Get out onto the water in a kayak from Fort Myers to experience the region’s abundant wildlife on these top tours.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
Fort Myers is surrounded by stunning, watery wildernesses including swamps, creeks, the broader Caloosahatchee River’s estuary, which feeds into the Gulf of Mexico, and offshore islands offering a network of sheltered waterways. Each of these spaces offers a unique way to experience Florida’s wild southwest, and these five kayak excursions departing from Fort Myers, plus some of its neighboring cities, are an unbeatable way to get up close and personal with the great outdoors.
Fort Myers Guided Standup Paddleboarding or Kayaking Tour
Three Brothers Boards is a tour group based on Big Hickory Island, nine miles south of Fort Myers Beach. The team offers up this two-hour waterway exploration, which focusses primarily on seeking out the unique and endangered wildlife that is native to Florida, such as manatees, turtles, crabs and dolphins. Kayaking is available, although many visitors give standup paddleboards (aka SUP) a try here, thanks to the guidance provided and calm waters explored. From $65 per person.
(Photo: Viator.com)
Lovers Key Guided Eco Mangrove Estuary Tour
Next to Big Hickory Island is Lovers Key, a pristine state park of sandy-shored islands and mangrove forest. Waterways snake through the mangroves making for a fascinating exploration by kayak. Your guide will offer up a wide array of information, including the local, pre-European history of Native American groups who made the region home, as well as the delicate ecology that has proven so attractive to the creatures that you’re likely to spot from your kayak, including ospreys, pelicans and dolphins. From $67 per person.
Guided Eco Tour from Fort Myers Beach
The longer your kayak tour lasts, the more you’re likely to witness and experience. Delve further into the wilderness surrounding Fort Myers on this three-hour excursion that will see you paddle through beautiful watery landscapes teeming with fascinating birds, plants and marine life. Bald eagles, rays, turtles, manatees and all manner of wading birds are regular sights along this kayaking tour departing from Fort Myers Beach. As with all offerings on this list, all necessary equipment, including life vests, is provided. From $68 per person.
(Photo: Viator.com)
Manatee Kayak Tour from CCP
No natural encounter in Florida is quite so serenely captivating as watching a family of manatees slowly glide through the water searching for food. As the Caloosahatchee Estuary narrows upstream into a river, east of downtown Fort Myers, there are plenty of tributaries and cutoffs that provide safer feeding grounds. These gentle manatees are particularly fascinating to witness from a kayak, where you can observe them from a respectable, yet closer perspective. Please note that this tour departs on Thursdays and Saturdays only. From $79 per person.
Guided Kayak Eco Tour from Bunche Beach
Another extremely popular kayak excursion from around Fort Myers departs from Bunche Beach. Taking in pale sand beaches, dense mangrove forests and shallow bays, your guide on this small-group (max 12 people) excursion will help you to experience a wide range of local habitats and, as a result, increase the likelihood that you’ll spot a variety of wildlife, with dolphins, manatees, spoonbills and much more possibly making an appearance. This tour departs at least once a day. From $80 per person.