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Manatee Encounter: Intimate Snorkel Adventure
4.9
85 Ratings
Crystal River
Explore Crystal River’s wildlife on a scenic boat tour to Shell Island. Spot dolphins, manatees, and more. Discover Florida’s hidden coastal gem.
Explore Crystal River’s wildlife on a scenic boat tour to Shell Island. Spot dolphins, manatees, and more. Discover Florida’s hidden coastal gem.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - Experience an intimate interaction with the gentle giants of Crystal River, the Florida Manatees. With a maximum of six guests per tour, enjoy ample space, personalized service, and memorable encounters with these magnificent creatures. Ideal for families or small groups seeking a relaxed, close-up…
- Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - Experience an intimate interaction with the gentle giants of Crystal River, the Florida Manatees. With a maximum of six guests per tour, enjoy ample space, personalized service, and memorable encounters with these magnificent creatures. Ideal for families or small groups seeking a relaxed, close-up adventure! The price includes all snorkel gear, wetsuits, hot chocolate, and photo packages.
What's Included
- Use of SCUBA equipment
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Underwater Photography Package
- Entrance fees
- Shaded Boat
- Hot Chocolate and Tea
- Bottled water
- Cooler with Ice
- Use of SCUBA equipment
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Underwater Photography Package
- Entrance fees
- Shaded Boat
- Hot Chocolate and Tea
- Bottled water
- Cooler with Ice
What's Not Included
- Parking fees
- Parking fees
Additional Information
Embark on a personal adventure with Crystal River’s cherished inhabitants, the Florida manatees. This semi-private tour accommodates only six guests, ensuring a serene and customized experience on the water. Our package includes snorkel gear, wetsuits, and a photo package.
Your U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and in-water guide will lead you to prime…
Embark on a personal adventure with Crystal River’s cherished inhabitants, the Florida manatees. This semi-private tour accommodates only six guests, ensuring a serene and customized experience on the water. Our package includes snorkel gear, wetsuits, and a photo package.
Your U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and in-water guide will lead you to prime locations to observe manatees in their natural environment. With smaller group sizes, you’ll enjoy more space, extended time in the water, and enhanced opportunities for personalized guidance and wildlife education. Photos and videos are included in all excursions.
Swim alongside these gentle giants, discover their behaviors, and create lasting memories, all while benefiting from the comfort and intimacy of a smaller group.
Whether traveling with family, friends, or seeking to join a small group, this semi-private tour provides the ideal mix of privacy, adventure, and value.
Location
Pete's Pier Marina
Southwest 1st Place
Meet at the floating docks at Pete's Pier. These docks are easier for guests to access as they adjust with the tide.
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
4.9
(85 Ratings)
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Z9799rgcoryb
Apr 4, 2026
GREAT Experience with GREAT Guides. - GREAT experience with Mack and Jessica. Jessica did a wonderful job with the kids. These animals are incredible. The size of these creatures is a bit intimidating at first but just trust the guide and within a minute or two you’ll feel perfectly comfortable and might even get lucky enough to get nudged a bit. We will recommend Seacow Safaris to anyone interested in this adventure. Smaller company that actually cares what kind of experience you have. 10 stars!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charlesd_l
Apr 3, 2026
Amazing! We had THE best... - Amazing! We had THE best experience!
Our hosts Mack and Jess were upbeat, attentive and informative!
Our family loved it!!
If you’ve ever thought about a different experience other than amusement parks we highly recommend snorkeling with the manatees!
Review provided by Viator
Braathend
Apr 2, 2026
Seacow Safaris Highly Recomended - Absolutely Amazing!
Highly recommend Seacow Safaris!!! We had an amazing time. Mac and Megan were great and so fun! Megan made sure our experience was memorable and got us right up...
Date of experience: March 2026
All-inclusive 6-person Manatee Swim Tour with Free Photos
5.0
(62)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John
Mar 31, 2026
Guided Manatee Tour - Crystal River - Capt Mac and our tour Guide Jessica were amazing. From the very first minute they met us they were engaging, professional, courteous and just really nice people. This is an independently operated business, it is not one of those large “cattle” cars that 12-16 people are on. For a very reasonable price you get first class attention. Jessica our tour guide is in the water with you, she guides you, tells you what is next, and gets you up right next to a Mannatee all while being respectful of nature and not interfering or interrupting the mamma and bay. Because of her we were able to observe up close and literally fade to face the eating habits and interaction between these two creatures.
Because this trip limits the number of people on board to 6 total we were able to travel to Two different Mannatee sites, swim in the 3 sisters springs, go see a sleeping alligator and visit an osprey nest where the mamma was feeding her babies. Hands down this is one of the best guided trips I have ever taken. There were so many other boats that did not have a guide and the passengers were left to get in the water on their own and figure it out.
The bonus is that our entire trip was captured on a go pro camera that Jessica operated the entire time both video tape and pictures. I would definitely recommend them to others and would choose them again the next time we are in town.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barbara
Mar 31, 2026
Fantastic, magical, personal experience! 💯 - Fantastic, personal experience for our family. Knowledgeable, conscientious, friendly and accommodating. Mac and Jessica were awesome and took care with all the details. This would have been a great nature experience even if we’d not seen a manatee (but we are very glad we did). Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Norcalmom10
Mar 30, 2026
An absolute must for Florida! An unforgettable treat. - It was such a memorable experience. Captain Mac and Jessica’s love for the home they grew up in truly shines through, and what a fantastic way to share it. They made our family of three with the 11-year old completely at ease donning the wetsuits, putting up the hair, giving us tips on snorkeling, and what to expect prior to getting in (and later out of) the water so when we did get in—it was all about seeing and being near the manatees. Relaxing in the cool water paired with the excitement of being up, close, and personal with gentle giants was an unforgettable treat. I highly recommend Seacow Safaris for their dedication to the animals, their home, and sheer fun of an adventure for everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kim_t
Mar 29, 2026
Unforgettable! - Captain Mac and Megan care deeply about keeping the manatees safe and their environment. They gave us an unforgettable experience helping us to swim alongside these beautiful creatures.
Review provided by Viator
Danastuck
Mar 25, 2026
Manatee swim highlight of trip - Incredible experience at Seacow Safaris and HIGHLY recommend! Because of the extreme cold in Florida while we were there (end of January), ended up being the only 2 on our scheduled tour. Mac & Lauren gave us the full experience anyway and because of the wet suits and the covered boat, the colder temperatures were not even an issue.
You can feel the passion that both of them have for the manatees and the job they do! Especially love that there are no hidden fees and they include the photo package in the cost of the tour. Lauren was incredible! Always in the water with us, making sure that every moment was captured.
Absolute highlight of our trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joycen605
Mar 24, 2026
Awesome experience - What a wonderful day! The captain and guide went beyond to make us feel comfortable. Professional and friendly service. Will definitely do this tour again. Sp fun snorkeling and seeing manatee.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
769kendallm
Apr 3, 2026
1 Star — Irresponsible Guide Who Scared Our Kids - We booked this tour expecting a fun family experience. Instead, the guide told our 6-year-old there was an alligator in the water when there wasn’t one. Our child was terrified and in tears. Scaring young kids for cheap thrills is not entertainment — it’s irresponsible. A guide’s job is to make families feel safe while enjoying the experience, not to traumatize children. We would not recommend this for anyone with small kids. Extremely disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
