Manatees and Mangrove Tunnels Small Group Kayak Tour
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Without question, this tour route is the most unique kayak tour in the area and offers guests with the greatest opportunity to spot bucket list wildlife while visiting the Everglades area. This tour launches from a permit only launch site within the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge. This route requires proper planning and expert knowledge due to the fluctuating tides. No other company is capable or willing to take the time needed for this type of planning. Guests will start their paddle through the salt marsh, a popular feeding zone for numerous long-legged wading birds and river otters. 30 minutes in guests will notice a change in habitat, transitioning into Mangroves, indicating a change in salinity and elevation. This is where you will enter one of the best Mangrove Tunnels in the county. After numerous mangrove tunnels, creeks and ponds and hopefully tons of wildlife guests will then empty out into a manatee safe zone the Faka-union Canal. Year Round expert kayak guides included!
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
We meet all guests inside the hotel lobby at 25000 Tamiami Trail East Naples, FL 34114
Children 13 and under must ride in a two person kayak with an adult 18 or older.
At certain tide levels this tour can become more difficult
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Our tours are small by design and our Manatees and Mangroves tour is the absolute best location in Collier County for spotting manatees from your kayak. Manatees are most abundant here during the colder winter months. Guests can expect to see manatees (best during colder periods), alligators, numerous bird species all while kayaking through some of the most extensive mangrove tunnels in the area. During the Winter months with colder water temperatures, the manatees congregate in large numbers in the deeper canal. The canal's deeper water does not cool down as much as the surrounding Gulf of Mexico waters. Providing the manatees with water temps above 68 degrees. We will spend around 30 minutes in the canals looking for manatees and around 2-2.5 hours in the mangrove tunnels and salt marsh habitat. This is considered a "downwinder" type tour. Guests will hop in our passenger van (WE ARE OFFERING INDIVIDUAL SHUTTLES PER HOUSEHOLD, PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY FOR THIS SERVICE) Will shuttle you 1 mile down the road allowing us to kayak back to the marina around 4 miles.
What‘s Included
TripAdvisor's Cancelation Policy
ACA Certified Kayak Guide
Tandem Kayak (singles not available through TripAdvisor booking)
Gratuities
No Refund for going to the wrong location Meet us at 25000 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, FL 34114
Our proprietary automated communication.
NO REFUNDS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF TOUR
Options
25000 Tamiami Trail East
3 Hour Port of the Islands Mangrove and Manatees Kayak Tour
Reviews
951 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great, short tour due to gator-blockage
aqmesler,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Adam was a fabulous tour guide, very lighthearted and knowledgable. Unfortunately, our tour had to be cut short because an 8-foot gator wouldn’t get out of our way to pass through the mangroves, despite Adam’s best efforts to encourage the gator to move. We returned safely a couple hours early and we were full refunded. Would still recommend!!!
Great adventure
berniev652,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Everything was great about the adventure. Learned a lot and leaders were great. Would highly recommend. Great to see all the animals and mangroves
A great wildlife experience with a fantastic guide.
bradj42,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I were lucky enough to see several manatees and a huge alligator on our trip. Our guide, Adam, was knowledgeable, informative, and incredibly hardworking throughout the entire tour. He kept the pace comfortable, answered every question, and was very accommodating. Water levels in parts of the mangroves were low, but that’s obviously out of anyone’s control. Adam handled it flawlessly and made sure none of us got stuck or slowed down. It was a memorable, well-run experience that I’d absolutely recommend.
Our guide Jimmy was...
Mark G,,Jan 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide Jimmy was outstanding! Extremely knowledgeable and personable. I would highly recommend this tour!!
Fun time going through...
Wendi G,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fun time going through the mangroves. Adam was a great guide knowledgeable and helpful. Would recommend
Challenging and very fun! Kayaking through the mangroves was more difficult than I had thought, but I loved it!
673anitaz,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Jimmy, our guide, could not have been more helpful. And fun!! Even though no manatees showed themselves, we enjoyed the experience tremendously.
Kayaking First Timers!!!
Susan N,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Adam was our guide and as first timers he was patient, kind and very helpful. It was nice being in a small group and not feeling pressured. He was very knowledgeable about the Mangroves, what to expect, species we’d potentially see. It was a beautiful, exciting adventure I highly recommend!!!
Worth it 100%
danrazgon,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jimmy did a truly great job on our kayaking trip, as he was a good leader and a knowledgeable teacher. We were able to see so much wildlife, from many birds, manatees, and even an alligator
Beautiful kayaking experience in Everglades.
Expedition664715,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time kayaking in Everglades in a sunny day. It is so beautiful, peaceful and lots of fun. Our guide Jimmy is very warm, passionate and professional, knowledgeable. It is a good experience for us. Love it!
An Incredible Experience
GlobeTrotting521591,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was seriously the highlight of our trip. Adam our guide was incredible. We saw manatees, roseate spoonbills, so many birds, alligators, and a crocodile. I had a baby manatee come right up to my kayak and check me out.
From US$95.00
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Operated by Adventure Paddle Tours