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Manatee Snorkeling Tour: Small Group Experience
5.0
1,200 Ratings
Crystal River
Experience a small group snorkeling tour with the West Indian Manatees in Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Swim with the manatees, learn about their habitat, and take home high-definition photos and videos of your adventure.
Experience a small group snorkeling tour with the West Indian Manatees in Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Swim with the manatees, learn about their habitat, and take home high-definition photos and videos of your adventure.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 226 NE 5th St - 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…
- 226 NE 5th St - 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!
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Wetsuits
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Coffee and hot cocoa
- Professional guide
- Wetsuits
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Coffee and hot cocoa
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Additional Information
Experience a snug, intimate interaction with the West Indian Manatee as you swim alongside them under the oversight of a U.S. Coast Guard Certified Captain. Our intimate group expeditions (limited to six attendees) are offered daily in the breathtaking Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Familiarize yourself with these remarkable creatures and gain…
Experience a snug, intimate interaction with the West Indian Manatee as you swim alongside them under the oversight of a U.S. Coast Guard Certified Captain. Our intimate group expeditions (limited to six attendees) are offered daily in the breathtaking Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Familiarize yourself with these remarkable creatures and gain knowledge about their environment and residence.
Contrary to numerous tours, these Captains will personally join you and your team in the water to ascertain a memorable adventure. During your swim, your captain/tour guide will capture top-quality photographs and footage of your group, available for viewing and purchase post-trip.
The cost covers all necessary snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, wetsuit) as well as free coffee or hot cocoa.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Guests with limited mobility are welcome, but must call us to make prior arrangements
- Single travelers may be required to change time or date of tour depending upon availability
- Use of a ladder is required to get into/out of the water. Please give us a call if you have any health related questions.
Location
226 NE 5th St
Northeast 5th Street
Please arrive no earlier than your scheduled tour time. Our captains and guides are busy between trips with the previous tour and readying your boat and our shop for your trip. If you arrive early, you are likely to be waiting for our other guests to get changed and review their photos.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(1200 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Jeff_r
Jan 7, 2025
CHECK OFF BUCKET LIST - Fabulous experience lead by our personal knowledgeable & experienced guide Jade. Jade made sure everyone on board saw the manatees up close. Her calm demeanor kept us from getting too excited.
Captain Liz did a fabulous job maneuvering our boat to find the groups of manatees Captain Liz had to use her expertise on our drive back to keep us all safe and dock with the high winds. She watched the weather and knew when to head back to the marina before the storm hit.
Thanks Jade and Captain Liz for a wonderful adventure!!! We hope to bring the grandkids back next year.
Review provided by Viator
454jezzr
Jan 6, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience! - We had an amazing time with Jade and our captain at Crystal River a couple of days ago. We saw many manatees. This will be a precious memory!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fernando_m
Jan 4, 2025
Outstanding !! - Crew was knowledgeable, helpful and patient… Professional!!
We got to see plenty of manatees during the tour… Hot chocolate at the end was a nice touch
😀
Review provided by Viator
S306tvshannonp
Jan 4, 2025
Perfect experience with Gulf Coast Expeditions! - These folks are wonderful. Captain Ron let us change our reservation time at the last minute. Audrey guided us to the most amazing manatee views and stayed with throughout the experience. They had warm coats and hot drinks waiting for us on the boat. We learned so much about these amazing animals and will definitely use Gulf Coast Expeditions when we come back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lee_m
Jan 4, 2025
Loved it - We really enjoyed ourselves. It was a small group tour, just four of us and my son and I were able to just chill and have great conversations with our captain and guide. We saw some manatees, even a baby one. Some of the other tour groups were very large and seemed very impersonal. Our guide, Jade, steered us through the crowd and took care of us in a very personal manner. We highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Aliaksandra_v
Jan 3, 2025
Don't hesitate to book with this company! They were awesome ☺️ - We had the best time! Captain Ron was fantastic, and our guide Audrey was so kind and attentive. I’m not a big swimmer, but the water was mostly shallow, and the crew was incredibly supportive and helped me navigate my fears as a first-time diver/snorkeler. 😊
We saw about five manatees, and some were so close—it was amazing! Everyone gets a noodle, so you float more than swim really, which makes it a more newbie-friendly experience. The hot cocoa was great, and for those prone to getting cold, the provided jackets were a lifesaver. We swam in 75-degree weather on Dec 31st, and while the water was chilly at first, you adjust in about 10 mins. But when you get out of the water however, the wind hits you, so definitely BRING WARM CLOTHES!!!
One small TIP for the crew and future travelers: make sure your diving suit fits very snugly. If it’s too loose, water circulates inside, and you’ll feel colder much faster (as I learned). It was a minor issue though and it didn't cause much trouble for me. I’m so glad I chose this company! Highly recommend booking your next experience with them.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_g
Jan 3, 2025
YES we saw Manatees! - Great trip. Everyone is extremely friendly and working to ensure you have a memorable experience. It starts off by parking in a public lot 2 doors from the business. There is a walking trail so if you get there early take a short walk. Then on to the adventure. First you will be provided your wet suit. It's was clean and dry. I asked: they wash them and dry them between uses. How, well they have over 125 suits they also have a drying room, and if that is not fast enough it's off to the laundry to use a dryer. So the suits are CLEAN and DRY. Up next a video on Manatees and a quick talk by your guide that will be with you in the water. Into the van you go for a short drive to the boat where you will meet your Captain and then a boat ride on a pontoon boat to where the Manatees are relaxing. You get your mask on the boat along with a noodle then into the water. We had Captain Rob and guide Aubrey. Aubrey is very informative and actually works with Manatee rescue. She made sure all 6 of us had a good experience. So one of my grandsons was freezing, she took him back to the boat then came back to us to venture further into the Springs. After a bit my other grandson was getting cold so she took him back to the boat and brought grandson #1 out to see the Manatees. That's going above and beyond in my book. Captain Rob had hot chocolate or coffee on board to help warm us up after the swim. Captain Rob is extremely knowledgeable and easy to talk to about Manatees and the area in general. Overall we saw 11 Manatees and actually saw a mother with her calf.
Review provided by Viator
Chandler_s
Jan 3, 2025
One of the coolest things... - One of the coolest things I’ve ever done! Ron and Aubree were wonderful and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Review provided by Viator
Djfozzer
Jan 2, 2025
Fabulous experience - A second tour for us with Gulf Expedition and it was as good as we’d expected. Excellent captain (Liz) and guide (Jade) and an enjoyable and informative tour. Tours are limited to just 6 guests - so much better than some of the other tours that we saw with packed and noisy boats. We were provided with warm jackets and hot chocolate / coffee once we were out of the water
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julie_m
Jan 1, 2025
Manatee Swim - Our guide Jade and Captain Liz were amazing. The manatees were adorable and we saw a lot of them. Serving hot chocolate on the boat ride back was the cherry on top!
Review provided by Viator
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