Reservations canceled five calendar days prior to your Tour, Charter or Rental arrival date will receive a full refund less the booking fee of 4%.  Any Tour, Charter, or Rental canceled by River Safaris or River Ventures due to inclement weather or other conditions beyond our control shall receive a 100% refund.

Reservations canceled less than the time period or conditions outlined above will be offered a chance to reschedule (based on availability) or receive a voucher for the Tour, Charter, or Rental for the full amount paid. 

All ages are welcome on our swim with manatee tours; however, parties with children under 3 years old MUST book a PRIVATE TOUR and include the child in your passenger count as Coast Guard even counts infants as a passenger and our boats are rated to hold a specific number of passengers. In order to participate, you should be comfortable in the water, and parents must stay close to their children at all times for safety, and to help them remain calm and quiet. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Remember, wearing a wetsuit not only helps to keep you warm but also helps you to stay buoyant. We also carry foam swim noodles on our boats for a little extra buoyancy. Even though you are invited to swim with the manatees, we actually just float on top of the water and snorkel with manatees which does not require much actual swimming!

Our boats are moored on the manatee refuge. This means no long boat rides to your swim destination. You can't get any closer than we are. This is especially important as it does not take away from your swim time.

With that said, keep in mind that these are wild animals that move about and can sometimes be elusive depending on many factors. We never know how long it will take to find them from day to day or exactly how much riding will be involved to have a chance to swim with them. Typical rules are that during warm weather we will have to ride longer looking, and when it is very cold we have the least amount of riding because they will be in multiple locations with a bit more predictability.  Our Captains do this every day, so even in times of tough conditions, they will do their best to find animals efficiently.

River Ventures tour prices are all-inclusive. Your wetsuit, gear, parking, captain, guide, and even bottled water is included in your price. You will have the option to leave gratuities or purchase photo packages after your tour, but there are no other fees associated with your tour after booking. 

We have wetsuits for both Children and Adults and in sizes up to 5x. We do require that you wear a wetsuit when you snorkel with the manatees as they help you stay warm, 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. You of course can choose to bring your own gear if you would feel more comfortable. If bringing your own gear, please remember that we are only snorkeling in the shallow water, not diving, so advanced diving gear is not necessary.

All of our boats are equipped with complete roof overs and have clear vinyl glass enclosures that can be rolled down during cold weather. These features make for a comfortable ride to and from the swim areas, especially during cold winter days. Our boats do not have bathrooms on board, but in case of emergency, the docks are not very far away.

Yes, we do offer discounts for large groups. Please contact us by phone to reserve discounted group tours or help find the best deal for you. You can reach us daily from 6 AM EST until 5 PM EST by calling 352-564-8687.

Yes, manatees are protected under both the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Both the State of Florida and the U.S. Federal Government oversee the protection of the manatee. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) and the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) have laws in place to ensure the safety of the manatees. These laws are strictly enforced and must be followed by everyone who enters the water. Upon arrival at our center, we will have you watch a movie covering the do’s and don’ts and will go over the rules with you so that you are fully aware of the guidelines when you swim with the manatees. You can view these rules by clicking here.

Please remember that manatees are an endangered species and that our tours are conducted in their own natural environment. The manatees are not contained to any specific area of the refuge and are free to come and go as they please. No two days are ever the same. Weather, tidal influences, and time of year affect the conditions daily and it can never be predicted just how many manatees you will see. During the colder winter months, we have the largest concentration of manatees however because we have a unique ecosystem that is a prime habitat for manatees, we have a resident population that stays with us year-round. These resident populations of manatees that make Crystal River their yearlong home are the ones that we are able to swim with during the warmer summer months.

Remember we are guests in the home of these endangered animals. It is a privilege to share their natural habitat and imperative that we treat them with respect. This is not a petting zoo, and no one can ever EXPECT to touch a manatee; however, sometimes the animals touch us. If a manatee engages with you, legally we are allowed one open-hand touch, but at River Ventures and Safaris we try to encourage passive observation as we have found the less you touch these animals the longer they will hang out with us! There is an evolution in this Industry to a more animal-friendly environment, and we are doing all we can to lead the charge!  

Yes! We always welcome observers. You can often see the manatees from the boat and sometimes they get close enough to the boat that you can reach down and touch them. Bring your cameras and binoculars and enjoy the surroundings of the refuge. However, we are limited by the number of seats we have, so if you’d like to ride along and observe, please book yourself a seat as well!

Very rarely do we cancel due to poor weather conditions, we do tours rain or shine! We are located right along the coast in a small, protected Bay, so many times storms will move through quickly and have little effect on our tours. There are times, during heavy rain, lightning, or winds that we may postpone a group and wait for the storm to pass. When this happens, we take the postponement into consideration so that it doesn’t take away from your tour experience and try to give you the time that you paid for. We do all that we can to deliver a great experience! If we cancel, you are always offered a full refund or the option to reschedule. If the conditions make you uncomfortable (but will still choose to run) you will have the option to reschedule or get gift certificates to come back and see us when conditions are better. If large storms are approaching, oftentimes we will call the day before to update and give our visitors options, this is why dependable contact info is so important. If at any time you are concerned, please give us a call! We are at the mercy of Mother Nature… This is Florida, weather changes quickly and oftentimes forecasts turn out to be incorrect, so no worries!

NO, at River Ventures we stopped using fins nearly 6 years ago and are leading a charge toward a more 'animal-friendly environment. Typically we are in 4 to 6 feet of water, and we have no need to chase the animals, so fins are really overkilled. Fins encourage the kicking of people, and animals and also stir up the bottom destroying visibility. We find we do much better without them and we try not to overcomplicate this relaxed experience!! 

Yes, we do allow dogs on our PRIVATE manatee tours. However, there are a few things to consider before bringing your furry friend along for the ride.

1. A PRIVATE tour is REQUIRED.

2. Your dog and a human supervisor must remain on the boat at all times during the tour.

3. If your dog is disruptive to the wildlife or destructive to the boat, you and your dog will be immediately returned to the dock with no refund.

4. Dogs will not be allowed on board without advanced notice. Please call River Ventures 352-564-8687 to book your adventure if you’d like to bring your furry friend along.

5. Dogs are NOT allowed on scallop or airboat tours.

Three Sisters Springs is managed by US Fish and Wildlife who reserves the right to close the area to swimmers at any time. We may or may not be able to access this one acre spring during your tour. However, our experienced crew will take you to the best location available during your tour, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience.

At River Ventures we strive to provide every guest with an unforgettable experience on our Swim with the Manatee Tours. However, manatees are wild animals in their own natural habitat with constantly changing conditions. River Ventures offers an optional, manatee guarantee upgrade with each tour.

The Manatee Guarantee upgrade takes the risk out of your tour by guaranteeing that you’ll have the opportunity to swim with manatees. If you are unable to swim with manatees during your tour, we will fully refund you.

Please note: the Manatee Guarantee does not cover situations where a guest is unable or unwilling to participate in the activity or fails to adhere to instructions and rules given by River Ventures crew.