Quick Details
The whole boat, the captain and the in-water guide, just for your people.
Private Charter
$ 450.00
The whole boat, just your people
A private tour means the boat, the captain and the in-water guide are yours for three hours, and no one else comes aboard. You set the pace. Want more time with a mother and calf? Stay. Want to stop for the monkeys on the way back? Ask.
It’s the tour our guests choose for anniversaries, birthdays and once-in-a-lifetime family trips, and the one first-timers pick when they want a little more attention in the water.
Discover Manatee Magic – What your trip looks like
Check in, get fitted for wetsuits, and watch the Manatee Manners briefing together. Your captain takes your group to the best manatee water of the day, cuts the engine, and gets you in. Float, watch, and let the manatees come to you. Climb out to hot cocoa or ice water, and ride back with your own personal manatee expert.
Where you’ll meet
Your tour departs from our private docks at 5297 S Cherokee Way in Homosassa, a few miles south of Crystal River. With a private charter, your captain has even more freedom to find the quietest manatee water of the day. You’ll get exact meeting details in your confirmation.
What’s included
- The whole boat for up to 6 guests
- A USCG-licensed captain and in-water guide, just for your group
- Wetsuits (toddler through 5X), masks, snorkels and noodles
- Manatee Manners briefing, filmed with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- Hot cocoa and coffee in cooler months, ice water in warmer months
- A return voucher if no manatees are sighted
Snacks: you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Lunch is included on the 6 Hour PRIVATE Manatee Tour with Dockside Lunch.
Add a photographer: $124.99 per booking. On a private boat, every photo is of your people.
Why Homosassa?
Crystal River is famous, and on a winter weekend it shows. Kings Bay fills with dozens of tour boats, kayaks and paddleboards, all crowding the same few springs. We run our tours on the Homosassa River, just 15 minutes south, where the same Nature Coast manatees gather in spring-fed water with a fraction of the traffic. Fewer boats means calmer manatees, and calmer manatees are the ones that come close. Mothers with calves and resident manatees stay here all year, the springs hold at about 72 degrees, and the monkeys of Monkey Island are right on the way. Our guests who have done both tell us they won’t go back to Crystal River. Same manatees, less crowd, and a whole lot more room to enjoy them.
Is private worth it?
This price is for the whole boat, whether you bring one guest or six. If you’re a group of five or six, do the math against shared seats. It’s often close, and you get the whole boat. If you’re two, it’s the difference between sharing your manatee with strangers and having the river to yourselves.
Good to know
- Ages: 2 and up recommended. If you’re bringing an infant, private is the easy choice.
- Swimming: not required. You float with a noodle. The swim is easy, you’ll never be rushed, and staying on the boat is always fine.
- Tour times: every departure is a good one. Manatees roam all day, so pick the time that fits your day.
- Water: wild river and spring water, about 72 degrees in the springs year-round. The water is clearest from October through April.
- Dogs: welcome on private charters
- More than 6 in your group? Call 352-257-8687 and we’ll set you up with a second boat.
No manatees? Come back.
Our captains find manatees on about 90% of trips, all year. If yours is one of the few, you get a return voucher that never expires. It’s free with a trip protection upgrade!