Snorkel With Manatee Tour W/ In-water Guide

Crystal and Mike were terrific guides and we had such a great time learning about Kings Bay, the eco system, manatees , gators and more. We got to swim with a mama and her baby manatee and saw several others as we boated around. Great fun, beautiful area!

Garret and Gary were excellent. Very friendly and knowledgeable.

Absolutely wonderful. Guide was friendly and took time with each one of us. Always making sure we were doing ok and that each one of us had a fair shot of seeing a manatee. She was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend Sheila.

10/10 amazing vibes and got to see a baby manatee!! He was the cutest and so friendly

Had a blast! Nat and Bryan were amazing! Got to see a good amount of manatees plus one baby, well worth the experience! 🤩

The tour was fantastic. Nat the guide was patient, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. She was extra helpful with the 3 year old. Emerson, the captain was welcoming, knowledgeable and explained a lot of what we were seeing. We saw many fish, birds and swam with a manatee. It was great!

Had an amazing experiance, our guide and captain were fantastic, we went just before the begining of the season and still got to see 3 manatees, including a momma and baby, it was an unforgettable experiance!

Gary and Brian were awesome! Found some manatees quick, then they took us to super clear water at the springs!

We had such a great time on the manatee snorkeling tour! The tour guides were really nice, helpful, and made the whole experience enjoyable. I was honestly worried about the wetsuits, but they weren’t nearly as bad as I thought they would be! Overall, it was a fun experience and definitely something I’d recommend if you’re looking for a unique adventure. 🐋💦

Captain Mike and Guide Crystal are AMAZING! This is our second time visiting River Ventures and swimming with the manatees! Both times were amazing!! Guide Piper was our guide last year and our dream boat would be Piper, Mike and Crystal!!! Love all 3 of them so much. We came face to face with manatees even though it’s the slow season! The boats communicate with each other so even when there aren’t many manatees to see, they make sure you get to see them!

Awesome experience, everyone from our arrival to getting suited up were great. Our guide Crystal was an engaging, informative and fun guide. Captain Mike was very knowledgeable about all wildlife, the area and took good care of us. Thanks to all for a great day.

Fabulous experience. I wasn’t going to swim because I really don’t like cold water but was encouraged to give it a go. The wet suit made all the difference and with the experience of our charming captain JJ and guide Sean, we saw a manatee despite it being ‘off season’. It was very safe for people and manatees. Strict rules apply to going near the manatee and they were adhered to. I was happy our sleeping manatee appeared undisturbed. Everyone was lovely including the staff back at the base. I strongly recommend this experience

Booked a tour with Crystal and Captain Michael at River Ventures, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Crystal was incredible. She got right in the water with us, personally brought us to two manatees, and swam alongside us through Three Sisters Springs. She was extremely knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about the manatees, the river, and making sure her guests had an amazing experience. She went above and beyond to keep us comfortable, from properly fitting our wetsuits to providing clean, sanitized snorkel gear, pool noodles, and goggles. Captain Michael was wonderful as well and helped make the entire trip smooth and memorable. You can tell they work incredibly well together and truly care about their guests. I highly recommend River Ventures!

Crystal and Michael did an amazing job on their tour ❤️ we had so much fun, it was an unforgettable experience! They were very informative. We swam in three sisters, swam with the manatees and they were very patient with us. If you're looking to book a tour, I highly suggest booking with them! They even took the most amazing pictures for us!

Great experience with an awesome guide Gary, who knew so much about everything. He was very chill also and made us feel comfortable. The captain Gareth found so many manatees so fast. It was a great experience! We came all the way from The Netherlands for this and had a great time!

We booked the very first private cruise of the day (6:30 AM) with River Ventures, and it was the best decision we could have made! Going out first thing in the morning meant the water was pristine, crystal clear, and completely peaceful before the crowds arrived. Our captain, Mike, and our guide, Crystal, were absolutely wonderful. They were incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and went above and beyond to make sure Tara and I had a safe, respectful, and magical experience with the resident summer manatees. The manatees were so active, playful, and curious! The private boat experience allowed us to stay in a calm, quiet environment, which made the manatees so much more comfortable swimming right near us. We are already planning our next trip and will definitely return to do this again in the winter months to see the springs packed with hundreds more. Thank you, Mike and Crystal, for an unbelievable morning! If you are visiting Crystal River, do yourself a favor and book a private morning tour with River Ventures because you won't regret it!

The whole trip was fantastic! The organization was professional and smoothly run. Both the adults and kids in our group of 4 had a blast! We were able to snorkel with a couple of different manatees and saw a few more around the the area from the boat. We even saw a dolphin and a turtle as a bonus! The guide and boat captain were very friendly and did a good job of balancing a fun time for us and keeping the manatees relatively undisturbed. They had snacks and drinks on the boat for us and the giftshop had fun souvenirs. Well worth the price, we would definitely book this activity again!

10/10 experiences! Mike and Crystal were the best! Did a great job guiding all of us they were able to have swim with 3 manatees during the tour. 100% would book again!

This was a wonderful place to book our manatee snorkeling trip with. They were all so nice and accommodating. Communication was great. Captain Mike and our guide Crystal were very knowledgeable and fun a lot of fun. It was like hanging out with people we’ve known forever. I highly recommend this company!!

Gary and Melissa were amazing, would go again!

Nat and Captain Brian were great!!! We were in the water with the manatee within 10 minutes. Excellent training and you could tell how much Nat cared about the manatees. Brian was super knowledgeable. She was a very good teacher for correct behavior around manatees - because we were quiet floaters, we got to be close to a pregnant mother for so long!!! Couldn’t ask for a better manatee experience. Facility was very clean, staff was friendly, store dogs were super sweet, and lots of fun manatee items available. Definitely going back!

Was amazing in every way. Our guide and pilot were very welcoming and extremely knowledgeable.

Captain Mike and Guide Crystal gave us the best tour of Kings bay and we got to snorkel with the manatee! It was a fantastic experience from start to finish. They know everything about the area and identified all of The local wildlife. 10/10 highly recommend!

Had a great captain/guide team with Garrett and Piper. Came during summer when there are less manatees but Garrett still made sure to find some. Then once in the water Piper did a great job helping position us so everybody in our group got a chance to get as close as possible when they came up for air. Ended up with manatee whiskers inches from our faces. Fun time and great memories made. Would definitely come back for a different tour or the winter season

Wade and Gary had a hard time trying to find a manatee, but it finally paid off. They were very knowledgeable about the animals and area.

Crystal and Mike were amazing! We were able to snorkel with a mama and her baby, hang out in the three sisters spring, and just have a great time overall! If we’re ever back in the area we will definitely book with River ventures again! The whole process was smooth and easy from booking to sizing for the wet suits to the actual excursion!

Very good experience. Shawn a lacy where very knowledgeable.

We had Guide Gary and Captain Wade and they were awesome!! Awesome experience would definitely do it again!

We had a great time!!!! With Gary and Wade were super nice and did a fantastic job. Definitely recommend!!!

★★★★★ Amazing Manatee Snorkeling Experience! We had an incredible time snorkeling with the manatees! Crystal and Captain Mike were absolutely amazing from start to finish. Not only did we get to see manatees up close, but we also learned so much about them and their natural habitat. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole experience feel safe, fun, and unforgettable. They also pointed out and taught us about the wildlife in and around the water, which made the trip even more special. You can tell they truly care about the animals and the environment. This was such a unique and memorable experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Absolutely amazing experience, decent price but so worth it! Crystal and Captain Mike were amazing!

Anna our guide was amazing & Michele our captain was very knowledgeable & helpful!!

My husband and I had a great experience with Captain Mike and Guide Crystal! We saw 3 mothers with their babies, within 10 minutes of being in the water. After we spent an hour with the manatees, we went on a boat ride. We ended up seeing a dolphin that wanted to play. She followed our boat for over 30 minutes! We learned a lot about the area and a very great experience today!

Had a great time at River Ventures - Swim with Manatees completing another bucket list item, Swimming with Manatees. It was an amazing experience to be in the water right next to them. We kept the required distance, but they came right up to and along side us!!! Also, coming up for a breath in between us, as well. We also saw a Bald Eagle, alligator, and turtles. The entire Bay Area was beautiful. Our captain, Garrett, and guide, Shawn, did an excellent job and were great fun.

We took our family of 6, two spectators on Captain Mike's boat, and 4 in the water with our guide Crystal. We had two boys 7 and 10. Our guide and captain were kind and informative. We had an excellent day for a Manatee experience, Im told for April thats incredible! About 6 or 7 sightings with one of them being a mom and calf! Crystal got some great pics if us in the water near them. She was a calm voice in the water, guiding us to where we could see them. Great with my boys too! Book this experience with your family, you wont regret it!

We had THE BEST TIME!!!! Anna and Lacie were phenomenal! Well educated, took great care of us and did an amazing job protecting the animals and the area. We almost immediately found a manatee and got to enjoy it for quite some time. When she swam away, we went over to see another and found that our girl had just moved over with another manatee so we got to experience the two of them together. We were told that this was rare and so thankful we were able to enjoy that time! Can’t wait to see the photos! Truly worth it and if it’s a possibility, will definitely do it again!

Crystal the tour guide & Mike were very friendly & informative on our tour. Loved seeing the manatees today, great day out

What a great experience with a brilliant crew, Captain Mike and the ultra knowledgeable guide Crystal. Our party consisted of two children and three adults from the UK. Both members of the crew guided us to see the Manatees and ensured we had great views of these special animals. What an experience for all the party. For a bonus we where taken to see alligators and turtles. Our guides had such great knowledge of the area and described the devastation caused by the hurricanes. The last bonus was to see a nesting Osprey, what a trip. Special thanks to Crystal and Mike and all the staff at River Adventures

Amazing swimmingexperience with the Manatees, special thanks to captain Kris and Sheila for the warm and professional tour!!

Captain Chris, James and Piper. Could not fault them, made the 3 hours absolutely fly by. Full of knowledge and helpful information regarding the Manatees etc. Ticked off a bucket list item to swim with these gorgeous animals in their own habitat, even if the water was murky which didn’t affect the experience one little bit. Thank you so much for this, can’t wait to go through all the photos and footage from today. Highly recommend and will definitely go again when back in Florida from Australia !!

We had such a wonderful time swimming with the manatees. A lifetime of memories. Our tour guide Trisha was so wonderful and explained everything and found us many manatees for us to view. A must to do if you are in Florida.

Absolutely amazing, Crystal was our guide & Wade our Captain. Both super knowledgeable, answered questions & knew just wear to go. We saw 6 manatee. We’re in the water with 4-5 at a couple different locations. I will most definitely be back!

Awesome time. Highly Reccomend this. Had baby come right up to us, grab an arm and encourage me to scratch it belly...... once in a lifetime experience!!!

Had a great time with Joanna and Capt. Chris. They were helpful, funny and full of interesting information about the manatees and the Crystal River area. We saw multiple manatee. My husband was even face to face with one! I did experience a problem when going up the steps. My foot slipped on one that was smooth, causing me to fall. The other steps were grooved so they weren't slippery. I ended up with a couple of bruises but nothing bad enough to overshadow this wonderful experience. Would also like to thank Joanna for being so solicitous.

Great close up views of manatees. We lucked out and got to see a mom and her calf! Guide Diego and Captain Lindsay were very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Overall a great experience that I would highly recommend to anyone.

We had an amazing time snorkeling with the manatees! Carlos and Cpt Lindsay were fantastic and so knowledgeable. We were able to get up close with a mom and her baby for an experience that I will never forget.

We were able to see 5 manatees this day! Thanks to Mike and Troy, they were able to get us right next to the manatees. They were incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Would do this again in a heartbeat.

The guide and captain (Mike and Troy) were fantastic! We saw manatees witin a few minutes of being on the boat and while in the water, we were surrounded at almost all times by multiple manatees, which were gracefully sweet and very interactive. Our guide was informative and fun and our captain was skilled at spotting them from the surface and directing us toward them. The clear spring was an unexpected bonus because it was clear like tropical island water, with lots of pretty fish. It is cold water though, so we are very happy that the wetsuits were provided with this tour. The gift shop was cute and reasonably priced. The bathrooms were clean and roomy. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful. The safety video was short and easy to follow. You can leave your phone at home because the pictures that they take are worth every penny.

Absolutely amazing experience to be up so close and personal with this amazing animal. The captain and tour guide were absolutely the best!