Crystal River Manatee Snorkeling and Everglades Airboat Tour

So, this is not...jump in the water and there are manatees...one must look for them, find them...and then proceed cautiously and carefully so as not to disturb them in their natural habitat...do not touch them says the guide...what to do if one little one is so curious about these 'new friends' it snuggles up and 'tastes' your diving mask...what graceful and totally amazing creatures. Thanks a million for allowing us to experience this part of the Everglades - it was an amazing experience. Together with the fun of the air-boat ride we had a wonderful day away form the rides and other experiences of Orlando.

It was a cool wet day, but once we were in our wetsuit and in the water this didn't spoil the day. At first the water was murky but the guides know exactly where to look and quickly found a manatee grazing along the bottom. They slowly rise about every 3 minutes to breathe and it was amazing to float beside these magnificent creatures. Shortly after the guide took us to the truly beautiful crystal springs where the water was warm and as clear as any swimming pool and another Manatee to swim with. Finished with a walk through a wildlife park to see more Manatees and local wildlife. Great experience.

We had a great time and saw a lot of Manatee- it was the end of winter/early spring- the Manatee had migrated from the West Coast to spend thee winter in the warmer Florida waters, so there were hundreds! The water is not cold so don your wetsuit and mask and jump in! The airboat ride was excellent and we saw many alligators. We also dropped into a zoo for rescued animals.

The Crystal River trip was awesome! It was a jam-packed, long day, but well worth it. Our driver was very knowledgeable about Florida and was very friendly and entertaining. The snorkeling portion of the trip was awesome. While only a few manatees swam outside the protected area, it was very cool to see the ones that did swim by and to see the others surface to get air. The captain and snorkel guide answered many questions and it was obvious that they take protecting the manatees seriously. They also took us to another location where we snorkeled over a spring and saw many varieties of fish. After the snorkel trip, we went to a wildlife state park and then took an airboat ride and saw alligators on the river banks. We were provided with a very nice breakfast and lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the day.

We saw so many Manatees! Amazing creatures and great Everglades Airboat tour, too! So glad we did this while vacationing in Florida!

This was an amazing experience. It was the high point of my vacation. Kate and Austin were terrific. Kate captained our boat and Austin led us in the water. I would do it all again. Madelyn was the tour leader. She was funny and knowledgeable about each part of the tour. A great overall experience..

Timing is everything. Our tour group went when it was low tide which made the water a bit mucky. We were still able to see some manatees. I even had a mama and her calf swim underneath me and was able to touch the length of her back as she swam by. Unfortunately, no pictures underwater as the water was too cloudy. But the experience was fun and the tour guides were fantastic! The airboat tour was fun as well. Didn't get a chance to see much wildlife. But again, the experience and the tour guide made it worthwhile. Highly recommend and look forward to doing this tour again.

This tour was the highlight of our trip. Tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly. We loved seeing the manatees with an experienced crew who doubled as exemplary teachers of their habitat. Everything was spot on. We would go back just for this event. Well done.

Great adventure. We stopped at a third animal park that was very good also.

Truly amazing experience. We saw dozens of manatees in the wild, close enough to pet.