Guided Small Group Manatee Snorkeling Tour with In-Water Photographer
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Crystal River, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Snorkel with manatees in the Crystal River on a wildlife tour that gets you close to the West Indian Manatees that flock to the Crystal River's many freshwater springs. Learn about the remarkable manatees and the ecosystem they depend on, then slip into the water to see the manatees as they swim and feed. Wetsuits and all snorkeling equipment are included in this Crystal River manatee tour, with warm drinks served on board the boat.
- Snorkel with manatees in the Crystal River
- See a scenic natural habitat where manatees thrive
- Great way to learn about Florida's native wildlife
- Snorkeling equipment and wetsuits provided
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Wetsuits
- Coffee and hot cocoa
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 226 NE 5th St, Crystal River, FL 34429, USA
Please at your scheduled tour time. Our captains and guides are busy between trips 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!
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Arrive at the designated Crystal River dive shop at the time you’ve booked this tour for. Once you check in, get suited up in your gear for this snorkeling adventure and watch a quick video about best practices for when you’re in the water with the animals.
Your guide takes your group to the boat and then gives a safety briefing, too. As you cruise, your guide keeps an eye out for the manatees and anchors the boat when you come across some. Under the supervision of your guide, safely get into the water and swim near the manatees’ natural habitat. Your guide takes pictures and videos of tour goers when asked to.
After ample time in the water, the boat takes you back to the original meeting location in Crystal River.
Your guide takes your group to the boat and then gives a safety briefing, too. As you cruise, your guide keeps an eye out for the manatees and anchors the boat when you come across some. Under the supervision of your guide, safely get into the water and swim near the manatees’ natural habitat. Your guide takes pictures and videos of tour goers when asked to.
After ample time in the water, the boat takes you back to the original meeting location in Crystal River.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Guests with limited mobility are welcome, but must call us to make prior arrangements
- Single travelers may be required to change time or date of tour depending upon availability
- Use of a ladder is required to get into/out of the water. Please give us a call if you have any health related questions.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Julie_C
The experience was excellent!! The staff was so helpful and friendly. I would recommend them 100%.
The staff was knowledgeable. They took the time to make sure that we had a wonderful experience. I would definitely book again
Reviews
5.0
based on 1,367 reviews
Shana_D, Apr 2026
My husband and I had a GREAT time on the water with Sara and captain Mike in Crystal River, Florida! Although it wasn't prime manatee season, we did get up close and personal with a beautiful manatee and Sara got some awesome pictures!! Captain Mike took us all around the gorgeous waters of Crystal River and we loved every minute.
We will definitely be going back but next time we'll bring our family and friends ;)
Ainsley_W, Apr 2026
Definitely worth it! Even though we came at the end/after manatee season, Ron and Alan found us some manatees to swim with and helped us locate them in the water. The visibility of the water was poor that day, but because they had underwater cameras, we still got to take home great videos and pictures of the gentle giants. We also got to see the three sisters springs and that water was crystal clear and beautiful.
This shop was easy to find and provided everything we needed for the trip (just bring your own towel). Would highly recommend!
jennifer_o, Apr 2026
Hands-down, one of the best experiences of my life the tour was great the fact that there was a photographer that I didn’t have to worry about taking pictures and could stay present and enjoy the experience and still had all the pictures I would’ve taken highly recommended
Dawn_P, Apr 2026
Ron and Sarah were fantastic! Such an enjoyable trip and they brought us right to the manatees! Would definitely book with them again
Lucy_P, Apr 2026
We had a wonderful experience. The staff were friendly and we were able to see multiple manatees. We chose to also go to Crystal River which was beautiful. Highly recommend!
Arielle_M, Apr 2026
We had a great time on this tour! Our guides were fun and engaging and found us manatees to swim with.
John_B, Apr 2026
Very knowledgeable staff, easy to find location. Worth the price we paid. Great experience as captain found manatees for us to see and swim.
Michaela_M, Apr 2026
These guys are pretty amazing. As a veteran, I try to support other veteran owned businesses. Our time out we saw not only manatees, but even had the privilege to see dolphins, cormorans, turtles and Osprey. We visited 3 sisters springs, which had some super clear water.
Patricia_R, Mar 2026
Sara, Joe, Capt.Mike were awesome! We were nervous because the weather was a bit chilly... wetsuits, jackets, were provided. The trip was great. Only 6 guests and the individual attention was amazing.
Helen_D, Mar 2026
Unfortunately it was warm week, so there were very few manatees in relation to how many tour boats there were. We did get to see some and had a nice swim in the beautiful spring.
Carrie_A, Mar 2026
This tour is not like the picture shown. It was not clear water with face to face interaction. The water in the channel was so dark and murky you couldn’t see manatees. Only discolored patches in the water below you. You have to be a moderately good swimmer, too.
Angel_H, Mar 2026
Prepare for fun and knowledgeable guides. Sara and Captain Mike were fantastic! They were fun and helpful with the kiddos.
Terrie_F, Mar 2026
Sarah and Ron were great! We saw a manatee a couple of times and learned a lot about the crystal river area. Sarah knew all of the ways to get great pictures, kept us informed and safe with other boats. Ron (our captain) taught us more about the water, land, water temperatures. Both of them were so kind they offered great restaurant recommendations after and Ron even waited with me while my car came.
Sidonia_P, Mar 2026
Highly recommend this adventure! Took our three kids 20, 10, and 6 and had a great time snorkeling with manatees and the springs! Captain Ron and Miss Kayla were top notch!
gustavo_r, Mar 2026
Everything was perfect. Kaila and The Captan were incredible. Thank you for the amazing time I spent with you guys
Jeffrey_T, Feb 2026
Great job by the whole crew! Smaller boat which makes the experience even better (saw some boats that had way too many people on them). Set us up with wet suits, full length coats for when we came out of the water and hot coffee/cocoa for the ride back. Manatees weren't as cooperative as the weather had warmed and they were mostly out feeding, but it's nature! Highly recommended!
Dmytro_Z, Feb 2026
The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, making the entire experience enjoyable. The equipment was in excellent condition and well-maintained, which gave me peace of mind during the activity. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a fun and safe adventure.
Annette_B, Feb 2026
It was great. They only take small groups six or less. I’ve been on both tours in the last week and this one is by far the best. The guides were great and so was the captain. There was just six of us so it was very nice and got to stay close with the guide full of information about the manatees. Brand new wetsuits and nice heavy coats to put on after you get out of the water, serv hot chocolate, and coffee to warm up after swimming with the amenities.
ClaireMoore, Feb 2026
A few hours swimming with the beautiful Manatees, had such a wonderful time and GC Expeditions made it very special as it was a trip for my birthday!
Thankyou
Suzi_K, Feb 2026
This was incredible!!! We had the most amazing encounters with Manatee's. Best Day ever & the hot chocolate to warm us up back on boat was a great bonus.
Shelly_L, Feb 2026
We saw so many manatees! It was one of the best experiences of our lives! Kayla was a great guide and Captain Mike was great too!
Clint_N, Feb 2026
Our Skipper Ron and swim guide Connor were brilliant!
Informative, knowledgeable and showed great care for these majestic sea creatures. Loved every bit of this bucket list activity and would do it again next time in Florida. Thanks team 🤙🏽
Amy_D, Feb 2026
I loved this trip.! The guides are so friendly and patient and knowledgeable. We got really close to several manatees while also staying at a safe and respectful distance from the animals. A great team and a great time!
Patrick_D, Feb 2026
So professional and helpful. Highly recommend. Great trip would do again in a heart beat. They made this experience extraordinary.
Kristen_H, Jan 2026
This was fantastic! I liked that this group was smaller than the other tour groups we saw. We saw tons on manatees, it was magical!
Chelsea_K, Jan 2026
My husband and I had a great time this past weekend on the manatee snorkel tour! Our tour guide, Crystal, and Captain Mike were incredible. The gulf was warm when we went, so there weren't too many manatees, but Crystal was determined to find one for us and she did! It was so much fun and the hot chocolate on the way back was much appreciated.
I recommend booking right through the company directly as they often have discounts.
Gulf Coast Expeditions:
(352) 220-6038
www.GCExpeditions.com
info@gcexpeditions.com
Deborah_L, Jan 2026
What a great experience! Although our group was a bit larger than it should’ve been due to staffing issues, our guide Crystal, managed it all amazingly. She lead us to pockets of areas to see the list manatees and away from the crowds as much as possible. We saw so many beautiful floaty potatoes up close and personal. Highly recommend this tour and definitely ask for Crystal!
Jeffery_S, Jan 2026
Great operators! Really wanted to give a superb experience! They gave lots of details and took very good photos
Julie_C, Jan 2026
The experience was excellent!! The staff was so helpful and friendly. I would recommend them 100%.
The staff was knowledgeable. They took the time to make sure that we had a wonderful experience. I would definitely book again
Christine_S, Jan 2026
Had an amazing day on the water in a bay. Saw lots of manatees. The water was kinda murky but could still see the manatees. Was fun watching above water as well. Captain and guide were great!
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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