The Spreewald's 300 kilometres of waterways are navigable by kayak or canoe — a very different experience from the group punt tours. Paddling gives you the freedom to leave the main channels and find the quiet back routes where you might go an hour without seeing another boat. Rental places in both Lübbenau and Lübben hire kayaks and canoes by the hour or day, with or without guides.
Most of the channels are narrow enough that you can reach out and touch both banks simultaneously, and the trees close overhead to form a canopy tunnel in many stretches. The wildlife is different from what you see from a boat tour: kingfishers, cormorants, herons, and in quiet moments, the occasional otter. You do not need experience — the water is slow-moving and shallow, and the canal network, though complex, is well-signed. Get a waterproof map from the rental outfit and plan a route before you go.