Recently Viewed
VIP Heated Manatee Snorkel Tour: Affordable Luxury
5.0
900 Ratings
Crystal River
Experience the ultimate luxury of snorkeling with heated manatees in Crystal River’s Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Affordable prices, expert guides, and all-inclusive amenities.
Experience the ultimate luxury of snorkeling with heated manatees in Crystal River’s Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Affordable prices, expert guides, and all-inclusive amenities.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- River Ventures - Embark on your journey with a Coast Guard Certified Master Captain who will be your in water chaperon, educator and photographer. Your tour will run four hours from start to finish and everything you will need is included for one price. You will begin at our full-service tour facility, where you will be educated about the animals…
- River Ventures - Embark on your journey with a Coast Guard Certified Master Captain who will be your in water chaperon, educator and photographer. Your tour will run four hours from start to finish and everything you will need is included for one price. You will begin at our full-service tour facility, where you will be educated about the animals in a classroom type setting and receive tips for your snorkel tour to make the most of your day. You will be taught the in’s and out’s of ‘passive interaction’ as this ensures that the animals enjoy the experience as much as we do! You will then be suited up and transported to the dock, where a Coast Guard certified covered pontoon will be waiting for you. This rich estuary will amaze…..birds, fish and wildlife abound! Submerge yourself in the manatee’s world! Finish your adventure by viewing your Captain’s photos back at our facility and be sure to visit our one-of-a-kind gift shop! Our well-informed staff will direct to other local attractions, restaurants and answer of your questions before you are on your way.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Use of equipment (mask, snorkel gear and wet suit)
- Introductory/instructional video offered in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish
- Beverages (bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and adult)
- Professional guide
- Use of equipment (mask, snorkel gear and wet suit)
- Introductory/instructional video offered in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish
- Beverages (bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and adult)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and beverages (unless otherwise specified)
- Photo DVD (available to purchase)
- Towel and swimsuit
- Gratuities
- Food and beverages (unless otherwise specified)
- Photo DVD (available to purchase)
- Towel and swimsuit
Additional Information
Here’s an insider tip! Enjoy luxury at a budget-friendly cost! Our new season-heated, deluxe pontoon aspires to enhance your experience of viewing manatees by creating more intimate encounters! Witness the protected West Indian Manatee in the serene surroundings of Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River. Our licensed US Coast Guard captains…
Here’s an insider tip! Enjoy luxury at a budget-friendly cost! Our new season-heated, deluxe pontoon aspires to enhance your experience of viewing manatees by creating more intimate encounters! Witness the protected West Indian Manatee in the serene surroundings of Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River. Our licensed US Coast Guard captains and guides will lead you into the 600-acre spring water sanctuary for a chance to see and snorkel with these majestic creatures in the wild. All supplies, charges, refreshments, and drinks are covered.
- Adult pricing applies to all travelers
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Wetsuits are available in sizes from toddlers (2 years old and up) to adults up to 5X
- It is advised that you have your swimsuit on underneath your clothes for a quicker check-in
- Please bring a towel and a plastic bag to hold your belongings
- Children Under 3 years old are not allowed on this tour. Please call for other options.
- Post COVID-19 Policy- We are mindful to thoroughly clean water vehicles between visitors.
Location
River Ventures
Southeast Kings Bay Drive
Please arrive at River Ventures 15 minutes prior to your tour departure.
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
(900 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
J9954vajustinl
Aug 9, 2025
Manatee snorkel - Steve and captain Rob were excellent and we got a few hours snorkeling with manatees. Rob was nice enough to help my daughter feed the ducks. Excellent tour. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H_e_hall
Aug 9, 2025
Fabulous tour with excellent, eco-conscious guides - We booked a small group trip to swim with manatees but were the only family (of 4) on the boat. Having checked reviews we booked the first trip of the day to avoid the crowds and are so glad we did - after kayaking the day before and seeing first hand how busy the bay gets. Robin and Captain Tanner took us out - couldn’t have asked for better guides. They were friendly, passionate about the manatees and their welfare and full of knowledge about the area and its wildlife, having grown up there. We had low expectations given the time of year (manatee numbers/water visibility), however after a few sightings from the boat, the crew spotted a mother and calf who we were able to spend time with in the water. The water was clear and we had the most magical experience!
If you can, try to book with a small group and early in the morning. Not only will you avoid large numbers of people, but also people who don’t quite follow the rules of observing the manatees with the respect that we should all be practicing when privileged enough to observe them in their homes. We saw another group trying to touch, making too much noise etc and it was quite sad. The crew at River Ventures give clear instruction on how to behave in the water and have the manatees’ best interests at the forefront of what they do. Thanks to Robin and Tanner for the experience of a lifetime x
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Siobhanm830
Jul 21, 2025
Amazing birthday experience! - We did this tour as a birthday experience for my 7 year old and it did not disappoint! Despite lots of warming that it’s hard to see Manatees in July we saw a mom and baby right away in beautifully clear water. Crystal and JJ were fantastic and helped my nervous daughter have the best time. There were lots of snacks and laughs on the boat and it was absolutely worth every penny! Keep us the good work!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
71harlans
Jul 19, 2025
Best Day Ever - Piper & Jason were amazing. They knew everything about the area and we swam with a very friendly manatee. Incredible experience. Absolutely go with these guys. I’ve done this one other time and these guys really go above and beyond.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alison
Jul 17, 2025
Amazing Experience!!! - Amazing experience, but please know how to snorkel or be honest and tell them you dont know how so they can help you.
When you say you know how and you dont, it's liable to give you a fright, and you end up scaring the manatees away which ruins it for others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T3371vajenniferd
Jul 17, 2025
Woke up early, totally worth it - I booked the 6:30 am and it was 100 percent worth getting up early. Captain Rob found a mom and baby manatee within 10 minutes. Crystal is an amazing guide. She takes her time and makes sure that you have a wonderful experience. 1000000/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brandyp741
Jul 11, 2025
Great trip - Our guide Malia and Captain Emerson
Were amazing and super helpful and kind during our tour. They got us to see a manatee and wonderful snorkeling. Would go again with this duo.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Inspire606510
Jul 10, 2025
What a great trip! - This was so much fun! We saw several manatees and Piper and Jason were wonderful! We are already planning a trip back with more family members.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore45561380440
Jul 6, 2025
Amazing Experience!! - Crystal and Melissa were amazing! They were extremely knowledgeable, patient, and had great energy! The boat had a great drink and snack selection too! We’ll definitely back in the winter to see more Manatees!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer693260
Jun 23, 2025
Fabulous Manatee Tour with Captain Garrett and James as our guide - We were able to see multiple manatees, one that was tagged with a buoy, turtles, ospreys, a baby alligator and were given a history of the area and information about the wildlife. James and Captain Garrett were absolutely amazing throughout the entire trip. I personally couldn’t participate in the swimming because I had a 14 day heart monitor on that didn’t allow me to be submerged but Captain Garrett made me feel included in the whole event by showing me how to spot the manatees and we we had good conversation about other activities that were available to do. They were wonderful!
The people in the office were great as well to get us checked in and ready for our tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
