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Manatees and Mangrove Tunnels Kayak Tour
5.0
919 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
(919 Ratings)
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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
971jeaniek
May 12, 2025
The Best Day Ever! - It was a spectacular adventure, the views were amazing. We saw so much wildlife, including bull sharks and manatees. Kyle, was an excellent tour guide, extremely knowledgeable about the environment and wildlife. I’ve been on so many great tours, and this topped them all!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_o
May 8, 2025
Great Tour - Great experience and Kyle was wonderful. We learned a lot and nothing was rushed. However we didn’t receive any photos of the tour. Hopefully we will receive. [email protected]
Review provided by Viator
Alexandrabw9186hq
May 8, 2025
Breathtaking nature experience - My husband and I booked a kayak tour with Kyle - it was an unforgettable experience from start to finish!! Kyle is a great guide with incredible expertise! The nature in the Everglades is breathtaking, we have lots of birds, fish, sharks and some in the group were lucky enough to see an aligator. we would recommend a trip to the Everglades to anyone on vacation in Miami!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Colleenmn573qn
May 2, 2025
AMAZING EXPERIENCE - Just an AMAZING time. The tour was AWESOME and our guide Kyle was very knowledgeable and chill. Highly recommend this tour if you are looking for a small group, more relaxed and private.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Monicakj1378yu
May 2, 2025
Enjoyable - Kyle clear in our trip very enjoyable. He was clear in explaining safety and paddling. We felt comfortable the entire time. We were able to go through the mangrove tunnels and saw a variety of animals.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Audreyaa7949ok
May 1, 2025
Amazing experience - Such an amazing experience! Justin was the best, and had a wealth of information. You could tell he cared about the animals in the canal. He guided us safely around the alligators, sharks, manatees, stingrays, while also letting us see them in a way that was safe for both human and wildlife. I also appreciated that he took pictures because every time I tried, I ended up in a mangrove tree. It was a girls trip and we had a ton of laughs. Would definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Veraisabelle
Apr 29, 2025
Salty Jungle! - This experience was different, sometimes a bit challenging but super cool. We never expected to feel like going through a jungle like area while we were in the water. We saw manatees multiple times, a young bull shark and a variety of fishes and birds. Justin was our very knowledgeable and awesome tour guide. He was friendly and approachable, he took good care of everyone in the group. Please make sure you bring water and protect yourself from the sun. Be ready to do some serious paddling, totally worth it. This was an adventure I highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor