Orlando Manatee Encounters

Wonderful experience

We saw so many manatees on our tour! It was super enjoyable and our guide was well informed, super pleasant and fun. Make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen. It’s super hot - and the sun is unrelenting. I wore lightweight hiking pants and large brimmed hat. Glad I did! Took my 16 year old son - and it was a nice break from city of Orlando.

Avoid Viator at all costs...learn from me

What a disappointment Viator is. When a call was made to verify our reservation I told them I had covid. They said not to worry and I wouldn't be charged. After I felt better I randomly checked my debit card and...yes...they (Viator) debited my account for the whole amount. Their site specifically states there is no charge if reservations are cancelled. I have made several calls to the main office and was told I would have a refund. After a week there was no refund so After many calls and explanations by me they refused to reimburse me. Furthermore they did not have permission to use my card...especially since I never gave it to them. Anyone out there have any suggestions?

Great trip

Our guide Lucas was awesome! Had a great time. Really took care of my daughters and me. Highly recommend!

Fantastic tour

The gentleman leading the tour k ow what he was on about and very friendly. Luckily he only had two of us on the tour and we could go at our own pace. We saw a few Manatees come to the surface for a breath and playing a bit of Marko Polo with us. Would highly recommend

No-show

Didn’t show up. Drove one hour to the meeting point. Called multiple times. Eventually called me to say “we cancelled for the week due to a family emergency” but I never got any notification. Even rented a car to get to this remote location. Another quite said the same thing happened the day before- another guest got abandoned. He did refund my payment. But I lost 2 hours travel time and cost of transportation.

Great experience!

Our guide Sue took us to the nicest places in Blue Spring State Park. It was a relaxing kayak tour with lots of wildlife (yes! manatees!). We really had a wonderful time!

Absolutely wonderful

We hat a great time yesterday. It was a sunny day, we saw a lot of alligators and birds and also some manatees. The area is astonishing and absolutely beautiful, peaceful. Ou guide was great. She was fun and knew a lot about everything. We searched in many spots for the manatees. She took nice pictures of me and my sons and gave us great advice where go to eat afterwards. In the evening before the tour I received a WhatsApp message with the exact location and hours.

We had a great time!

We can't say enough good things about our guide Sue! She was great and made the tour all that much more fun. My wife, 7 year old daughter and I had a very enjoyable time. We saw manatees, alligators and many various birds and fish. Great way to spend a few hours in the outdoors.

Live the experience not just check it off on your to-do list.

Bill and his wife took us on the Blue Springs Manatee 3 hour excursion. It was super. Good teachers and gave us plenty of time with the manatees. Loved kayaking in dense swamp land too. Hope Bill will send a few of the pictures he took. He recommended that he hold our phones securely for safety. This of course made us live in the moment and enjoy the experience more. But A few pictures would be a great memento as there were no post cards for our wonderful experience

Great to exploring the river with Sue lots of alligators and manatees

We had an amazing day. Sue was our tour guide and boy was she on top of everything! We started with a instructional safety guide and got right into it. She was amazing took us right to where the manatees are. They are starting to migrate out of the warmer waters so we saw a few and then she took us down several inlets with lots of alligators and turtles, So Much Fun, and lots of birds which Sue knew the species! She knew lots of history of the area. It was such a fun tour and great exercise. I had never kayaked before and she instructed me how to do it properly. I was in a tandem with my husband. Thank you, Sue a wonderful day on the river highly recommend!

Recommend this tour

This was an amazing time and I highly recommend this tour! We enjoy natural activities and beauty that Florida has to offer!

Lower your expectations

I recently went on a tour that was advertised as a "Kayaking with Manatees" experience, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. The main disappointment was the water quality; it was so dark and murky that we couldn't see anything, let alone any manatees. This was particularly disappointing because the photos used to advertise the tour showed clear water and happy interactions with manatees, which did not align with our actual experience. Despite the lackluster conditions, our guide was excellent. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and did her best to make the most of the situation. However, it's clear that the tour's name is misleading. Given that we only spotted one manatee and the overall experience was not as advertised, I feel that the tour should be titled more accurately, perhaps as a "Birds, Alligators, and Maybe a Manatee Tour." Considering the cost of the tour, I would not recommend it. If you're specifically looking to kayak with manatees, you're likely to be disappointed. However, if you're interested in birdwatching and seeing alligators, this tour might be more suitable.

Great kayak. Lots of manatees !!

Bill and his wife Gina were very informative and fun. We saw lots of manatees , fish , birds, and gators ! You are in direct sun and on the water the whole time so sunscreen and protective clothing and a sun hat are a must ! But a great way to see some of these amazing animals up close. Take this tour !!!

Great trip

Great trip with Jimi, very knowledgable guide. Saw lots of wildlife, alligators, turtles snakes, many bird species and manatees!!

A must do if you’re in the area.

Bill our guide was great very friendly and knowledgeable. We saw a small alligator, several turtles and birds and most importantly 15 or more manatees and a few came up right next to our kayak. It was thrilling!

Awesome day kayaking at Blue Spring State Park

This was an absolutely incredible experience. Gina was a superb guide. We saw manatee swimming under our kayak and got close to them feeding. We saw alligators and so many different birds. Unbelievable. Will remember this day for a very long time.

Great tour!

Bill and Gina were just great. We got to see quite a lot and we were very happy and pleased with the 2 of them leading us and with the tour itself. Thank-you from Sudbury, Ontario Canada

Great day on the water

Bill was an awesome guide! Saw all sorts of wildlife including manatee and gators. Felt like we moved at our own pace and were able to enjoy the beautiful day.

Ten out of ten!!

Unbelievable afternoon with our amazing guide Gina!! Manatees snoozing and playing! Gators being gators! We felt like part of the biome :) Perfect tour for our family, we learned a lot and laughed even more! Highly recommend! Gina is the bomb!

Highly Recommend

Highly recommend the manatee kayak experience. Our guide Gina was very pleasant, friendly, kind, and knowledgeable. We did not feel rush, and we were pleased to see the manatees, but also all kinds of birds, and several alligators and turtles. Definitely worth experiencing!!

Gina was awesome

Gina was so fun. We saw manatees and alligators ! Would definitely do again and recommend this to everyone.

A amazingly fun afternoon!

This was an absolutely amazing adventure. As a first time kayak, I was a bit nervous and anxious before actually getting on the water. That all changed upon meeting our guide, Bill. He gave a quick rundown on how to kayak what we would be doing and what we would be seeing. We saw lots and lots of manatees, several gators sunning themselves on the riverbank, and many different types of birds. It was a very nice, relaxing, kicked back tour. Bill made it a wonderful, wonderful afternoon. I cannot wait to do it again.

Do It! Well worth the money!

Our guide Bill was simply amazing. He was funny and very knowledgeable! We saw Manatees, Gators, Eagle, Turtles, too many birds to name. We learned a lot and shared great conversation with him.

Fantastic Experience, Would Recommend to Anyone!

My wife and I had the pleasure of going on a manatee tour guided by Bill, who was incredibly nice, knowledgeable and personable. This experience was quite possibly our favorite activity we’ve ever done in Florida! The section of river/springs that we went to was largely tranquil and calm, with tons of unique wildlife to see, and it was incredibly easy to spot and steer our kayaks close to the manatees at the edge of the spring. We even had a manatee swim up between my wife and I to check out the kayaks! This encounter never takes you out too far, and Bill was more than accommodating if we needed to take any breaks for any reason. Bill is obviously very passionate and respectful of the wildlife and environment as a whole, and we’ve not got a single critique of this experience to give. We can’t wait to come back to Sanford and explore more!

Book it! You won't regret

This was an amazing experience. Bill and Gina were wonderful. Both were friendly, informative, funny and just overall amazing guides. Our whole group had such a great time, we learned a lot and had an experience unlike any other. Thank you Bill and Gina!

Great family outing

Sue was our guide and she was awesome! It ended up just being our party of 4 for the tour. Sue was very good about making g sure we were safe and helped instruct us on the best way to navigate with the kayaks. Even though we didn't see any manatees it was a great outing and we will definitely book again.

Amazing trip

Such a great tour with Gina! We saw a lot of wild life and manatees in a beautiful location. Gina was very knowledgeable and familiar with the river, and we learned a lot. We highly recommend!

Great tour to see the wildlife of Florida and especially manatees!

Already in advance we were contacted where we were told the exact meeting place. When we arrived at this, we were already greeted with a nice smile and a warm atmosphere. After a short briefing we were put directly into the kayak and off we went. On the way we saw many birds, as well as an alligator, several manatees and last but not least turtles. The guides, Gina and Bill, were each able to add some good expertise.

Manatees and wildlife were awesome!

The tour was great! Gina told us she would do her best to find manatees even though we were there off season for the larger numbers of manatees, and she was patiently looking for the signs of them. We ended up seeing several manatees along with lots of other wildlife. Definitely recommend!

Recommend

Gina and Bill were wonderful guides. We really enjoyed the kayaking tour. We did see manatees. The water was tea colored but clear. The river was beautiful.

One of the best parts of our holiday

We went on this tour on a weekday morning and ended up getting a personal tour as we were the only ones booked on. Our tour guide was Gina who was very friendly and knowledgeable about the manatees, and she was just as excited to find them as we were. We managed to see a small group of manatees, including two babies, so we were very lucky. This tour has been one of the best parts of our holiday and we would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Great manatee paddle tour with Gina

My husband and I had a phenomenal time on a 3 hr paddle tour in Blue Spring just north of Orlando. Gina, our guide, was incredibly caring and knowledgeable. She helped us navigate other activities in Orlando on our vacation as well! One thing to call out is taking this tour in summer does not guarantee a manatee encounter (more of them there in winter as far as I understand). Gina looked for them tirelessly and we saw several of these amazing creatures both in dark water and in the spring. But it is a bit of a wild card. Tour was amazing and well thought out! Highly recommend!

Manatee kayaking adventure

Recently went on the manatee experience at Blue Spring Park with my son and daughter and had an awesome experience. Saw several manatees and a few alligators along with other wildlife. And were lucky to see some of the manatees in the clear spring water. The manatees will swim right up to and under the kayak. So you get to see them up close. Paddling through the clear spring water was amazing. In addition to the manatees swimming around there were a ton of fish. Our guide Gina was excellent and very knowledgeable about the wildlife. She knew all the hot spots in the area where the manatees hang out. She was very passionate about the manatees. Overall it was a very memorable experience.

Great tour, but temper your expectations on seeing manatees. The title/description feel a bit misleading

Jimi was a great guide. Texted us ahead of time and made sure we showed up to the right spot. I think titling the tour "Manatee Encounters" with the sense that this isn't the right time of year / not the right location feels like a bit of a bait on the company's part...it might have been nicer just to have the expectation coming in that it's a general nature kayaking tour. Nonetheless we had a ton of fun and learned a lot about the local flora/fauna. Wear a hat, sunscreen, long sleeves and long pants (that you can get wet) recommended so you don't burn. Be ready for a mildly strenuous workout

Kayaking Fun

This was such a great experience, especially for a novice. Our tour guide was Sue, she was amazing, friendly and very involved in guiding us.

Perfect Paddle with Gina

What a beautiful spot! We also got a break in the weather, the temperature was just right. But most of all...our guide Gina was spectacular! She was the perfect combination of knowledgeable and friendly and funny! Pointed out so much wildlife including a ton of birds, some alligators and a bunch of manatees! Thank you Gina!

Day of fun and manatees with Sue

Sue is an excellent guide!!! Her knowledge of the manatees, wildlife, river and area is second to none. Or party of seven had a blast kayaking the Wekiwa River with her. 2+ hours of fun and information. The whole family recommends this tour and Sue. Plus we had four separate sightings of manatees and much more. Sue really did her homework before taking us out!

Loved the tour

Loved the tour. We saw manatees, birds, alligators. The nature on the river is beautiful. Sue was a great guide. She knows the river well.

We were able to see...

We were able to see manatees and alligators with bill allowing us to set the pace and explore ourselves

A fantastic experience in a beautiful and relaxing area!

We had a great time and enjoyed every minute! Bill was the perfect tour guide and gave us many informations about the wildlife. We saw aligators, lots of different birds and a manatee mother with her baby! An experience to remember! Thanks a lot for everything!

Poor communication between Viator and tour operator & poor response to complaint

Jimi from Orlando Manatee Encounters was very professional and knowledgable, and made our 3 hours on the river quite enjoyable. Nevertheless, the fact that we had to use a full day to go on this excursion instead of the planned half day was the killer of the experience. The operator changed the meeting point for the excursion the day before the excursion, and tried to contact us by calling my cell. I have blocked unknown callers so did not receive this phone call. No additional effort was made from tour operator or most importantly from Viator, with whom we contracted the tour. We arrived 30 minutes ahead of the requested meeting time and called Viator to be sure we were at the right place. Viator said they contacted the tour operator, and related to us that they would be arriving any minute to meet us. I was given the tour operator phone number grudgingly by Viator, so I would have it just in case. Twenty minutes later (10 min before the scheduled meeting time) I called the tour operator only to find out they were launching the tour from another location 30 minutes away by car, and that we would not be able to make our tour. The tour operator tried to rectify their wrong by offering us a tour 3 hours later, which we took, and which also meant we spent the whole day on this, instead of having the afternoon for another activity We contacted Viator and requested a compensation for messing up our schedule: We were told our complaint would be "escalated" but here we are, 3 days after the fact, with no effort from their part to establish any communication. It is the last time I contract a tour with Viator

Good way to spend a fun active day

The guides were great! Super friendly and made sure everyone was comfortable and had what they needed to have a great time. Snacks were yummy. Thanks for taking and sharing pix from our adventure. Sad we did not see any manatees however.

Incredible wildlife and loads of fun! 😀

Amazing opportunity to see wildlife up close and in its natural environment. During our 3 hour paddle through the Blue Spring Park area, we saw alligators, manatees and so many species of birds up close! Our guide, Gina, was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. It was a joy to spend the morning with her. Our family took two tandem kayaks with our two children - aged 9 and 11. It was perfect. Highly recommend this magnificent tour! We cannot say enough positive things!

Great guide!

Great trip and good guide. Jimi was knowledgeable and fun. Would recommend. Although we did not see any manitees, we did see an abundance of wildlife and Jimi was very knowledgeable about the different flora and fauna.

Awesome kayaking experience!

Our favorite part of this was all the great manatees we saw as well as the beautiful wildlife all around. Our guide Gina was super! She knew all the great spots to see the wildlife and was funny and friendly. Definitely will be going back and asking for her in the future.

Breath taking, magical, and so worth it

Gina was amazing! So knowledgeable and truly LOVES nature. All the equipment was provided and the water is calm and easy to navigate for any experience level. The manatees themselves were AMAZING! Truly a unreal experience that will never be forgotten.

Kayaking

My husband & me went on the kayak trip & really enjoyed the scenic river. We saw lots of herons & alligators. I would recommend this trip. Gina was a great guide.

Best experience!!!

One of the most amazing experiences we’ve had in nature. Saw many manatee and were able to get into the water with them—they swam up to us!! Mom w/juvenile and a baby. Saw amazing wildlife:turtles, birds, and fish!!! Jimi our guide was nothing short of fabulous, educating us on the animal life as well as well as the flora and fauna were were surrounded by. He took time and was so kind and generous with all of us—taking us to every point of interest and teaching us so much. We loved every second. This is a tour you do not want to miss.

Amazing Manatee Encounter

Had the perfect day on the water with my guide Gina. The tour ended up being a solo trip as another couple switched to the afternoon session. She was determined to make sure I saw manatees and she definitely delivered. I had an incredible encounter with 2 playful manatees and got some great pictures as well. I would absolutely take this trip again if I return to the area. It was a memorable day.

Manatees and Clear Springs!

GINA IS THE BEST! Had an amazing time kayaking and swimming in the springs! Would definitely recommend this tour and specifically Gina as a guide she was awesome and so knowledgeable