AFISHA LIFE
Crystal River
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Crystal River Manatee Swim in Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Crystal River Manatee Swim in Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Overview

Encounter the endangered West Indian Manatee in Crystal River’s idyllic Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Your US Coast Guard licensed captains and guides will take you into the 600 acre spring fed refuge waters for viewing and snorkeling with these friendly, curious, slow moving gentle giants. All equipment, fees and beverages are included.

City: Crystal River

Thu 13 Mar

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $79.81

Make a reservation

Thu 13 Mar

Starting at $79.81

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Professional guide

Use of equipment (mask, snorkel gear and wet suit)

Beverages (bottled water, coffee and hot chocolate)

Introductory/instructional video offered in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Adult pricing applies to all travelers
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Wetsuits are available in all 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.
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

kleinhaus2001

Mar 2019

The experience was absolutely amazing! Every employee of the tour were extremely welcoming, helpful, and knowledgeable about manatees and their ecosystem. Our four kids are ages 9 yrs and above and good swimmers. You are given wet suits and a noodle for the encounter. The water is always between 72-74 F due to the fresh water springs. We were with Megan, our amazing swim guide, and Capt. Stark, who guided us throughout the Crystal River with ease. We were within inches of these gentle creatures, even mothers with their nursing babies! The Three Sisters Spring, one area we were blessed to swim in this tour, was beyond words! The absolute clarity of the water and the "screen saver" beauty of the spring is one that will never be forgotten. Megan swam the whole tour with us, guiding us to the best encounters with the animals and teaching us all about them and their home. Coffee, soda, hot chocolate, water, and little snacks were provided on board. Megan was wonderful as a guide, but she even gave us more! She photographed the entire tour, with short videos of our experience! We could be in the moment and not have to be distracted by attempting to take pictures. And the result? Professional and art quality photos! We bought the 100+ photos/videos on an USB port for less than $40.00. Our kids talk more about this tour than all the time we spent at Disney World and Universal Studios! As a mom, I would not recommend this tour for very young children. You are in the natural environment of these beautiful creatures and will have an lifetime experience if you follow the guides and the instructions given. Quiet, calm, and respectful is a small request to be a guest in the manatees' home. Our family has fallen in love with these extraordinary animals and are so grateful for the opportunity to meet them up close. Everyone at the tour truly love and care for these animals, and it is reflected in this tour. The 3 hours flew by! Best family adventure we've had!!!

Stay279552

Mar 2019

Our family have stopped going to zoo and Seaworld. We do not approve of keeping wild animals in "jail" for our pleasure. But we love watching animals in the wild, and so we opted for swimming with manatees I the wild. The information before going to the river was really good. We were told to respect the manatees and never force ourselves on them. The experience was amazing. Since the weather has been really warm lately, the manatees believe it is summer, and a lot of them have left the warm springs in the rivers. We were lucky enough to find a female who was feeding and moving about. We swam with her for at least half an hour. (Lost track of time, so it could easily have been more). Got lots of great pictures and video. Wayne and Trish were great guides and captains and made the trip even better.

Rygate

Mar 2019

Even though many manatees had left the springs due to the warm temperatures, our crew (Mike & Rhonda) had a keen eye and found us a larger pregnant manatee quite quickly. Their knowledge and instruction was excellent, and Mike was extremely patient and helpful while in the water. Also, Mike's magic flask warmed your cockles after the swim. Highly recommended experience. We are sure to be back.