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Manatees and Mangrove Tunnels Kayak Tour
5.0
926 Ratings
Naples
Embark on a unique kayak tour through the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge, spotting bucket list wildlife and exploring stunning mangrove tunnels. Expert guides ensure an unforgettable experience!
Embark on a unique kayak tour through the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge, spotting bucket list wildlife and exploring stunning mangrove tunnels. Expert guides ensure an unforgettable experience!
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 25000 Tamiami Trail E - Our tours are small by design and our Manatees and Mangroves tour is the absolute best location in Collier County for spotting manatees from your kayak. Manatees are most abundant here during the colder winter months. Guests can expect to see manatees (best during colder periods), alligators, numerous bird species all while…
- 25000 Tamiami Trail E - Our tours are small by design and our Manatees and Mangroves tour is the absolute best location in Collier County for spotting manatees from your kayak. Manatees are most abundant here during the colder winter months. Guests can expect to see manatees (best during colder periods), alligators, numerous bird species all while kayaking through some of the most extensive mangrove tunnels in the area. During the Winter months with colder water temperatures, the manatees congregate in large numbers in the deeper canal. The canal’s deeper water does not cool down as much as the surrounding Gulf of Mexico waters. Providing the manatees with water temps above 68 degrees. We will spend around 30 minutes in the canals looking for manatees and around 2-2.5 hours in the mangrove tunnels and salt marsh habitat. This is considered a “downwinder” type tour. Guests will hop in our passenger van (WE ARE OFFERING INDIVIDUAL SHUTTLES PER HOUSEHOLD, PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY FOR THIS SERVICE) Will shuttle you 1 mile down the road allowing us to kayak back to the marina around 4 miles.
What's Included
- TripAdvisor’s Cancellation Policy included
- Guided by ACA Certified Kayak Professionals
- Tandem Kayak provided (note: single kayaks unavailable for booking via TripAdvisor)
- TripAdvisor’s Cancellation Policy included
- Guided by ACA Certified Kayak Professionals
- Tandem Kayak provided (note: single kayaks unavailable for booking via TripAdvisor)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- No Refund for going to the wrong location Meet us at 25000 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, FL 34114
- Our proprietary automated communication.
- NO REFUNDS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF TOUR
- Gratuities
- No Refund for going to the wrong location Meet us at 25000 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, FL 34114
- Our proprietary automated communication.
- NO REFUNDS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF TOUR
Additional Information
Undeniably, our kayak tour offers a unique course that affords the best chances of observing coveted wildlife in the Everglades locale. We commence our journey from an authorized-only inception point within the bounds of the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge. Guide expertise and meticulous pre-tour planning are indispensable due to the changing tidal…
Undeniably, our kayak tour offers a unique course that affords the best chances of observing coveted wildlife in the Everglades locale. We commence our journey from an authorized-only inception point within the bounds of the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge. Guide expertise and meticulous pre-tour planning are indispensable due to the changing tidal pattern, a commitment beyond the capability and willingness of other operators. The trip kickstarts with a jaunt through the salt marsh, a hot-spot for a diversity of wading birds and river otters. A quarter hour after commencement, guests will observe a shift in the ecosystem, transitioning into a mangrove habitat, suggestive of altered salinity and elevation levels. Following this, one of the finest Mangrove Tunnels within the county awaits exploration. Subsequent to several mangrove tunnels, streams and ponds and hopefully a plethora of wildlife, guests will finally debouch into a manatee sanctuary, Faka-union Canal. Certified kayak guides are part of the package all year round!
- We meet all guests inside the hotel lobby at 25000 Tamiami Trail East Naples, FL 34114
- Children 13 and under must ride in a two person kayak with an adult 18 or older.
- At certain tide levels this tour can become more difficult
Location
25000 Tamiami Trail E
Tamiami Trail East
Do not forget EAST when entering the address! We meet all guests at the Port of the Islands hotel at 25000 Tamiami Trail East Naples, FL 34114. Our office is located inside the hotel lobby.
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
(926 Ratings)
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Patricia_g
Jun 23, 2025
Super fun! - Be prepared for sun and fun! Be prepared to kayak -- it's not hard but it's best to know who wants to steer from the back of a tandem. Wildlife is amazing: birds, mangroves, palms, and MANATEE!!
Review provided by Viator
628darrenf
Jun 20, 2025
Amazing kayaking trip in the mangroves, a must do - Kyle was our guide
We meet him with a another family and got a really helpful brief before we set of.
My wife and i kayak back home, but mangroves and manatees are not too be seen anywhere in the UK.
Kyle was great and before we set of, he mentioned the risk of mosquitoes, especially with the recent rain.
We popped on t shirts, kyle was wearing a long sleeve shirt and trousers, i thought that was strange as it was so hot.
How wrong we were, the trip was amazing, but the choice of clothes we made led to us being fresh on the menu to the local bugs. Our advice, wear loose fittings trousers and shirt to reduce the risk of being on the menu.
However, despite being bitten, the trip was amazing, Kyle's knowledge of the ecosystem and the work underway in Florida was first rate, we learnt so much.
The wildlife was beautiful and we got to see so much birdlife, manatees and a big alligator 🐊👀
We highly recommend this trip, and the pictures Kyle took and shared with us were the icing on the cake.
Thank you Kyle, keep up the great work
Darren and Sally
Review provided by Tripadvisor
465jelenas
Jun 13, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience - It was once in a lifetime experience! Kyle has been the best guide we could have wished for. He took us through the mangrove tunnels, really getting us up close and personal with the wildlife in the Everglades. We saw a bullshark, snakes, crabs and a huge variety of fish and birds. Kyle talked us through every encounter. He also spoke to us about the conservation efforts in the Everglades, which we really appreciated. Overall, the tour brought us close to the true old Florida and this is exactly what we looked for.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taylorn396
Jun 9, 2025
Fun and educational way to experience the Everglades! - We loved kayaking through the mangroves. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and went the extra mile. He made the entire trip fun and educational. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants to learn about the area. I also recommend going in the cooler months before mosquito season. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catie
Jun 7, 2025
So much fun! - Kyle was an amazing guide. He was very knowledgeable about the area & wildlife. We appreciated him making sure that we were safe & comfortable the whole time. Lots of beautiful views and lots of wildlife. Great great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard_r
Jun 2, 2025
Great time in the mangroves! - We had a great time kayaking in the Mangroves! I think our tour guide name was Kyle (but I'm not sure) and he was excellent! He made the trip very fun and educational. Loved seeing the fish, sharks, birds and especially the manatees! Highly recommend bringing polarized sunglasses as it is hard to see in the water otherwise. I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
D4546ogchrish
Jun 1, 2025
Awesome kayaking tour through dense mangrove tunnels. - If lucky, you'll spot manatees coming up right next to your kayak, getting a bit of fresh air and some staring you right in the eye, probably similarly amazed about us as we are about them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tkstlouismo
May 29, 2025
Super, super fun! - Kayaking through the mangroves was very unique and fun, and we highly recommend this tour! I have kayaked a few times before and my friend was a first-timer. Kyle and Josh were our guides, and they were fun and patient with our non-professional zig-zagging path. :) Kyle was very knowledgeable about plants/trees/animals/ habitat/etc. The mangrove areas range from wide open (50 yards wide?) to water "trails" that are sometimes a little other-worldly in a terrific way where they get as narrow as the width of your kayak, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The guides cannot control the wildlife and you can't just "wish" a manatee or dolphin to hang around right next to each and every kayak for a close-up, so don't expect a guarantee. They do know the animals' habits and you just have to hope that you get lucky after that. Our group paddled approximately 5 miles -- if you aren't a frequent kayaker, expect your arm/hand muscles to be a little sore that evening and the next day. Or maybe that was just because we were soft women in our 60's??
Tips for those who don't kayak often...
-- If you wear shorts of any kind, they will ride up a little when you sit in the kayak --remember to apply sunscreen several inches higher on your leg than where your shorts hit when you are standing up. Otherwise, you will end up with a funny sunburn stripe across your thigh. Also, apply the sunscreen on the under sides of your arms -- the sun reflects off the water and hits that underneath side. Avoid those scenarios by wearing long sleeves and pants.
-- Many of the life jackets have a small waterproof pocket that will hold car keys/chapstick/tissues. Whether your phone will fit in there or not is a different matter and a real camera definitely will not. Buy a waterproof phone pouch in advance -- $14-20 for a pair on Amazon.
Again, I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore13464098977
May 27, 2025
Canoe trip - This trip was fabulous! We felt very safe and secure throughout, with the guide being extremely professional and thoughtful. His first thought was always to look after his guests (and the wildlife), which made us feel very confident. The kayaks were comfortable and very stable which allowed us to simply enjoy our surroundings.
Again, our guide was outstanding. He was extremely knowledgeable about the environment, and wildlife that we encountered, and went out of his way to get us the best views, whilst ensuring that we weren't disturbing them. He even took great photos of the manatees, and (small) sharks which he made available to us online (for free). We had a great time, and would definitely recommend the trip to others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z2208lfandreaf
May 21, 2025
Girls trip! - Great trip with Kyle through the mangroves. Very informative and friendly. Would definitely recommend for anyone planning a day trip in Naples!
Review provided by Tripadvisor