A bird-eye-view of Blue Spring and the many manatees that inhabit it in the winter month.Manatees showing affection by nuzzling each other.Watch great blue herons hunting for fish.A manatee grazing on pennywort and duckweed.Alligator lounging happily on a falling tree.A sole kayak ready for launch in at French Landing in the early mornings when the dew has not settled yet.Manatee lounging belly up right next to the kayak.A manatee taking a breath and spraying water out of its nostrils.A bald eagle soaring in the sky looking for prey.Baby baby turtle sunning itself on a branch sticking out of the water.Paddle into Snake Creek for a scenic view.Discover Snake CreekCome across beautiful water reflection during your kayak paddle.Find peace and quite on the St. JohnA pair of Roseate Spoonbills - a rare bird species - on the hunt for food.Manatees sharing the spring with other animals.Manatees are curious creatures and like to come check out the kayaks.A curious manatee coming up to the kayak.Manatee swimming in the crystal clear water of Blue Spring.Great blue heron caught with a fish in its beak ready to devour it whole.

Manatee Discovery Tour

Blue Spring State Park, Orange City

Tour Highlights

  • Close Encounter with Manatees
  • Abundant Wildlife Habitat
  • Breathtaking Crystal Clear Spring
  • Fantastic Wildlife Viewing
  • Top Rated Kayak Gear
  • Tasty Trail Snack & Picnic Lunch

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.

Read more …
4 Hours

$80 per person

Season: Year Round
Activity Type: Day Kayak Tours
Difficulty Level: Level rating 2
Solitude Level: Level rating 3
Group Size: 1-8 Guests
Tour Length: 4 Hours
Distance: 8 MI / 12.9 KM

Difficulty Level 2

Scale of 1-5. 1 least difficult; 5 most difficult

SUMMARY OF DIFFICULTY
The paddling trail follows a section of the St. Johns river to the spring with moderate exposure to wind. With a total distance of 8 miles (12.0 km) and a very low flow rate of 0.3 mph (0.13 m/s), it is a solid Level 2 paddle. Due to the length of the trip it is recommended that children paddle with their parent in a double kayak.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Paddling a total distance of 8 miles.
  • Maintaining a speed of approximately 1½-2 mph
  • Moderate wind exposure in sections of the paddle

Solitude Level 3

Scale of 1-5. 1 least solitue; 5 most solitude

We rate this kayak tour a solitude 3. While the spring is a popular hangout spot for locals and tourists alike, we will spend plenty of time on sections of the river not highly populated by other people, where you can enjoy the quiet of nature.

We are here to help. If you have any questions, call us at 407-267-9950 or contact us online.
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Rates


Rates

  • 3-8 people: $80 per person
  • 2 people: $110 per person
  • 1 person: $160

Private tours are only open to your party.

*Prices do not include gratuity for your guide.

Tour Dates & Booking

Tour Dates & Booking

Click on a date to book. You can also call 407-267-9950 to book through customer service

Don’t see your dates? call us!

407-267-9950

Tour Details

Tour Details

What’s 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
  • Trail snacks and a picnic lunch
  • Use of a top of the line kayak gear
  • All required permits and necessary launch fee

What’s Not Included? (Recommended)

  • 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

Food: What To Expect?

Day tours include energizing trail snacks and a delicious picnic lunch. Your guide will customize the food for your tour, but a typical lunch consists of crackers, cheese, salami, fruit, veggies, drinks, and a dessert.

We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.

Tour Logistics

Where do we meet?

You will meet your guide at the boat ramp of French Landing in Orange City.

Manatee Discovery Tour
Sunrise Fishcamp, Hontoon Road, DeLand, FL, USA
Directions

Driving Directions

From Orlando:
Take I-4 East towards Daytona Beach.
Exit 111B toward Orange City.
Follow the signs to Blue Spring State Park.
When you get to the park located on French Ave. PASS THE STATE PARK and continue on French Ave (now a dirt road) until the road ends.

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 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. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.

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.

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 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).

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