Wonderful experience, Despite the cloudy weather, we had good visibility underwater, where we encountered a mother manatee nursing her calf. We also stopped by Three Sisters Springs, a beautiful, tranquil spot with crystal-clear water. We went with three children; the youngest felt a bit cold, but they all loved the excursion nonetheless. I recommend it.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Wetsuits
- Professional guide
- Use of Snorkelling equipment
- Coffee and hot cocoa
Excludes
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Please arrive at your scheduled tour time. Our captains and guides will be busy with the previous tour and readying your boat and our shop for your trip. Please note: Our shop is in the residential area of Crystal river and looks as if it is a house, but it is, in fact, our shop so come on in!
Return
- Please arrive at your scheduled tour time. Our captains and guides will be busy with the previous tour and readying your boat and our shop for your trip. Please note: Our shop is in the residential area of Crystal river and looks as if it is a house, but it is, in fact, our shop so come on in!
Itinerary
Upon arrival at the dive shop, guests will be fitted for wetsuits (included in price) and asked to watch a brief video from US Fish and Wildlife outlining their encounter with the manatees. The captain and guide will then take the group to the boat and embark all passengers and give a short safety brief. Once underway, the guide will further explain how to interact with the manatees once in the water and fit the guests with their masks and snorkels. While transiting to the swim areas, the captain and guide will present information about the area wildlife and what guests can expect to see during your tour. They will also answer questions and take pictures along the way. Once the vessel sights manatees, the captain will anchor the vessel and the group and guide will proceed into the water for your encounter. The guide will stay with the group the entire time, ensuring that the guests get the most out of their experience, all while taking photos and videos of your adventure!
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
Captain Ron and Kaylin were very friendly. They made sure us and the manatees were both safe and comfortable. It was a very beautiful, relaxing experience. We went at the end of October and saw 3 manatees. We were able to swim very close to them, they’re faster than you’d think.
I’ve seen plenty of sunrises, but this one earned its keep. We set out on Crystal River at dawn, the canals still and the springs coming alive in every shade of blue. Ron made sure we had a manatee encounter all to ourselves as one cruised down the canal. Bucket-list stuff, and we’d barely started! Then came a guided snorkel through crystal-clear springs, surrounded by forest, fish and not another person in the water. I kept wondering whether the place was real or somebody had gone to a great deal of trouble to fool me. Ron and Sarah were just good people. No rehearsed tourist routine. They made the whole experience easy for our four kids, with comfortable wetsuits, proper masks, flotation gear and warm jackets waiting when we got out. Everything thought of, no fuss. I’ve snorkeled some beautiful places, but this one takes the prize. Thanks Ron and Sarah. What a morning!
Sarah, Cailyn, and Captain Ron were incredible! We ended up being the only ones on the tour since it’s out of season (September), so it was like a private tour! It was such an incredible experience! We saw a mom nursing a baby and two large makes all around us. I never expected to be so immersed in the experience! The mother, calf, and two males stayed around us practically the whole time! Then we went to Three Sisters Springs which was beautiful! Saw mullet, sheepshead, and other fish. How breathtaking! Then on the way back we saw a small alligator, turtle, and cormorants. I would definitely recommend this tour! They took 255 photos and 17 videos which were fabulous! What a highlight to our trip! If you are wondering about going, JUST DO IT!
It is so hard to get good pictures in the water with the manatees but I loved the experience. Also very cold water. We did the best we could!
It was so good! My mom and I came to Tampa for the first time and although we knew it wasn’t manatee season, we still got to see them! The tour team went above and beyond looking for them for us to see, and it was awesome. They are very respectful with the animals and very friendly to the group. Sarah was fantastic too! She was out tour guide, and was so passionate and caring; the ride was perfect because of her! If you’re thinking about going to the Crystal River this tour is fantastic!
Capt. Ron and Andy were great! We found a single manatee and swam with it. Then all aboard and he took us to Three Sisters Spring which was amazing! My grandson was awestruck by the clarity of the spring. After swimming in the springs we loaded up and Capt. Ron took us on a little tour and we saw an alligator sunning himself. But we noticed his jaw was missing and Ron, knew the whole story. We had a fantastic time and recommend to everyone as it’s quite the experience. Thank you again Ron and Andy for sun h an enjoyable time.
The team was professional and personable. We had bad weather, and they were accommodating to us to ensure our little manatee-loving girl got her tour. Love this place, and highly recommend!
We had a wonderful experience. Although it was off season for the manatees, the crew made it thoroughly enjoyable, were knowledgeable regarding the manatees and area, and made sure we had a great time. They even recommended places for us to visit and eat as we were first timers there. As first time snorkelers, my wife and son really enjoyed the guidance set forth by our tour guide. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone and look forward to coming back with our family again.
Very affordable and enjoyable tour! Ron was great at finding manatees even during the warm months and we had a blast!
Lots of fun! Great knowledgeable guides! Lots of fun! Great knowledgeable guides! Lots of fun! Great knowledgeable guides! Lots of fun! Great knowledgeable guides!
This was an incredible trip and we saw a manatee even in off season. The guides were knowledgeable kind and patient. They also take video and photos for you if you’d like to purchase at the end. They also take you to snorkel in three sisters spring. Such a majestic and beautiful experience of the Florida
My husband and I specifically booked with this company because of the smaller group size, and the good reviews helped. The staff was knowledgeable, funny, and entertaining. Because we were out-of-season, seeing Manatees isn’t guaranteed and almost thought we wouldn’t. We’d see them on the drone, but they’d disappear by the time we got there. Then we ran into four and had an amazing time. We also got to visit the Three Sisters Springs! An amazing time. Highly recommended.
This was an awesome first time experience! Even though we were outside of manatee season, our guide worked to make sure we saw manatees! She was knowledgeable and friendly and made it a great overall experience. We also loved our boat captain. We will definitely be back!
We loved everything about the trip. The captain and guide were very invested in making sure we had a great time.
We had a really good time. Swimming with the manatees was really awesome. The staff were great too. I will definitely do it again
Our family had so much fun. The staff took care of us so well. We are definitely coming back again to play with the manatees.
Captain Ron and Andrew were excellent crew from the moment you walk into shop! We booked the 6:45 AM tour on advice of crew as the animals are more active in the morning, water is less stirred up. We watched a great intro video to the manatees and suited up with great equipment and were off to the boat! Within 10 minutes, we were observing a family group on the water, Capt Ron has a drone to find manatees from the air. We were provided lots of manatee information by the crew, and other wildlife and behaviors were pointed out. At the second location we were able to interact with a juvenile for about 40 minutes with no one else around. This was an excellent experience for my daughter, a current Veterinary student studying manatees at UF for the summer! Highly recommend this tour!
The entire experience was great!!! The Captain and Guide were knowledgeable, patient and professional. We got to see a Manatee, turtles, fish and other water animals. In addition being educated on snorkeling and best techniques when near the manatee. It was a wonderful experience for multi-generational family (grandpa to 4 year old grandson). Would highly recommend!
Wow what a fantastic experience for my grandkids. They were so excited to see the manatee. Great guided tour and very safe our guide helped us get close to see the tail and the face it was amazing!!!The captain took us to a nice spot and we had a blast.
Guides were very knowledgeable and the tour was great. Would definitely recommend. My son had so much fun seeing manatees aka river potatoes.
Great crew, upfront about the conditions, but still found us a manatee. Also saw dolphins and an alligator! Overall great experience!
Our experience was AMAZING! Our guide Sarah was very patient with my grandma and my little 10 year old brother. We were nervous at first but our guide and captains laid back personalities instantly made us feel comfortable. You can tell by the safety video that the company and its employees really care about the well being of the manatees while also giving us the best experience possible. Sarah took amazing photos of my family and the manatees! The whole experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we would totally do it again!
Had a great time. Loved our in water guide, Sara.
Guide and captain were awesome. Got to swim with 2 manatees but saw several others. Absolutely would come back.
We had an amazing time. Great time and great captain Ron & guide Sarah. We got to see manatees and the springs. We will definitely be back.
I’d highly recommend this trip, we had a perfect day. Although not in season, we still got very close to a mother and baby, so close we had to keep backing off to observe the no contact rules! The staff were fun and knowledgeable and the small group size made it easy to hear everything. We had some time to chill snorkelling in the clear water of the springs, and saw a couple of alligators on the boat ride back.
The team was great. I went with a torn rotator cuff and they were so helpful to make sure I got on and off the boat and kept up with the group. And yes we saw manatee :) Great trip. No one was in a hurry or in a rush. Goin back !
An amazing tour. A bit post season as the majority of the manatees have migrated to areas now that the waters are warming throughout the Gulf of Mexico. A friendly, comfortable, informative and exciting trip through Kings Bay into the area of 3 Sisters Springs. Our guide located a dozen manatees and we were in the water; following guides instructions not to interfere with the manatees as they went about their morning. Very educational and informative. As a bonus we snorkeled into the 3 Sisters Springs and we're able to enjoy the crystal clear waters and the the Springs. Photography/videos are taken throughout the trip and are available at the end of this amazing trip. Lot's of opportunities for these trips...but this is the real deal. You won't be disappointed.
Was incredible….as promised we saw and snorkels closely with a group of manatees. Everything according to plan. No hiccups. Wetsuits and snoring gear included (water temp was 74 degrees in May!). Three sisters spring had great visibility for fish.
Great day! Clean and nice small pontoon for a max group of 6. Captain and guide are great: talkative and entertaining with lots of info. We went off season but the captain sent up a drone right before departure to find manatees so we didn’t spend time searching. Guide helped us get up close and personal with the adorable and inquisitive sea cows. So fun! Highly recommended! They provide exceptionally clean and nice wet suits, masks and even water noodles to make it so easy.
This was one of the best things we did on our trip. captain Ron and Sara were so positive and fun. The entire experience was wonderful. I would highly recommend doing this.
It's great. We've been with them twice, once in April and once in February. Both times were great! Both times we saw manatees. Once it was stormy, and the other time it was sunny. So we snorkeled different spots. Would definitely recommend!
A must do! We had a fantastic time with Captain Mike and pro guide & photographer Sara! Highly recommend - loved the nature!!
My husband and I had a GREAT time on the water with Sara and captain Mike in Crystal River, Florida! Although it wasn't prime manatee season, we did get up close and personal with a beautiful manatee and Sara got some awesome pictures!! Captain Mike took us all around the gorgeous waters of Crystal River and we loved every minute. We will definitely be going back but next time we'll bring our family and friends ;)
Lived up to the anticipation! We knew it was post-high season so spotting manatees was less likely. Nope! Found a bunch of them right from the start. The Captain Ron was laid back and fun, and our snorkel guide Andy was a hoot. Andy did a great job spotting the manatees, taking pics and videos, and helping float us each up close (but not TOO close) to these amazing creatures. They are SO BIG! Definitely be prepared for murky water on this part of the excursion. It was like swimming in Nemo’s dirty fish tank and sometimes we couldn’t see the animals until we were literally on top of them. The second part of the tour had us swimming in the natural springs. Such beautiful water. The starting point was a little weird to find, and the boat and van were rustic, but it’s a water thing after all! Oh yeah - you’ll definitely be grateful for the wetsuits too. One other thing - the cost was very reasonable to buy the photos. Do it and let the professional do the hard stuff! It was a unique experience. 5 out of 5 - would totally recommend.
Definitely worth it! Even though we came at the end/after manatee season, Ron and Alan found us some manatees to swim with and helped us locate them in the water. The visibility of the water was poor that day, but because they had underwater cameras, we still got to take home great videos and pictures of the gentle giants. We also got to see the three sisters springs and that water was crystal clear and beautiful. This shop was easy to find and provided everything we needed for the trip (just bring your own towel). Would highly recommend!
This was the trip of a lifetime. Captain and diver was so nice, very helpful and Captain knew his stuff! Would most definitely do this yearly!
Hands-down, one of the best experiences of my life the tour was great the fact that there was a photographer that I didn’t have to worry about taking pictures and could stay present and enjoy the experience and still had all the pictures I would’ve taken highly recommended
Ron and Sarah were fantastic! Such an enjoyable trip and they brought us right to the manatees! Would definitely book with them again
We had a wonderful experience. The staff were friendly and we were able to see multiple manatees. We chose to also go to Crystal River which was beautiful. Highly recommend!
We had a great time on this tour! Our guides were fun and engaging and found us manatees to swim with.
Great experience. Found manatee fast even on the off season.
Very knowledgeable staff, easy to find location. Worth the price we paid. Great experience as captain found manatees for us to see and swim.
These guys are pretty amazing. As a veteran, I try to support other veteran owned businesses. Our time out we saw not only manatees, but even had the privilege to see dolphins, cormorans, turtles and Osprey. We visited 3 sisters springs, which had some super clear water.
Very responsible guide and good picture! They provide coat, snorkeling mask, wet suit and hot cocoa so everything is perfect. Highly recommend!
Sara, Joe, Capt.Mike were awesome! We were nervous because the weather was a bit chilly... wetsuits, jackets, were provided. The trip was great. Only 6 guests and the individual attention was amazing.
Unforgetable expirience on our honeymoon from Czech Republic. :-)
Unfortunately it was warm week, so there were very few manatees in relation to how many tour boats there were. We did get to see some and had a nice swim in the beautiful spring.
This tour is not like the picture shown. It was not clear water with face to face interaction. The water in the channel was so dark and murky you couldn’t see manatees. Only discolored patches in the water below you. You have to be a moderately good swimmer, too.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
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