Turtle Spotting Cruise in Zakynthos
Zakynthos, Greece
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Cruise through the sparkling blue waters of the Ionian Sea on this wildlife and sightseeing cruise from Zakynthos. Spot native loggerhead turtles swimming in Laganas Bay, and take in views of Marathonisi, nicknamed ‘Turtle Island’ thanks to its resemblance to the adorable hard-shelled creatures. Get close to the fantastic rock formations of Keri Caves, where you can splash into the crystal-clear waters straight from the boat.
- 5-hour wildlife spotting cruise from Zakynthos
- Look for loggerhead turtles swimming in their native envorinment
- Get a new perspective on the island's dramatic coastline
- See why Marathonisi is known as ‘Turtle Island’
- Stop to swim in the crystal-clear waters near Keri Caves
- Drinks and snacks available to purchase on board
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included
What's Included
- Local taxes
- Commentary on board
- Professional Captain
- Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points
- Transport by air-conditioned coach or minivan
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Keri Caves
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Marathonisi
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 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
Reviews
3.7
based on 92 reviews
Joanne_B, Sep 2023
The tour was brilliant , well worth the money . Beautiful scenery , we managed to see an adult turtle and baby turtles hatching on turtle island , an experience that we never thought we would see !
lauraday, Jun 2023
We got to see two beautiful turtles which made me so happy. The boat ride and swimming are also divine.
QI_F, May 2023
Have a great day! I like it and will recommend to my friends and family. We saw a turtle and the pick up is on time!
tris, Oct 2022
Seeing the turtles in the water, going for a swim in the sea. The boat trip was not has good has it was advised.
Dennis_T, Jun 2022
The tour promised turtles, crystal clear water and caves. And that was exactly what Captain at the Glass Bottom delivered - with a smile! 🏖😎
And the swim stops were Nice too 🐠
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Wonderful, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience...
Peter_V, Aug 2021
Wonderfull boattrip.
Just outside the harbor they allready found a turtle. After we went for some caves. And had a swim. We saw a lot of fish at That point. At the turtle island we had something to eat at a snackbar.
Than we went back for the harbor
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you for your kind review. We hope to see you again in the future....
Angela
Tuyet_T, Jul 2021
The visit went very well and the boat pilote was very nice.
But for the pick up services, the older driver was : unpleasant and fast driving.
We almost had an accident because the driver was always on phone and driving at the same time.
We arrived early, at 3 p.m. while we had an appointment at 3:30 p.m. The driver told us to hurry up whereas we were on time.
Oribash, Nov 2019
Enjoyed the guide, and the sites and the two turtles we encountered.
Should've brought good beers and food with us.
Paul_B, Jul 2019
Omg our trip was amazing, top class service from pick up in the aircon minibus to the coffee on the boat, we did see turtles and it was controlled by the boat crews that they were not crowded by boats and safe all the time we had 2 swim times of 30 minutes in different locations that was fantastic. The best trip ever well done to all
ellietycer, Jul 2019
tour guide was great and cave swimming was excellent, but this tour made me and my friends uncomfortable in many ways. When a turtle is spotted boats swarm around the turtle (3-5 boats at a time.) The boats continue to follow one turtle for extended time. I noticed that the turtles progressively attempt to stay under the water longer and longer to avoid the gawking and get the boats to leave them be. In comparison to other boats this one was relatively respectful, as it kept a fair distance from the turtles, but I would not recommend this to anyone who cares deeply about animals.
Tom_D, Jun 2019
The tour itself was good and well organised. We booked it before we went on holiday to ensure we had something lined up but having spent a week in Zakynthos in hindsight I wouldn't have booked this tour. There are better ways to see the turtles. We swam in the sea at Kalamaki beach and saw turtles, and hired a glass-bottomed kayak for 10 euro and saw a turtle at the same spot. We did see on a turtle on our boat trip, but I felt uneasy about the distress to the turtle with another boat also crowding it and a lot of fuel and fumes seemingly polluting its natural environment. The stops to swim on this tour were great but you can do that on lots of smaller boat trips that don't stress out the wildlife.
Rachael_C, Jun 2019
I would defiantly recommend this trip, not to busy or rushed. Time to spot the turtles then off to the coves for 2 swim stops in beautiful surroundings. Then head back with views of the coast. Tour guide was really nice to.
Maria_B, Jun 2019
This experience was amazing, we were so lucky to be spotting 3 turtles up close, beautiful trip and funny guide Sue, she was very informative and overall great trip!
Traveler21086357196, Jun 2019
Very good cruise, conciderate of the turtles enviroment unlike others we witnessed.
Show other areas of the islands cave features, with stop off for swimming.
Commentry of the sights were great
Caroline B, May 2019
Picked up from hotel, which was arranged via email a couple of days before and was able to use mobile ticket so no need to print out, which was convenient. Friendly driver took us from Tsilivi to Laganos. Very knowledgeable local team and Sue was brilliant. Not guaranteed to see a turtle but our team were fab and ensured we did, amazing to see. Really well worth it and highly recommended.
vanessa_wong13, Feb 2018
Seeing a turtle swimming effortlessly through water is just breathtaking...Great tour!
Terry_B, Sep 2017
Very good excursion managed to see one turtle even though it was the end of the season. Both captain and rep were very good
r.flounders, Sep 2017
It is well worth the money and they picked us up from are hotel and took us back again .
Rab S, Sep 2017
All the 3 excursions including this that we took through Viator provided excellent value for money and brilliant service. Turtle spotting is definitely worth doing in Zakynthos - requires some patience but it is worth it. This excursion also gives you the opportunity to dive into the waters by the Turtle Island. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sarah B, Sep 2017
The tour was amazing, really informative and fun. We were lucky enough to see a turtle and was able to visit two different locations for a swim. It was a fabulous trip, well organised and Sue was a great guide. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a great day out whilst in Zante.
Todor D, Aug 2017
This was a nice cruise, we saw a turtle in the water, it was very close, the picture does not lie here. We then went to turtle island and swam in crystal clear waters and there was a cave too. Following that we went to the Keri caves, though unfortunately there was no time for a stop over and another swim. I would recommend that the boat trip is increased by and hour even if it means to up the price a bit. Sue was an awesome hostess once again! Thanks for a most enjoyable few hours.
Barry B, Aug 2017
This excursion was turtle-ly brilliant sorry! After a short ride from our resort on Laganas to Agios Sostis on an air conditioned coach we boarded a comfortable and well equipped bar/snacks/toilet large wooden boat which took us out to a popular viewing area just off Laganas, where we didn't have to wait too long before a gorgeous female turtle made an appearance. Sue, our fabulous tour guide, had given us lots of interesting information about the turtle population on the island en route and about the island itself. She is extremely knowledgeable and very entertaining! After we had all had a good look at the turtle, we headed off to and around Marathonisi Island, avoiding the busy Laganas side we headed to the opposite side for a swim stop, where we swam through a cave and snorkelled around the boat, the water was lovely and cool and so clear, a fantastic experience! Obviously the boat can only get so close to the shore so very deep initially but my three boys aged 11, 10 and 6 all got in and loved it. We stopped there for about 40 minutes then clambered on board again and sailed towards the Keri Caves for a photo stop. If you are looking for a family friendly trip, that is fun, educational, and beyond picturesque - this is the one for you! Brilliant value for money, the Captain and crew were helpful and friendly and Sue was an excellent guide.
Spiz, Aug 2017
Great tour with great guides and boat captain, even picked me up and dropped me from my hotel
Lisa J, Aug 2017
I went on this trip last week with my husband and our boys ranging in age from 10 to 27. We all had a fantastic time. Our tour guide was excellent - very knowledgeable, we saw a turtle immediately. Swimming through the caves was a great experience. Thoroughly recommended.
James, Jul 2017
Our group were staying at Zante Plaza Hotel Apartments in Laganas, it was then a short 10 minute bus journey to the dock. We were lucky as we were the final pick-up destination outside McDonald's on the main strip, closest to Laganas beach. Our bus was at least 20 minutes late but just hold out and keep and eye on all the many buses that pass your pick-up point. Make sure you've got lots of water, sunscreen and a snack or two. Once on board the boat we went to the top deck, this is where and when you definitely need to apply lots of sunscreen! We set our on the waters of Laganas beach and within 10-15 minutes we found our first turtle. It was intense waiting for the turtle to surface and take a breath but well worth the wait. Unfortunately, after viewing one turtle the tour moved on and no attempt was made to search for any more. We then took a pleasant journey around Turtle Island and circled round and stopped to swim in the caves, eventually swimming to the small beach where we took lots of photos. It's a great idea to get a decent waterproof plastic wallet casing/bag not a phone case designed to take your phone into and underwater where it will be safe - buy on Amazon. We got a good amount of time here stopping to explore. After getting back on the boat we then took a view of the further area around Turtle Island and then headed back to the dock where our bus was waiting. A very organised trip, and many thanks to the women tour guide who knew a lot about the turtles and the areas we viewed. Later during the holiday after this tour, we took out a padelo on Laganas beach and went far out and came across two turtles and were swimming next to them in deep waters. So you might want to try this instead if you want to see AND SWIM with turtles if you can't make or afford this tour. Be respectful of the turtles at all times if you do so!
Duane P, Jun 2017
There's plenty of opportunity to spot the turtles in the azure waters off the coast. Also immensely enjoyable was going for a swim in the beautiful warm and fish filled waters. Take your snorkel.
Jerri A, May 2017
A nice way to spend a couple of hours on Zakynthos. Totally enjoyed the trip :
Jade G, Oct 2016
Great experience! Crew were amazing and so helpful as was the tour guide, couldn't have asked for a better boat to be on with my disabled mother!
Christopher_J, Oct 2016
A very well organised trip from the moment we checked in on arrival at the resort, collection by Tony in a Viator flagged minibus, the actual trip with guide Sue and back to the resort with Tony.
With regard to the actual trip we were on board a traditional wooden boat and not one of the modern double decked boats. We saw a turtle immediately on boarding before we had even cast off, an hour was spent in the bay looking for more and we were lucky enough to see one up very close. After that we went sightseeing around the bay with a stop of for a swim. Refreshments were available on board if needed. Excellent value for money as the same trip, but on a modern boat, was 50 dearer through the Hotel Rep. Would definitely recommend, it seems the more we use Viator the better they become.
Tracey B, Sep 2016
Loved this trip as I love turtles, although the sea was a bit choppy on the day and took a while to find them. We saw a female turtle to start with but didn't stay at the surface long enough to take a photo! We then found a large male turtle and have a videos and photos of him. We then moved onto the caves and were given a chance to swim in the clear blue sea and through a cave. The boat had drinks and snacks aboard too, Sue, the tour guide was very knowledgeable and very funny. Highly recommended
From $40.47
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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