternoon kayaking on the Little Tennessee River near Dillard,GA. This was just what we were looking to do after days of hiking in this beautiful area. Great service, great price for 3 hours of pleasure. The River does the work with just enough required of you to make it interesting. Jen and Ivan are terrific people. We’re seniors and we look forward to bringing our grandchildren back for the gem mining and interaction feeding their goats. Can’t recommend primitive kayaking enough.

Tara Barnett

2023-05

What a blast this place is and the owners were so friendly and knowledgeable! Had so much fun kayaking and stopping along the way to hunt for artifacts. Afterwards, we got a colossal bucket for the gem mining experience and it was worth every penny. So many awesome gems! And you can’t forget the cute goats we got to feed.

Meagan James-Phillips

2023-11

Amazing experience! We will definitely come back to kayak but had a great time petting goats and rabbits. The gems my kids got were the best we’ve ever gotten and we’ve gone a lot of places. But the owners were the cherry on top - you can tell they love what they do and were so kind and informative! Thank you!

Lisa & Dave Tubridy

2023-08

We had a great time kayaking the Little Tennessee River! The owners (Jen & Ivan) are super nice and very accommodating. Can't wait to make the trip again!

Charles Weber

2023-05

This place is a hidden gem! (Pun intended!) This is just secluded right off a main highway and easy to get to, a bit hidden, but Google maps actually gets you there (believe it or not ). Jen and Ivan are super helpful, knowlegable and all around good people. I took my kids gem mining and they taught my kids tons about minerals and gems also we did the kayaking trip, an amazing time with many of my little ones, and a couple of the older ones, my 10 year old even had a solo kayak this time and did very well, the river is relaxing and we stopped at beaches looked for artifacts and fossils as well as gems and minerals. The kids had a mud fight and swam a bit as well. Lots of nature to see . Oh and of course the goats, my little ones loved feeding the goats!! We will keep coming back here with the kids for years to come.

Meg Jones

2022-05

Such a wonderful experience, they were very knowledgeable and kind. Had lots of fun and found lots of gems. Definitely stop by if you’re in town because you never know what you can get! All the stones are different and they’re all unique in their own little ways. We had the biggest bucket, but I’m sure there’s plenty of gems in the other bucket sizes too! They also have goats and kayaking that you can enjoy as well.

Lourdes V Rodriguez

2023-08

A Hidden Gem!Truly an amazing place to take the family or yourself. You will be treated like a member of the family while you learn about every beautiful gem you discover. The kids will love discovering the gems in the cleaning station but they will also love the baby goats and bunnies. I have not gone kayaking yet but the river looks very inviting and they have pick up service wherever you stop. I love all the artifacts that have been found along the riverbank.A wonderful experience, our granddaughter can’t wait for next time and neither can her mom and grandparents:-)It’s an original gemming experience with a lesson! You will not be disappointed!

Kent Farmhouse

2023-05

What a wonderful way to pass a lazy afternoon drifting down the Little Tennessee River! Dodging the occasional downed tree added to the adventure.Ivan and Jen were charming hosts! Max is a very lucky boy.Margaret & David

Jessica Garrison

2023-09

I spent awhile researching what kayaking place to go to while staying in Bryson city, NC. When I came across Primitive Outback, I knew that was the place I wanted to go. They have bunnies and fainting goats, they let you feed the goats and pet the bunnies. The 7 mile kayaking trip was the best kayaking trip I had ever been on. The sweet couple that run the place took our pictures as we took off and when we got to our final destination. We learned about native pottery that you can find along the river, and they told us where some must see sites were close by. Overall, the service this place gives is incredible, it is also very personal. They do reservations so you can be alone while kayaking down the river. It was so peaceful.

Karen Cain

2023-06

We came for the gem mining but will be back for the kayaking after getting a look at the lovely river and learning more about the area. The goats and bunnies are adorable and Jen and Ivan are both great hosts! We did a colossal bucket and found not just beautiful crystals but some large uncut gemstones. It's a great stop in North Carolina, and well worth the trip!

Jon Nichols

2023-05

Our family had a great time kayaking with Primitive Outback Kayaking. Their equipment is well taken care of and their hospitality is superb.We will definitely be using them again when visiting in the area.

Sarah Magin

2023-08

My partner and I booked a kayaking reservation with Jen & Ivan for 7/6. Both Jen and Ivan were very knowledgeable about the area and the kayaking trip we were about to go on. They informed us of the length, approximate timeline, and any obstacles we might encounter along the way. They placed a tracker in one of the kayaks that provided them updates with how close we were to the pickup point. As soon as we rounded the last bend, we saw Ivan waiting for us with cold waters and a ride back to our car. Their pricing was so reasonable, considering we were on the river for 2.5 hours for just $40.00/person. I highly recommend!

L RV

2023-08

A Gem of a place! Great experience with extremely knowledgeable people who make finding gems so much fun for the whole family old and young alike. They also have a small zoo comprised of adorable goats that you get to feed and sweet bunnies that you can pet.A great time had by all and where our granddaughter wants to go back for her birthday! She wants “the big bucket “ maybe 2 😃.I’m not sure who is more excited, her granddad, her mom or her, needless to say, we will be back for more treasure!

Kerry Meloy

2023-05

We had so much fun feeding the goats, gem mining, and kayaking. The people were so friendly, helpful, accommodating, and knowledgeable. And we had an exclusive experience without a crowd!

Leslie Surrency

2023-05

My husband and I wanted a chance to experience gem mining while visiting and was referred to this place by The Smoky Mountain Welcome center. When we arrived, the owner was outside to greet us with a warm smile in the very chilly weather! We got to feed the goats and see the bunnies before our mine. We chose the colossal bucket and had such a fun time learning about which gems were what and they were spectacular in their natural state! Although it was quite cold out, our flume had a heater to help warm us up while digging. We can’t wait to come back when it warms up to experience the kayaking adventure and possibly more gem mining!

Emily Hayes

2023-05

We stopping in today and the kids had a blast gem mining, feeding the goats, and petting bunnies. The owners were so kid and knowledgeable of every aspect of their business. We have visiting other gen mining places (Jackson hole) and recommend this one 100% over there places.

Viv Carroll

2023-05

We were about to drive a long way to kayak & then went here. It was GREAT !!These new owners, of about a year, are really friendly & helpful. The kayaks were in great condition. They even have billy goats for the family to feed. They have a gem hunting place with instruction & Jen teaches the kids as they’re having their fun hunting for shark’s teeth or arrow heads, etc. This place is a wonderful place! The river has a nice pace to it, you can paddle as much or as little as you like.

Art with Mrs. Tran

2023-05

This is our second time coming to Primitive Outback Kayaking and Gem Mining...last year, coming to this place was my favorite part of our entire vacation! This place is outstanding! From feeding the goats, to a top-knotch gem mining experience (we were told what we found, and lots of big gems!), to a fabulous float down the Little Tennessee- we were told by the owners to look out for Cherokee pottery piecesand we found 7 on our expedition! They were very positive and went above and beyond to make sure everyone had an amazing experience!

Michael Pleskach

2023-05

Kayaking the river here is always great and it’s even better with the family owners. Had a great time kayaking and feeding the goats after. What I was not expecting was how great the gem mining was. We’ve done mining at other places and this is above and beyond a much better deal. The owners even helped explain the different fossils and gems we found. Thank you for the wonderful family memories.

Sarah Lopez

2023-05

This place is AMAZING! Our family of 5 went there at Thanksgiving, and we all loved everything about it—they have happy goats and bunnies, awesome gem mining, and a cool gift shop…but the family that runs it is what truly makes it our new favorite place in that area! They are friendly and very knowledgeable, and they work hard to make it an awesome experience. We will be back for sure!!

Elizabeth Hathaway

2023-05

Wonderful family run business that offered a fun kayaking adventure, gem mining and goat feeding experience!

Mark Rosenberg

2023-07

Jenn and Ivan are fantastic! We love to float and they made it super easy. We were given plenty of instruction and they we’re waiting on us at the pickup area. Will definitely go see them again!Mark and Julie

Dusty Sivley

2023-05

My husband and I had a great time doing gem mining here! We got the colossal bucket and it was definitely worth the money! The owner was super friendly and very informative about the gem stones I found! We will definitely be back!

Jeni Cordero

2022-05

Our family loves this place! The kids can’t get enough of the gem mining and adorable fainting goats ❤️ Today hubby and I went kayaking for the first time and we LOVED it! The river a peaceful and we saw lots of wildlife along way. The owners are super nice and make you feel like family! We will be back!

Meredith Otto

2023-05

Awesome experience sitting right along side the Little Tennessee River. If you have any interest in gem stones, this is a must do when in the surrounding area. The owner was very knowledgeable and explains what each gem stone is and the hardest. Such a cool experience.

Veronica Martinez

2021-05

We are visiting NC, glad we found this Gem in the mountain! The owners are welcoming and very knowledgeable on the stones, gems and fossils. My Children loved the mining and finding their share of fossils and stones! Love the phantom stones and amethyst, my mother loves her Garnet...thank you for the hospitality! We will be back to Kayak and do more mining! Its a must go to place..Definitely recommend this place for a fun time!

Larry McClure

2022-05

Great little place tucked in the woods next to the river. Went gem mining with the family had a lot of fun. They have 4 buckets to choose from that range from $20 to $100. Both ladies were very nice and helpful in identifying the rocks and gems we found. They also have a couple of fainting goats the kids can feed and pet. Didn't go kayaking this time but maybe in the future.