Dolphin & Manatee Kayaking Tour
Haulover Canal
Kayaking with Florida Manatees and Dolphins – near Space Center (Titusville, FL) – Best tour for Beginners
New Early tour times starting at 7am. Click here for times and dates.
This is one of the most amazing eco-tour experiences you can have – anywhere! And we have it right here in the Orlando area for our guests. The manatees in Florida love the warm waters of the Indian River. They laze the day away in the coves and lagoons of this brackish estuary. Kayak with us (quietly) into their little paradise, and you will feel the essence of these mythical gentle giants. Thought to be the original mermaids, manatees, (sea cows) seem to awaken something spiritual in those who come into close contact with them. Feel the magic in their presence as the come up along your kayak to curiously check out who this new sea creature (you) is! Manatees are friendly and curious. They like to get to know our guests.
We ask our kayakers to take as many photos and videos as they like, but to be quiet and not try to touch the manatees. It is important to respect their environment and not disturb them. But don’t be surprised if you get a splash or a spray as they come up for air!
Please read – How to paddle with manatees before going on the tour.
What is included
- Kayak This tour is in a 2-person tandem kayak.
- PFD
- Guides
What you should bring
- Insect repellent
- Sunglasses
- Water bottle
- Sunblock
Departure schedule
Daily departures multiple times per day – morning & afternoon. Times vary depending on the seasons. Please take a look at the day on our booking calendar to see possible departure times. Tour must be booked 2 hours before departing.
Weight Limit
415 lbs total for 2-Person Kayak (neither participant should weigh over 250); some participants may need to use the clear kayak as a single person based on weight limits. Additional charge may apply.
Group booking
Private group, school, church or businesses tour is available upon request. Call for more information and rates.
More about the Indian River Wildlife and Manatees
The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary that is fed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean making it a unique natural habitat. Florida has more endangered or threatened species than any other state, and the Indian River is home to 36 rare or endangered wildlife. The West Indian Manatee is one of them. Manatees love this river because of the abundance of seagrass beds.
Other rare wildlife you are likely to see are: Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Loggerhead Turtles, Blue Crabs, Seahorse, Otters and Giant Blue Herons. In the summer months, night tours offer a rare view of glowing seaweed that is “bioluminescent.” Yes – it glows in the dark!
Check tour conditions
Check our Twitter updates to see how the wildlife has been lately on BK Adventure Tours.
Meeting point
Get directions to Haulover Canal here.
Haulover Canal is a beautiful launch site on the Wildlife Refuge. We use this site for our Bioluminescence Kayaking tour, and other tours, like the Sunset Tour. * We rarely have to change the location of your tour, but sometimes we will suggest a location that has better conditions or access for whatever reason. Please remember that our kayaking launch sites are restricted by federal and local government agencies, and sometimes they require us to make last minute changes. The Wildlife Refuge must coordinate with NASA.
Reviews
Write a reviewAbsolutely loved this!! We had captain John and he was absolutely amazing and very personable. There were six kids which would normally be a lot to handle but he was ...
Emma Diel
Absolutely loved this!! We had captain John and he was absolutely amazing and very personable. There were six kids which would normally be a lot to handle but he was great! So much fun we even got to hold some really cool glowing Jellys!! Definitely the highlight of my trip 🙂
My brother came to visit from Alaska, and I was looking for something unique to do. I found BK Adventures online, and had a fantastic experience with Dan on our ...
Abigail Badley
My brother came to visit from Alaska, and I was looking for something unique to do. I found BK Adventures online, and had a fantastic experience with Dan on our private tour.
He was knowledgeable and friendly, taking us through the best spots to see wildlife. We saw several manatee, dolphin, and plenty of birds and even schools of fish jumping along water's surface.
The coolest part was the night portion where Dan was able to lead us to the glowing Jelly combs! Nothing like holding giant glowing boogers in your hand!
It lasted about 3hrs from start to finish, as watched the sunset, and then waited for darkness, to begin looking for these cool luminous creatures!
Thanks for a memorable tour!My 2 friends and I had an amazing experience! It was my first time on a Kayak and was able to conquer my fears! The guides were so friendly and ...
Irma Swords
My 2 friends and I had an amazing experience! It was my first time on a Kayak and was able to conquer my fears! The guides were so friendly and helped me feel safe. It was absolutely gorgeous! I highly recommend this!!! NOTE: Notice the Orb in last picture!
Had a terrific kayak adventure with BK. We did the sunset trip followed by bioluminescence in mid October. We happened to be there on a very chilly day, which was ...
Lisa E. (Peachy in Georgia)
Had a terrific kayak adventure with BK. We did the sunset trip followed by bioluminescence in mid October. We happened to be there on a very chilly day, which was unexpected, but we all made the best of it! We saw a lot of gorgeous birds, manatees, and even dolphins. Magical!
There is still bioluminescence in mid-October, but it’s not as plentiful and bright as what you see mid-summer.
The BK team were well-prepared and all of our equipment and boats were in great condition. The kayaks are for two people, so if you come with an uneven number in your party, someone will get paired up with a stranger.
There are porta potties at the drop-in location. You can go before you get on the boat, and with the double tours there was a snack and bio-break in the middle.
Our family group included one adult (admittedly in not great shape, lol) one senior citizen, and three teenagers and all of us were able to manage the exertion of paddling around for three hours.
If you have little children with you, and they are afraid of the dark, the night time tour would not be a good choice. There were some parts of the tour that were in incredibly dark areas of the water.
I’d love to come back in the summer and see the bioluminescence when it’s at its peak. Thanks BK for an enjoyable evening!
FAQ
Our tours rarely cancel due to weather. If it is raining the day of the tour, chances are, with Florida weather, it will clear up by the time your tour starts. Sometimes we will hold the tour by 30 minutes for the weather to clear. In the case of lightning, high winds, or some other reason that we cannot paddle, we will re-schedule all guests to the very next tour available, or at a convenient time for you. Rainchecks are valid for 1 year.
We recommend you do the "Sunset Tour" if you have time. That way you get to see dolphins, and possibly manatees and all the amazing birds. Then, take a break, and go out for the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour later. It's just $20 more and it's an amazing tour! Click here to book that.
For our single kayaks, the weight limit is 275 lbs. For the tandem kayaks it is 550 lbs. The night kayaking tours are done on tandem kayaks.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, or have small children, you may want to choose the Haulover Canal kayaking location. You may also want to ask about our new rafting options where you join others in the raft for an easy paddle in a big boat.
We like to think so, but we cannot guarantee it. Here are the best conditions: hot weather, right after a rain storm, dark night. Sometimes the night is dark even when the moon is supposed to be bright. Sometimes a barely visible moon occurs on such a clear night, that even the slightest shine makes it seem bright. So, there are many factors that make the bioluminescence more/less visible.
The BEST TIME for glowing algae (dinoflagellates) brightness is usually July to October. But we see it all year round, and in November, we see amazing flashing comb jellies! So, don't miss out because your vacation does not fall during the summer months.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
Lots of people who love kayaking with their dog have asked about this tour. We do not recommend this one for dogs, as it is a night kayaking tour. Maybe chose the manatee tour or the monkey tour instead of bioluminescent kayaking if you want to have a great experience with your favorite pooch!
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of kayaks we can launch at one time. So, we use 2 person tandem kayaks in order to get all of our guests out to see the bioluminescence on the dates they want. That does not mean you will be in a large group. Only 8 boats go out with 2 guide boats at one time.
Because of the limited availability of our equipment, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on.
Check other tours
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Sunset – Bioluminescence Combo – Wildlife Refuge – Titusville
Sunset Kayaking - See Manatees, Dolphins, Flamingoes and More!
On this AMAZING tour, we visit Manatee Central, where you see manatees in their natural habitat. As the sun goes down, the dolphins like to play. In summer you will see bioluminescent sea life glowing after dark. Makes a fun, romantic date!
STAFF PICK - BEST TOUR!
Sunset and Bioluminescence in St. Augustine
⭐ Experience the best Sunset and Bioluminescence kayaking tour in St. Augustine, Florida. See Florida's famous sunset, glowing water and the monuments of St. Augustine lit up at night! This is the only tour of its kind - you see the sights of the Oldest City in America from the point of view of the first settlers to arrive on these shores, Florida wildlife like dolphins and manatees, and bioluminescence.
SUMMER TOURS START at 8PM and 10:30PM (Late Night Bioluminescence)