Mangrove Tunnels & Mudflats KAyak Tour

Naples - Marco Island

QUICK DETAILS

Price: $65/adult - $55/children <12

Capacity: 1 - 12 Paddlers

Duration: 2.5 - 3 Hours

Launch Times: 9:00AM & 12:30PM Daily (12:30PM tour CLOSED May- Oct)

Launch Site: Isle of Capri Paddlecraft Park

Tour Partner: Rising Tide Explorers

Paddle through Florida’s MAngroves and discover its Wildlife!

Join the active local biologists of Rising Tide Explorers for an adventure through the Rookery Bay Reserve at the start of the 10,000 islands. Paddle to beautiful mangrove tunnels, teeming mudflats, and intricate oyster reefs while searching for amazing wildlife like sea stars, large snails, birds, dolphin and manatee! Have your choice of single or tandem kayak for the journey. Tandem kayaks are great for families with small children. Conditions vary, and usually consist of calm, waist-deep water and sunshine! Perfect for the first-time paddler and the pro.

Every day is different in the estuary, and adventures at higher tides allow us to spend more time winding through beautiful mangrove tunnels, while lower tides give us access to shallow mudflats that host a diverse community of unique benthic critters for us to find!  Most days give us the opportunity to explore both, and our experts are always available to help identify the day and launch time that’s best for you and your family, ensuring that you get the most out of your adventure into this incredible place with a real local science professional as your guide.  Get out and explore the backwaters of Southwest Florida with the experts! Book your tour today!

Tours Launch from the Isle of Capri Paddlecraft Park located on the corner of Collier Blvd and Capri Blvd. Just 5 minutes from Marco Island and 30 minutes or less from anywhere in Naples!

FREE HD photography included with every tour!

*A $10 Parking Pass or current Collier County Beach Parking Sticker is required for vehicles parking at the Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park to avoid the potential of receiving a parking ticket from Collier County

    • Water

    • Sun Protection

    • Bug Spray

    • Snacks

    • Hat & Other Sun Protection

    • Water Shoes

    • Binoculars

    • Cash for Gratuity

  • The mudflats are teeming with life! On high tide we’ll be in search of wading birds, dolphin, and maybe even manatee in the summer months as we wind through the labyrinth of mangrove tunnels. Lower tides give us access to the mudflats where we often encounter giant marine snails, sea stars, urchins, upside down jellies, batfish, and much more!

    • Please arrive 30 minutes before scheduled launch time so we can get fitted with PFDs and kayaks before we launch. Tours depart from the Capri Paddlecraft Park and there is a restroom on site. Our trip will depart rain or shine as long as conditions are safe, and our biologist guides will evaluate the conditions before departure to ensure a safe and comfortable trip. Looking forward to meeting you and having a great adventure!!

    • Our guides work extremely hard to give our fellow explorers the best experience possible. Not required but always appreciated, we recommend gratuity based on the quality of service you received*

View fullsize Masked Marvel in the Mangroves! This amazing encounter is a reminder of the diverse wildlife that thrives in the unique ecosystem of the mangroves. Our kayak tours offer a front-row seat to this hidden world, allowing you to witness the wonders of
View fullsize Look at the pure joy on this kayaker's face as she holds a magnificent Florida horse conch! Here's what you might not know about the Florida horse conch: These guys are real survivors &ndash; they've been around for millions of years! Their spiraled
View fullsize Our Bioloigist guides sometimes go below the kayaks for awesome creatures such as this variegated sea #urchin, otherwise known as the 'decorator urchin' which is an #echinoderm that uses shell and leaves to create camouflage! #RisingTideFL #naplesfl
View fullsize Look at these smiles! This amazing family is creating memories that will last a lifetime on a guided kayak tour with Rising Tide Explorers , led by Naples &amp; Marco Island's only biologist guides! Exploring the hidden mangrove tunnels and teeming
View fullsize
View fullsize We never tire of seeing these amazing birds. Did you know that when baby White Ibises hatch their bills are straight? Their bills don't start to curve downward until they are 14 days old? Who is &quot;Sebastian the Ibis?&quot; Let us know in the comm
View fullsize What are the benefits of children being outdoors? Playing outdoors allows children to develop self-confidence, independence and self-esteem. They also become aware of limits, boundaries and challenges. When children are used to playing outdoors, they
View fullsize Several hermit crab species can be found in Southwest Florida, but our favorite is the giant hermit crab. They grow to be massive, &amp; their bodies are a red color. Hermit crabs utilize different empty shells throughout their lifetime and this on
View fullsize Lunch is served! Loads of nutrition in this Sea Squash and our guides know just where to find them! Enjoy this delicacy while exploring the beautiful backwaters of Rookery Bay! #RisingTideFL #ecotours #naplesflorida #marcoislandflorida #Biologistgu
View fullsize More news about our amazing biologist guides! Meet Celina and Susannah! Learn how they are advocating for Florida's ecosystems. Check out this blog on our website website. https://www.risingtidefl.com/blog/ #RisingTideFL #westernevergladesrestorat
View fullsize At Rising Tide Explorers, safety is our top priority. That's why we're thrilled to share that two of our amazing kayak tour guides, Derek and Christy, recently participated in a &quot;Suddenly in Command&quot; training class with Rookery Bay's Team O
View fullsize Watch in awe as your biologist guide teaches you about the wonders of the estuary as the birds come to life at Rookery Bay&rsquo;s famous Bird Rookery Islands, home to hundreds of nesting birds. Book your Sunset Bird Rookery Boat boat or kayak tour a
View fullsize Rookery Bay NERR and Audubon Florida are offering a FREE Workshop Series for environmental-based tourism companies and their guides who would like to learn more about conserving our unique environments in SW Florida. Scan QR code to register.
View fullsize What was the coolest part of your spring break to Naples, FL this year? Easy! Holding a MASSIVE Lightening Whelk while on an educational kayak tour through the mangroves and to the mudflats with the biologist guides of Rising Tide Explorers! These
View fullsize Ever feel like you're being watched? A recent tour was full of surprises, even if our kayakers didn't realize it at the time! Two curious dolphins keeping pace just behind our unsuspecting adventurers. Dolphins are incredibly intelligent and social
 

Capri Paddlecraft Park

$10 PARKING PASS:

Collier County has imposed new parking fees for the Capri Paddlecraft Park.  Vehicles that do not have a current Collier County Beach Parking Sticker will be required to purchase a $10 Parking Pass from the ticketing machine upon arrive at the park to be displayed on the dashboard of your vehicle.  Vehicles without a sticker or parking pass are subject to receiving a parking ticket from Collier County.  We encourage larger parties to carpool and/or use vehicles with a Beach Parking Sticker to avoid this fee.  

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RENTALS - Naples & Marco Island

Explore on your own with half-day, daily, and multiday kayak, paddleboard, Hobie PedalDrive Kayak, fishing kayak, and touring kayak rentals! Pickup at our shop or FREE DELIVERY to local launch sites & homes. We’ll do all the heavy lifting!