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VIP Heated Manatee Snorkel Tour: Affordable Luxury
5.0
827 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
(827 Ratings)
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Juliewp1011su
Jan 25, 2025
Best experience EVER - AMAZING!! Cold morning that started at 6:30, but was so worth it. Our guide, Carlos, and captain, Ryan, were both incredible. They took us out to a spot with SO MANY manatees and with crystal clear water. They kept us as warm as possible while on the boat and helped us feel comfortable and safe while swimming with the manatees as first timers. I would recommend River Ventures over and over, and we will definitely be back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y7950zbdebbieh
Jan 25, 2025
Highly recommend - Great experience. Saw lots of manatees, some of them swim right under you.
Chris & Joanna took great care of us. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tylero93
Jan 23, 2025
Amazing Manatee Experience with Crystal and Chris! - We had an incredible time with River Ventures on their manatee swimming tour! Our guide, Crystal, was absolutely amazing—so knowledgeable about the manatees and their habitat. She made sure we felt comfortable in the water and gave us a lot of fascinating information along the way. Chris was also fantastic! He brought a great sense of humor to the trip and shared plenty of tips about local dining spots and fun facts about the animals.
The highlight was, of course, swimming with the manatees. We saw so many of them, and it was such a fun and magical experience to be so close to these gentle giants. The whole tour was well-organized and truly unforgettable. We highly recommend River Ventures, Crystal, and Chris for anyone looking for an up-close and personal manatee adventure!
Thank you for an amazing day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cyndeek2025
Jan 23, 2025
Chris and Crystal rock! - Wonderful experience! Captain Chris and our guide Crystal were the best! We can’t wait to do it again with them in the summer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heatherol2181la
Jan 22, 2025
Amazing experience! - Super fun! Got to see and swim with a bunch of manatee. Crystal was great and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience. Caption Chris did an amazing job getting us around and was very personable and friendly. They gave great dinner recommendations too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C670hisarahb
Jan 18, 2025
Amazing - Great experience had by my sister and I. Wade our captain was great. Very knowledgeable and got us to where the manatees were. Trish was on top of her game in the water making sure we all had an up- close encounter with at least one manatee. Highly recommend River Ventures and ask for Trish and Wade. They will not let you down.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amymt8319hc
Jan 17, 2025
They will show you all the manatees! - Would not want to be anywhere else at 6:30 on a cold January morning than floating with the manatees. Wade and Trisha are incredible guides, they knew where to go to find the optimal number of manatees. We were surrounded by these beautiful creatures, I have never seen so many sea puppies in my life. I highly recommend this company, very clean, new wetsuits and wonderful insight into the springs. A+++++
Review provided by Tripadvisor
F8504aqamyc
Jan 17, 2025
Bucket List ABSOLUTELY GOTTA DO THIS - Best manatee tour in Crystal River! Enclosed heated pontoon boat with drinks and snacks was THE BEST! We enjoyed meeting the other couples and Captain Wade and Trish. We saw and experienced many manatees up close and personal. We highly recommend River Ventures!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
700cyon01
Jan 17, 2025
River Ventures Manatee Snorkeling Tour - The guide and captain were super helpful and took us to 3 different spots in search of manatees. Once we came out the final time they dumped warm water down the wet suits and gave us hot drinks. They were also super quick to get the pictures to us that evening. Overall I definitely recommend, and they said if you are a returning customer you can get a discount on future trips. Will definitely look them up the next time I’m in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Experience304821
Jan 17, 2025
Lots of manatees and comfortable ride! - We had Captain Bryan and Guide Sheila and had a fabulous time!! Very knowledgeable and took us right to the best spots!!
Cushioned seats were great and the hot chocolate after we came out of the water was a great plus!
Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
