Join us as we explore the Kings Bay National Wildlife Refuge to find and swim alongside the gentle giants. As you embark on your journey, your Captain and In-Water Guide will teach you everything you need to know about interacting with these gentle creatures. In addition to learning manatee facts and their behavioral patterns, our captains are extremely knowledgeable about the Crystal River and Florida’s manatees, so they’ll be able to answer any questions you may have. Our tours include: full wet suits, mask, snorkel, and coffee and hot cholate All of our tours leave from our onsite private docks, with heated changing facility and hot showers.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 3.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 128 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
All Inclusive Private Manatee Swim lasts about 3 hours.
Prices start at $400 per person for this Crystal River experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 6:30 AM and 10:00 AM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is We meet in the Gift shop located on the water behind the Port Hotel. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 6 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Specialized infant seats are available
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 15 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Manatee Swim Center.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Fantastic trip with Captain John! The private trip is absolutely worth the money. John took us to several different areas, which gave us the opportunity to see so much more. The boat was clean, spacious, and had a large shaded area that made the trip very comfortable. John was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and made the entire experience even better. We had an amazing time and would definitely book with him again!
Family with college students had the BEST time. 6:30 am start time was totally worth it. Taylor and Jake were awesome and helpful and fun. And the manatees were everywhere! I compared all the vendors and really appreciated the 5 mm wetsuits, enclosed boat, coffee/hot cocoa, in-water guide (Jake) and the photos he took!
Captain Mark and Bri were great tour guides. Swimming with manatees was the best experience! We will be back again. We can't wait for it.
We are grateful that you shared your positivity about your swimming with the manatees experience. Captain Marc and Bri are passionate about their tours and love sharing their knowledge of manatees with all. We look forward to having you back in the future and can not wait to book your next excursion with us.
Planned this family private tour for my 2 year old son to experience swimming with the manatees. Our expectations were achieved, it was magical. Since he is not an early riser, they were able to accommodate us at later time to go out and everything was provided with top notch equipment and crew. Jake and Andrew ensured my son got the swim of a lifetime and catered to his experience.From the time we were greeted at the door for check in with Marie, who made us feel at home and welcomed, we could not have planned a better way to bond as a family. Thank you for making him smile, we will be back!!!
Putting smiles on guests faces is what we do best as well as magical experiences with our manatee tours. Captain Jake and Captain Andrew are passionate about their work and passionate about manatees. Thank you for complimenting our equipment and hospitality we want you to feel always at home with us. Come back and see us again we look forward to it!
YES- it’s worth the extra money!!! This is absolutely hands down the best manatee tour I have ever been on. The captain and diver- Andrew and Jake were super. We got out early before the big crowds of people and got an extremely personal experience. If you want an experience that is personal and educational this is for you. Jake was amazing in the water. Initially my little cousin was having a hard time relaxing and learning to just float- after some gentle coaching he did great and Jake got amazing pictures of him floating with the resting manatees. If you have small children that may be nervous or aren’t fully comfortable in the water- this is the tour for you. You can really tell that this crew and company truly care about the manatees and aren’t just trying to hustle like the bigger flashier tours. Andrew was a great driver and even maneuvered the boat into the shallows so Jake could grab a trashed pool noodle. Jake was with us the whole time, all we had to do (and all you’re supposed to do!!) is just float! Jake helped us stay near the manatees without disturbing them and instructed us when the manatees wanted to get in close- one even held my hand!! I definitely recommend getting out earlier because once the big tour crowds came in- the manatees were not as comfortable and the water got very stirred up because the bigger groups were not really following Crystal River’s rules for swimming/interacting.
What a wonderful, personalized experience! This outfit has a telephone number and works around your schedule. Mark was my captain and it is evident that he loves his job! Bri took me out to see manatees grazing, sleeping, and swimming when one youngster swam up and played with us. He pulled my hair, “kissed” me, took me in his flippers and swam with me! What an adventure!
Simply AMAZING! From our booking experience with Maria, who delivered knowledge of manatees and tour information with a smile and outstanding customer service, to our tour with Captain Chaz and Guide Bri KUDOS!! Chaz and Bri went above and beyond to share with us an unforgettable manatee encounter. The manatees were plentiful and the heated boat was a plus!! We will be back with out a doubt.
It was a wonderful experience. We did the early morning tour and getting up was so worth it. Bri was a lovely guide and Steve a faulous captain. We did swim with a manatee mom and her calf and even got to see one of the springs. The absolute bonus was on our way back: a couple of dolphins came into the bay to hunt their breakfast. It was amazing to see these animals that close to the boat. Bri took nice pictures of us and filmed some videos of the manatees and dolphins.
An Absolute Must! 5* My family and I had an absolute blast today and couldn’t be happier. Our skipper Captain Steve & our guide in the water Bree were so insightful, knowledgeable, friendly and just a blast to be with. We got to see exactly what we came for. We even saw a big momma with her calf which was fantastic. Steve & Bree got us into some great diving spots and we were literally face to face with these beautiful gentle giants. Steve & Bree gave us a bonus tour/dive of the three sisters springs. One of the most unique and beautiful places we have seen. The tour even provided us with some delicious hot cocoa to warm us up after our swim. Nothing was too much trouble for Steve & Bree. All our questions were answered in a very polite and professional manner. We cannot recommend this tour and swim highly enough! It made a great change and break away from the parks for a day. If we return to Florida, we would rebook again in a heartbeat. Book now, you will not be disappointed. Ask for Captain Steve & Bree, they were awesome.
Amazing people. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Seen manatees, different fish and even a gator. Went to the 3 sister springs to swim with just a request.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Inclusive Private Manatee Swim | 3 hours | 5.0 (15) | $400 | |
 3 Hour Small Group All Inclusive Manatee Swim with free Photo pkg | 3 hours | 5.0 (2,014) | $80 | View |
 All-Inclusive Small Group Manatee Swim with Free Photos | 3 hours | 5.0 (882) | $90 | View |
 Most Popular 3hr Manatee Swim Tour + In-Water Guide! | 3 hours | 4.9 (3,082) | $76 | View |
 Manatee Swim Tour with In Water Photographer | 3 hours | 4.9 (2,456) | $77 | View |
 Manatee Swim Tour | 3 hours | 5.0 (596) | $75 | View |
 Crystal River: Semi-Private Manatee Swim Tour With In Water Guide | 3 hours | 5.0 (530) | $70 | View |