Mangrove Tunnels & Mudflats Kayak Tour - Local Biologist Guides

Great tour - guides were super informative and gave us many opportunities to hold catfish, starfish, and sea urchin.

Ryan was the most knowledgeable guide we could hope for, with an uncanny passion for the estuary & local ecosystem. Ryan went out of his way to share with us the many creatures on the water, on the shore and in the air than one could imagine. We saw a Bald Eagle. Ospreys, Wood Storks, and Spoonbills. We also watched a dolphin in very shallow water feeding on Mullet. In addition we saw many critters of the estuary on the mudflats and in the water. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again very soon.

Maci our tour guide was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and explained everything in great detail, she was very interactive with the group. Highly recommend this activity, very educational for a good cause.

The tour to keewaydin island was awesome. We did the 9 AM- 12:00 PM tour and our tour guide Marlon was on time and was very friendly. He was very knowledgeable and kind throughout the entire tour and you can tell he is very passionate about what he does. He definitely made our trip significantly better. The island itself is so peaceful and calm. I will say definitely have bug spray. You will NEED A LOT OF IT.

Amazing experience, The guide is super knowledgeable about not only the area but of all the flora and fauna that call the area home. I would highly recommend the tour to anyone.

The tour guide was very enjoyable to be with today. Thank you

This was such a great workout. So beautiful being on the pristine ocean and Naples, Florida. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative.

We had a great time. The guides were very knowledgeable and spent a lot of time explaining about everything that we experienced, from the oysters, birds and of course all the types of mangroves. The dolphin sightings were the icing on the cake.

great morning out with Ryan exploring Rookery Bay. Meet up was straightforward and Ryan was very welcoming and friendly as well as knowlegable about the area. We had a great time and would certainly recommend!

We had a great tour with Matt and Rene and booking was extremely easy! We’ve done this tour before but this was our first time bringing our two kids, 6 and 4 years old, and the grandparents and it was a wonderful time for all. Matt and Rene were extremely knowledgeable about the area and wildlife. Highly recommend this tour and we will definitely be back!

It was an amazing tour. Our guide Sarah did an excellent job showing us the estuary and all of the wildlife we could see. Keewaydin Island was an exceptional experience, Pictures do not do it justice. Tons of shells and peaceful water. A must do.

Such a great time with Cierra and Ryan! It was our first time kayaking and they provided us with a lot of tips and support. Very kind and helpful guides. I appreciated all the facts Ryan and Cierra had about the area. Great value for what it costs and a portion goes back to protecting the area. We will definitely go again!!

Oysters, birds, manatees, oh my! Great experience for sure. Sierra and “trainee” Ryan were very enthusiastic and educational. 5 Stars!

Awesome experience! Great guides and sights!!! A little fun in the sun that provided excersice and opportunities to relax.

We loved our guides Selena and Ryan as we peacefully glided into the pristine areas of Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Both guides were extremely knowledgeable and focused on everyone having the best experience possible. I loved that the trip accommodated all kayaking skill levels and allowed the opportunity to actually get out of your kayak and explore the sandbar/mudflat. Well done! Had the sweetest dolphin greeting!!

Beautiful and unique experience. Guides were very knowledgeable.

I had a great time the tunnels were beautiful Celina and Ryan were very informative! I learned a lot from them!

Selina and Ryan were so awesome!! They were very educational and kind, it made the experience really memorable.

We had a fun time with 18-21 year old kids. It was a great mix of kayaking and exploring the estuary. Looking forward to doing this again.

Awesome experience!!! Would recommend to anyone. Kyle was very helpful and patient with me 😊 Gerald was great too! Loved this tour! ❤️

Great experience kayaking through the mangroves. Liked that it was a small group (12). Lead by two guides with degrees in related fields, very knowledgable. Stay close to the lead guide as it can sometimes be difficult to hear since her back is towards the group. Though we would stop to gather several times for information. Wind was against us returning and one guide towed a young girl who was struggling slightly, very helpful! Saw some birds, large horse conch, too early for manatees, no dolphins. Suggestions: bring a towel and change of clothes if you’re headed somewhere else after the tour. Public restroom available at the car park. It’s probably a good idea to have experience kayaking as you need to navigates some “close” tunnels.

We had an incredible experience on an educational kayak tour at Rookery Bay Estuary with Rising Tide! Our guides - both biologists (both named Ryan) - shared fascinating insights about the estuary, the important conservation work being done, and the diverse wildlife. We were lucky to see a spiney sea star, lighting whelk snail, and especially excited to see a manatee! We kayaked through beautiful mangrove tunnels and had so much fun! I highly recommend this tour to learn more about Florida’s beautiful ecosystems while learning from passionate experts!

Wonderful experience, beautiful surroundings, excellent Guide, very reasonably priced. They even include photos taken on the tour.

Had a great time kayaking and seeing and learning about the mangroves and the wildlife. A wonderful day on the water.

This tour had lots of information given by a friendly guide. The kayaks were easy to maneuver throughout the tour. I loved getting to see different Florida birds and learning about the mangroves.

We had an incredible 3‑hour boat tour through Rookery Bay! Captain Winston was fantastic, knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about the area. He shared so many interesting facts about the wildlife and ecosystem, and he made the whole experience memorable. The scenery was stunning, the pace was perfect, and we walked away feeling like we learned so much. Highly recommend this tour and Captain Winston for anyone visiting the area!

The guide had excellent knowledge of the environment and was very interesting . I learned a lot The pace was good. I live in UK and that was a great experience

Gerald, our guy, was simply superb. I learned so much while enjoying the special coves and tunnels of mangroves. Also learned so much about the environment, wildlife and the need for preservation and continued funding. I will carry the message forward about how important mangroves are to Florida’s protection and the dominoe effect of what each of us must do to keep our environment safe for generations to come. Thanks.

The guides were great! Gerald's knowledge made the trip so much more interesting than renting a kayak and going alone. Beautiful and well run trip. Highly recommend.

Great tour, wonderful experience

We had a great time. The tour guides were friendly and eager to share their knowledge of the mangroves! What a great afternoon

An absolutely wonderful experience. The team was friendly and well organized. We were headed in the wrong direction, despite the provided map, and a team member went out of her way to kayak over to us to be sure we went the right direction. Such a fun day!

Everything was great Sierra was outstanding she made everybody feel comfortable and was very informative

Beautiful day, fun trip! Great guides. Thanks 🙏🏻

What an amazing experience. I’d recommend it to anyone. The mangrove tunnels were exciting going through. Great instruction from our guide so we could easily maneuver the twist and turns.

Fabulous and profflessional Captain! Very much enjoyed her knowledge and enthusiasm. A true highlight of our visit to Florida.

We absolutely enjoyed our guided tour. It was educational and entertaining. Sierra and Ryan were our tour guides and they were both amazing. They are knowledgeable and passionate about their chosen profession. We would definitely do it again.

Guides were excellent The mangroves were very nice and the guides did a good job explaining the waters and nature were observed.

We had a great time during our tour! Derek and Renae were excellent tour guides and very knowledgeable. The day was perfect and we were lucky enough to see a couple dolphins! Highly recommend Rising Tides Explorers!

Beautiful day on the water! Guides were awesome! Very informative! There’s a lot to explore there. Wish we had gone into a couple more mangrove tunnels.

The team was amazing and the kayaking experience was so special oak. Evan and team have advanced degrees in biology and make the trip both a visually beautiful experience while also providing in-depth knowledge of the fascinating eco system that surrounds you.

For paddlers who are serious about learning about the miracle (that is still exists!) of the Nature Conservancy who care for the 100,000+ acres of preserved land/water. The naturalists/guides are fantantist - well qualified and great with people of all ages/levels. (HINT: Do this as early as possible in the day before the wind comes up!)

Guides were knowledgeable and took good care of our group. I love how they showed us a sea star and many other interesting biological things along the way. They include free pictures to download after the tour and wet bags to use for anything you choose to bring. We had fun kayaking through the mangroves.

A great trip. We were lucky to have the tour with just my wife and me. Sierra was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, a very good explainer and communicator. We recommend this trip highly!

I didn't quite expect how educational this trip would be. Liked that we had 2 experts who could answer any questions, Evan and Harrison. It was exciting to learn about the plants and see first hand lots of sea creatures. I got to hold a sea urchin. Highy recommend this trip as a great place to explore. I'm 75 and usually kayak rivers so, this was a cool change.

Rising tide adventures are the absolute best. Our guides Sierra & Kody were very good at explaining what we were seeing & how to best steer & paddle our kayak. The adventure in the kayak was a great learning experience. We were able to see sea stars & two types of conch’s on the mud flat. We also got to see a dolphin & osprey’s with fresh caught fish in their talons!

Our skipper/guide was Ryan a biologist steeped with knowledge about the estuaries, vegetation, birds and marine life. He answered any and all questions and it was obvious he loves his work. Being on the watercraft with only 4 people made it like a private class and a valuable one. I highly recommend it Ps Ryan praised all of his colleagues, saying whoever your skipper is will be equally knowledgeable.

The mangrove tunnels were beautiful! The staff was very prompt, helpful and friendly.

Cierra & Kyle were kind, engaging & knowledgeable. It was a breathtaking & fun adventure. We will definitely recommend this one to our friends and family!