We rented kayaks instead of doing the guided tours in late August. Everything went smoothly; overall, we're very happy with Aardvarks. The kayaks we got for the day were wonderful & not cheap/uncomfortable like the ones most kayak rental places give you. We kept on getting compliments from strangers about our rental kayaks. Matt & Susan of Aardvarks were so nice and helpful. It's always great to deal with businesses that are passionate about what they do. Their shop is fully stocked with everything you need before getting on the river. Aardvarks sell really nice kayaks & stand-up paddle boards. For party of 6 or more, call the store for a group rate. read more

Aardvarks Florida Kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me

SPOT ON Kayak Training! I've been doing recreational kayaking in Kentucky for several years. After moving to the area / new environment, I thought it would be a good idea to receive some formal training & I'm so glad I did! I attended two classes: Intro to Kayaking & the Kayak Safety and Rescue classes. Intro to Kayaking: I quickly learned there was a lot more than just simply jumping into your kayak! Important things like; How to get in/out of your kayak without looking like a dummy! How to correctly hold & use your paddle (your arms will thank you!); and different paddling techniques (that will help you in various situations). Kayak Safety and Rescue: This class is a must for anyone who kayaks! Not only do you learn how to help yourself, you learn how to help your fellow kayakers! I HIGHLY recommend both classes. Aardvark's instructor (Matt) is an experienced kayaker & Eco Tour Guide - and a OUTSTANDING (and patient) instructor. I feel more confident with my new kayaking skills and can't wait to explore the area! read more

I went on a Sunday morning kayak tour with Aardvarks recently. It was a well-run trip to a great location. It gave me a chance to see some of natural Florida that as a tourist I was likely to miss. Aaardvark is a small but well-stocked business with a large number of different types of rental kayaks. They are eager to get visitors on the water and will set you up with a trip that is sure to please. Get out of your car, get in a boat, see Florida. read more

this is one of the few Kayak stores in Citrus County. They have some sweet Kayaks but they are very expensive. They have a good supply​ of other gear. I bought a seat for my Kayak that clips on ​my seat. It is so comfortable and very well made. I bought a paddle and some anchors. The owners are expert kayakers and very friendly. They hold classes for beginners and advance kayakers. read more

Mike and his wife Pat are wonderful people but be warned their tours aren't for people that aren't respectful of nature. We had a wonderful kayak tour on Dec 8th of the springs to see the manatees. Mike is on the board of Save the Manatee so you know he's very protective of them. The kayaks we had were beautiful and performed great--I've never seen a rental place with such great looking equipment. The price was fantastic for what amounted to a private 3 hour tour and 10% goes to Save the Manatee. They had a great welcome packet of coupons, gifts, and stickers and afterwards we used one for two 99 cent ice cream cones next door. read more

Great place to take a stand up paddle board tour in the Crystal River area. They have both kayaks and stand up paddle boards. They are a full service shop with sales, rentals, tours and lessons. Matt is a great guide focused on ecotourism. read more

Having just returned from a week of paddling in the Crystal River area of Florida with our kayaking group from Upstate New York, I can not say enough good things about Aardvark"s Florida Kayak Company. Matt & Susan bent over backward to accommodate our group from providing quality sit - in kayaks,meeting us with their equipment in several different locations and best of all they provided a guided tour of areas we did not even know existed. If you are looking for a trouble free experience, quality equipment and guided tours, do yourself a favor and give Aardvarks a call, you will not be disappointed. read more

My girlfriend and I took a Eco-tour Kayak trip to see the manatees on our Florida vacation at the end of October. Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company was recommended by the Save the Manatee club's website and that organization had a great article about Matt and Sue the Aardvark Florida Kayak company's tour operators. They were both so pleasant and kind on the phone and in person when we got there. They seemed to be the best eco-friendly, manatee friendly operators I could find reading about the different tour operators online when planning our trip. We had the best time when we got to Aardvark's. Sue gave the best and most informative instructions and wonderful information about the manatees and the tour company when I booked our trip over the phone. In person Matt and Sue are even more friendly and helpful as well. We followed Matt to the launch area which is just down the street from Aardvark's and we got a very informative and instructive tutorial on how to properly paddle, enter and exit the kayaks and how to steer and maneuver the kayaks when in the water. Then we set off. We had the greatest weather and the best scenery we could find in the Bay near Crystal River. The water was pretty clear and Matt was very informative and educational in explaining how the different Florida Aquifers and springs make up the local water habitats and how and what the local wildlife like to eat and how they behave and interact and so forth. We got to see numerous birds and even Bald eagles on our kayak tour. We also got to observe the manatee's in a safe fashion where we let them approach us if they would like and to not disturb their natural behavior. The manatees would surface and slowly they made it towards our direction and we were slowly and eventually surrounded by a few here and a few there. We traveled along the Bay and Matt had a wealthy treasure chest of knowledge on the local environment's habitat, flora and fauna and the different interactions between everything. We kayaked all over the bay and manatees would show up right next to us and under us and they were so beautiful to see. My girlfriend and I love how Matt and Sue are very concerned with protecting the Manatees and their environment. While kayaking, however we did see other tour operators of snorkel and swim and dive groups in the water nearby where they seemed to not be following the same rules in observe without disrupting which was shocking and disgusting in some ways. They didn't seem to have the same care or concern for the animals and wildlife and manatees as did Aardvarks did. They were definitely not just observing without trying to disturb the manatees. I can't believe the other tour operators would not want to protect the treasures they have in the manatees and other wildlife like Aardvark does. We hope that more people will see that they can enjoy the manatees just as much from above the surface of the water than under the surface touching them and so what. That is what attracted us to Aardvark's since the Save the Manatee club did an article on how they are real care takers of the environment and manatees and provide eco-friendly tours. They are the company you should go with first in our opinions. That is why we will definitely recommend all of our family and friend to take a kayak tour with Matt or Sue from Florida kayak's company if they are ever in FL and we will do the same if we ever make it back. We only wish we could have spent more time kayaking and we thank Matt for such a great day on the water. We only wish it lasted longer because it was the best part of our week trip to Florida, since the kayak trip was more fun and better than Disney or Universal together. Thanks Matt and Sue for a great day viewing the real beauty that Florida has to offer, its nature and wildlife. read more

Aardvark's worked with our out of State kayak group for almost a year to help coordinate our plans and make our trip a huge success. They have top of the line kayaks and were extremely accommodating and professional, while also being social and friendly. We consider them our good Floridian friends. We have used their services for two years now and extremely happy all around! Thanks to Matt and Susan! read more