Manatee Swim Tour with In Water Photographer
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Our Manatee Swim tour at Explorida was Voted Trip Advisors 2022 "Top Ten Bucket List Experience in THE WORLD!" Swimming with the manatees is a once in a lifetime experience so do it right! Dont cram into a small dive shop. Spread out and enjoy plenty of space at Explorida! The Explorida Adventure Center offers a large, top notch facility that is climate controlled with indoor changing rooms for your privacy. Our boats are U.S. Coast Guard inspected and certified, which means they are allowed to carry more than 6 passengers, have all necessary safety equipment, and are in tip top shape. Dont get stuck on a clunker! Book with Explorida! We are dedicated to the customer experience and will not disappoint! Let us prove it!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Level One Snorkel Experience Recommended
Infants are still considered to take up a seat on a USCG Inspected Vessel. You must pay full price for an infant.
Children Under The Age Of 3 & Pets/Service Animals Are Only Permitted On Private Tours
This is a wildlife encounter, and due to the unpredictability of Mother Nature, conditions vary daily. If you have any questions, feel free to call
In order to maintain operational efficiency, we require a minimum of three guests per boat to operate. Guests may purchase additional tickets if the capacity is not met, which will be reimbursed if another group joins.
Trip Advisor is a third party booking system designed to reserve tours with Explorida Adventure Center. Visit our website for more information and to connect with Explorida directly.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Hop aboard one of our safe, comfortable, and clean US Coast Guard certified vessels where you will join your Master Captain to embark on your journey into the Kings Bay refuge waters. Our master captains are trained to find manatees on your manatee tour, even in the offseason, and will deliver the best manatee tour in Crystal River, FL—every time. You will be paired with one of our expert in-water guides who will be with you every step of the way to assist in making your manatee tour safe and memorable. Your in-water guide will also serve as your professional photographer to capture your manatee swim memories, and those photos will be available for purchase upon arrival back to our facility. For this tour, all required gear is included at no additional charge.
You can swim with manatees in Citrus County, Florida. Swimming with the manatees is a privilege that is unique to Citrus County, which is why the small county has earned its world famous title of the ‘Manatee Capital of the World’. Nowhere else in the world can you legally swim with the manatees in their natural habitat, as you can do with us! When looking for things to do in Florida, add swimming with the manatees to the top of your list, and let Explorida be your guide!
What‘s Included
Safe USCG Certified Boats
Bottled water
In-Water Gude/Photographer
Wetsuit
Float Noodles Provided
Snorkel Gear
Photos and videos available for an additional fee at the end of your tour.
Options
Daily Rate
Reviews
2,288 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
So much fun!!! Great boat...
Erin L,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00So much fun!!! Great boat captain and great guide. Such an amazing experience to swim around with the Manatees
An amazing and FUN experience!
JulieTravels79,,Jan 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00what an incredible experience! It was sort of a crappy day weather wise but Faith and Dom made the experience that much more amazing. They were super awesome in helping us to find a spot where we could view the manatees and they also offered a lot of good information as far as environment and what we can do as humans to help save the manatees. It was such a wonderful experience, and I'm so glad that I took the chance and went. My husband, who is not a snorkeler, was able to go as an observer and loved the experience just as much. I would highly recommend this company for this tour and will hope to do it again in the future!
Swimming with Manatees is a Special Experience
stephtodo,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The cold snap made for an incredible trip to see the manatees! Literally dozens surrounding you. Going to see them doesn’t do it justice. Getting in the water with these gentle giants is where it becomes magical. This is a bucket list trip you don’t want to miss. Guides were educational and answered anything you wanted to know about manatees.
What a treat!
SoALA124,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Explorida is a well organized trip to swim with the manatees. From the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave, the staff are considerate, informative and kind. Madeline was our in water guide. A class act! Dom was our captain, a wealth of knowledge and attentive to those who returned to the baot early. Offering hot chocolate as soon as the wetsuits were off and we were changed into somewhat dry clothes. I suggest bringing a big enough bag to hold all your stuff, your clothes, shoes, towels (one to dry with, one to wrap around you) jacket, robe etc. The boat was enclosed so that helped in 30 degree weather! The colder the weather the more manatees over the springs! Couldn't have asked for a better group to see the manatees with. Many, many THANKS, Madeline and Dom! Hope to return next year!
Hundreds of Manatee
Justin R,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Ben and Capt. Gavin were amazing. What an experience! Definitely go when it's cold! The manatee are so friendly.
Wonderful Experience—Highly Recommend
lorreeh,,Jan 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time with Ben and John. They were extremely knowledgeable and made the tour engaging. The manatee were out for us to view and swim with. Several of the couples stayed on the boat while John used his expertise of the bay to relate engaging stories about life in Crystal River. Ben was in the water with a few couples to give us detailed descriptions of all of the fish we were seeing as well as assisting us with our incredible manatee swim. We highly recommend John and Ben!
Amazing experience
Roving13230040874,,Jan 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the most incredible time with Explorida visiting the manatees at crystal river. We were warmly greeted at reception and given an informative briefing before setting out with captain Topher and guide Madeline. Throughout the tour we were made to feel very comfortable and they even reassured our daughter making her feel at ease swimming in the river. We were able to observe many manatees in their natural habitat, capturing some amazing photos and videos. Our youngest daughter was carried by Madeline the entire time making her experience a great one. We cannot recommend this company enough and would love to return some day. Thank you.
Totally worth the freeze!
Brooke D,,Jan 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Madeleine & Dom were great!! Hot cocoa to warm us up was a great touch for such a cold morning. Thank you for the great experiences!
Just epic 😎
Julia M,,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Informative trip, amazing staff, felt well looked after. Interaction with these gentle giants was epic. Highly recommend this trip.
Super recommended
Pioneer13594885180,,Jan 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing experience. Super recommended to go with the family.
From US$74.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Related Experiences
Operated by Explorida