Your 3 Hour swim with the manatee adventure begins at our full service manatee tour center located in Crystal River, Florida. You and your group will be assisted to gear up in your wetsuits, in the comfort of our indoor, climate controlled dressing rooms. Have some complimentary coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and relax in our media room for a short viewing of "Manatee Manners"; a video that is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on human - manatee interaction guidelines.

Our USCG licensed Captain and "in water" Guide, will welcome you aboard our custom manatee tour boat that has been designed to provide comfort for all seasons. Once on board, we take a cruise on a journey through the protected waters of Crystal River's Kings Bay to the home of the Florida manatees. There, your "Swim with the Manatee" encounter begins. You will enter the warm spring fed waters of beautiful Crystal River, where you will see the friendly and curious "Gentle Giants" up close and personal. Our underwater videographer will be on hand to film the highlights of your manatee tour, from the beginning to the end, all in High Definition that will be formatted to fit your big screen TV.

Upon returning to the manatee tour center, the underwater video of your adventure will be available for purchase if desired. We invite you to browse our gift shop, where you will find manatee souvenirs, shirts, educational material, snorkeling gear and much more.

Swim with the Manatee Tour Rates:

$45.00 Per Person - Included all Equipment.
(Wetsuit, mask, fins & snorkel)

$35.00 Per Person - Bring your own gear*
(Wetsuit is required)

*We require that you wear a wetsuit. They help you stay buoyant and assist you in keeping your feet near the top of the water, and not dangling, which often will stir up the bottom and scare the manatees. We carry child and adult size wetsuits up to size 5X.

Optional Purchases

$29.00 - Underwater Manatee Tour Interaction DVD.

$14.95 - Picture CD - High Resolution Tour Images.

Swim with the Manatees - Tour Schedule

6:15 am - 10:00 am
9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Your manatee tour arrival time at 6:15 AM or 9:30 AM includes the additional time necessary to change into your wetsuit and prepare for your swim with the manatee tour. It is necessary that you arrive on time, as we can not deviate from our scheduled tour times. Don't miss the boat ... please arrive on time.

We recommend that you wear your bathing suit under your dry clothing, while on your way to our facility, as this makes for an easy transition into your wetsuit once you arrive. Be sure to bring your towels, and any additional clothing that you may want to change into after your swim. You can bring a "carry on" bag with you onto the boat to keep your belongings in.

The best manatee tour is our "first out" sunrise tour that we schedule for 6:15 am. Our first tour of the day departs early to beat the crowds and to provide you with the best manatee encounter possible. During the warmer months, manatee interactions are not as common on the later morning tours. By that time, the manatees tend to be more spread out across the bay, and have generally begun to feed along the bottom making it difficult to interact with them. The later tour still makes for a nice time on the water where you will see up close the abundant wildlife of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

In the event that our manatee swim tours are booked on your requested day/time (no overcrowded boats), we will be happy to recommend you to a nearby manatee tour facility that offers the same high quality service that you deserve, to make your "Swim / Snorkel" Tour both exceptional & memorable!

When shopping around for a swim with the manatee tour, be sure and ask the right questions so there are no surprises upon arrival.

Please read our FAQ's page.

Contact Us today to reserve your manatee swim tour!

River Ventures Manatee Tour Center
(352) 564- TOUR (8687)