Manatee Snorkeling Tour: Small Group Experience

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…
What's Included
  • Wetsuits
  • Professional guide
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
  • Coffee and hot cocoa
What's Not Included
  • 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…

Location
226 NE 5th St
Northeast 5th Street
Please arrive at your scheduled tour time. Our captains and guides will be busy with the previous tour and readying your boat and our shop for your trip. Please note: Our shop is in the residential area of Crystal river and looks as if it is a house, but it is, in fact, our shop so come on in!
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(1397 Ratings)
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Tia_m
Jun 27, 2026
Great Time - We had a really good time. Swimming with the manatees was really awesome. The staff were great too. I will definitely do it again
Review provided by Viator
Phong_s
Jun 21, 2026
Amazing experience! - Our family had so much fun. The staff took care of us so well. We are definitely coming back again to play with the manatees.
Review provided by Viator
Joy_a
Jun 21, 2026
Great Experience with Highly Knowledgeable Crew - Captain Ron and Andrew were excellent crew from the moment you walk into shop! We booked the 6:45 AM tour on advice of crew as the animals are more active in the morning, water is less stirred up. We watched a great intro video to the manatees and suited up with great equipment and were off to the boat! Within 10 minutes, we were observing a family group on the water, Capt Ron has a drone to find manatees from the air. We were provided lots of manatee information by the crew, and other wildlife and behaviors were pointed out. At the second location we were able to interact with a juvenile for about 40 minutes with no one else around. This was an excellent experience for my daughter, a current Veterinary student studying manatees at UF for the summer! Highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Andrea_c
Jun 20, 2026
Great experience! - The entire experience was great!!! The Captain and Guide were knowledgeable, patient and professional. We got to see a Manatee, turtles, fish and other water animals. In addition being educated on snorkeling and best techniques when near the manatee. It was a wonderful experience for multi-generational family (grandpa to 4 year old grandson). Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Markci3049xi
Jun 19, 2026
Manatee guided tour to see up close. - Wow what a fantastic experience for my grandkids. They were so excited to see the manatee. Great guided tour and very safe our guide helped us get close to see the tail and the face it was amazing!!!The captain took us to a nice spot and we had a blast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cecily_s
Jun 18, 2026
Fun - Guides were very knowledgeable and the tour was great. Would definitely recommend. My son had so much fun seeing manatees aka river potatoes.
Review provided by Viator
Jessica_l
Jun 14, 2026
Great crew, upfront about... - Great crew, upfront about the conditions, but still found us a manatee. Also saw dolphins and an alligator! Overall great experience!
Review provided by Viator
Amanda_m
Jun 10, 2026
Our experience was... - Our experience was AMAZING! Our guide Sarah was very patient with my grandma and my little 10 year old brother. We were nervous at first but our guide and captains laid back personalities instantly made us feel comfortable. You can tell by the safety video that the company and its employees really care about the well being of the manatees while also giving us the best experience possible. Sarah took amazing photos of my family and the manatees! The whole experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we would totally do it again!
Review provided by Viator
Marchc16er
Jun 8, 2026
Great - Had a great time. Loved our in water guide, Sara.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zachary_k
Jun 7, 2026
Guide and captain were... - Guide and captain were awesome. Got to swim with 2 manatees but saw several others. Absolutely would come back.
Review provided by Viator
From $79
up to 6 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).