Private Manatee Swim for up to 6 with In-Water Divemaster/Photographer

5.0
(319 reviews)

4 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

There is nothing better than having the boat to yourself for a manatee snorkel tour! Swim alongside the gentle giants on our professionally guide snorkel tours. The price includes all equipment, full 5mm wet suits, mask, snorkel, towel service, hot chocolate, coffee, hot showers, boat coats and heated changing facility. This tour is for up to 6 people, call us for pricing on larger groups.

What's Included

Boat Coats for cold mornings!
US Coast Guard certified captain and Professionally Insured in water guide!
Use of Full 5mm wet-suits (for extra warmth), Mask & Snorkels
Towel Service
Coffee, Hot Chocolate, bottle water
Gratuities
DVD or Flash Drive (available to purchase)
Swimsuits

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
9301 W Fort Island Trail

Departure Point: Plantation on Crystal River Address: Plantation Adventure Center

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What to expect

Crystal River offers the best location to see and interact with the Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, also known as gentle giants. Unlike other areas of Florida, the federal government allows for "passive observation" in the water between manatees and people in Kings Bay. This allows face-to-face interaction with manatees. We provide pre-tour education on passive observation and how to get the best experience during the tour. We also offer a hotel package including accommodations and breakfast with your Florida manatee tour.

Snorkeling tours

Swimming with the manatees and exploring the greater Kings Bay estuary and springs is extremely popular. Manatee tour experiences are best done by snorkeling while wearing wet suits, making the interaction as silent as possible. This way the manatees are more inclined to approach and get close. We maintain new suits and snorkel gear, all included in our manatee tours, as well as full-service facilities for changing. Your in-water guide will be taking videos and pictures of your manatee experience, which will be available for purchase at the dive shop. All our tour boats are fully enclosed in the winter time to protect you from the wind and cold. We provide coffee, hot chocolate, water and dry towels on every tour.

Summer VS Winter

Manatee tours are temperature driven. The colder it is the more manatees we see, and the closer they are to the springs. During cold days in manatee season (November 15th to March 31st) Kings Bay could have over 700 manatees. Please keep in mind that even inside manatee season we may have warm weather (summer like conditions). We see manatees in Kings Bay year round. To some this is their home and they'll stay here their whole lives. In the summer months, and anytime we have warmer weather, the temperature of the water outside the springs increments. This makes the rest of the bay more appealing to the manatees. The 20 to 40 manatees that stay here year round don't move together, so they'll spread out in the 630 acres of Kings Bay.  This is a wildlife experience determined by weather, tides, time of the day, and the behavior of all visitors. When we have "summer like" conditions you have the opportunity to see manatees in their natural habitat, and it is important to have realistic expectations. We are always happy to answer any questions about what you could expect inside or outside manatee season. 

Additional info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
Supplied by Plantation Adventure Center

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Tags

Nature and Wildlife Tours
Half-day Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
Plantation Tours
Water Tours
Likely to Sell Out
Excellent Quality
Adventure Tours
Involves Animals
Zombie
Zombie Slice

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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Rating

5.0 Based on 319 319 reviews
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Likely to sell out
from per group (up to 6)
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