Manatee Discovery Tour
Trip Highlights
Close Encounter with Manatees
Abundant Wildlife Habitat
Breathtaking Crystal Clear Spring
Fantastic Wildlife Viewing
Top Rated Kayak Gear
Tasty Trail Snack & Water
Description
Make close contact with these gentle and lovable creatures in one of the largest winter gathering sites for manatees in Florida. Hundreds of manatees make Blue Spring State Park their winter home during the colder months, and some stay around all year.
Join us for a kayak tour through the active waterways of the Blue Spring State Park area! Nature surrounds this area on every turn and we often witness alligators and turtles sun-bathing on the shore. A variety of birds, big and small, call this area their home, which makes spotting bald eagles, ospreys, red-shouldered hawks, and other wading birds a common occurrence. With a little luck, we will encounter the occasional river otter swimming in the river.
This tour is perfect for families and wildlife enthusiasts.
Tour info
Meeting Point
Included
A professional, knowledgeable, medically trained, certified kayak guide
A commitment to make the tour as exciting, challenging, informative, and full as you’d like, and as is possible in a day
Use of a top of the line kayak gear
All required permits and necessary launch fee
Trail snacks and water
Excluded
Quick dry clothes
Water / river shoes
Warm wool or fleece top (Winter)
Waterproof rain jacket or poncho
Cold or frozen bottle of water or Gatorade
Sun protection (sunhat, sunglasses, sun screen)
Towel (to dry off afterwards)
Gratuity for your guide
Things to know
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our kayaking tours are led by professional kayak guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an ...
Your safety is our top priority. Our kayaking tours are led by professional kayak guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 407-267-9950 for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and kayaking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes.
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and kayaking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes.
Group Size And Age Restrictions
The maximum group size on this tour is 8 guests. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 407-267-9950 and we’ll answer all your questions.
There are no age restrictions to join this kayak tour.
The maximum group size on this tour is 8 guests. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 407-267-9950 and we’ll answer all your questions.
There are no age restrictions to join this kayak tour.
Weather In Central Florida
Central Florida on average maintains warm temperatures throughout the entire year with slightly lower temperatures during the winter months. Summers, lasting from May to October, are long, warm and particularly humid. Rain showers are common during this time of the year. The winter month are shor...
Central Florida on average maintains warm temperatures throughout the entire year with slightly lower temperatures during the winter months. Summers, lasting from May to October, are long, warm and particularly humid. Rain showers are common during this time of the year. The winter month are short, cool, and dry, lasting from December to February. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 52°F (11°C)to 91°F (33°C).
More Experiences
Emerald Cut Kayak Adventure
This crystal clear run is a paddle into the past, through land still as it was when the Timucuan tribes inhabited the area. Truly emerald in color this section of Rock Springs Run is a breathtaking natural beauty. It winds through lush jungle-like nature, sand pine scrub, and pine flatwoods. The area is rich in wildlife and it is possible to see turtles, alligators, river otters, white-tailed deer, black bears, fish, a variety of birds, and more.
This is an out-and-back paddle. The first part your guide will lead you upstream over and under trees and through the twists and turns of the river until you reach the bridge at Kelle Park. At this point, you will have a chance to jump into the crystal clear river to play and/or to refresh yourself. Afterward, we let the current take us back to the launch point.
Lake Norris Explorer Kayak Tour
Lake Norris is a spectacular darkwater lake and is one of the oldest cypress swamps in Florida. The shoreline of the lake is ringed by “dwarf cypress”, which give the lake an out-of-this-world appearance. One of the special highlights of this property is its high concentration of osprey nests. More than 100 active nests have been reported in the cypress trees that ring the lake.
A habitat for many animals and birds, this property expands the Florida black bear corridor. River otters, alligators, turtles, and various types of snakes call this place their home. While weaving between and through cypress trees many of these animals and birds can be observed.
Join us on this magnificent experience featuring one of Florida’s most beautiful, hidden, and unheralded places. This is a Disneyland for nature lovers!
This is an exciting 9-mile out-and-back guided tour.
The Black Water Creek Kayak Adventure
Black Water Creek is a major tributary of the Wekiva River and part of the Wild & Scenic River system. The river provides for an enchanting and scenic backcountry paddling experience, evoking feelings of a fairytale landscape. Numerous species of birds can be seen overhead, wading in the water or perched in the trees. The wetlands also provides habitat for black bears, river otters, and alligators. A variety of wetland plants and trees are found in the water or on the shoreline. This is an out-and-back paddle.
The first part your guide will lead you downstream over and under trees and through the twists and turns of the river until you reach the confluence of Black Water Creek and the Wekiva River. The second part you will paddle upstream against the slow moving current, after having a short light lunch riverside.
This tour is for adventure seekers and wilderness lovers.
Bioluminescence Kayak Adventure
Join us for this magical experience of the glowing waters where you will step into your favorite Disney movie Avatar!
Responsible for the beautiful bluish-white flashes that occur when seawater is disturbed at night, is a small micro-organism called dinoflagellates. Seeing schools of fish or maybe a dolphin activate these tiny critters is nothing short of a miracle and belongs on everybody’s bucket list.
This bioluminescence kayak tour takes you out on the Indian River, where there are plenty of manatees, dolphins, and other marine life in the area. So chances are you will see some marine life up close and you can experience the magnificent light trails created by these animals in the water.
The best time to see bioluminescence is around the New Moon, when there is no moonlight reflecting on the water. However, the week surrounding the New Moon is still a great time to see the bioluminescence. You should plan well in advance if you plan to go on a New Moon night, or on the weekend as these tours sell out.