We went on a sunset boat tour to see the birds roost on an island leaving from Rookery Bay. We had a great time on this slow two hour tour with our knowledgeable guide exploring the mangroves and birdwatching. The sunset was absolutely beautiful and seeing all the birds come to roost was just amazing. It got very very buggy at dusk so I recommend long pants and bug spray! read more

See all

We had a great time with Rising Tide Explorers on a kayak tour of the mangroves. Our guides Selina and Parker were very nice, knowledgeable and you could just tell they have a love the local ecosystem. We rented the tandem kayak and had an easy time paddling around. I would recommend the tandem for anyone that might not be a very strong kayaker. We really enjoyed Rising Tide and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, relaxing and learning eco tour of the Mangroves. read more

A must for anyone in southwest Florida. Our guide, Sierra, was extremely knowledgeable about all of the wildlife and the bay. She was also very helpful to a member of our group who was struggling with navigating the kayak through the mangroves. We would recommend to anyone looking to learn and have fun! read more

Incredible experience with Rising Tides! Led by marine biologists and natives to the area, this is a unique and educational experience. Don't miss it! read more

Thank you Derrick and Tommy for a great tour of Rookery Bay and the surrounding mangroves and mudflats. My husband and I booked a kayak tour and Derrick did a great job pointing out a variety of plant and wildlife to us. It was a mix of educational and outdoors fun. I was also pleasantly surprised the guides take pictures during the tour and they make the photos available for free online. It's nice to get action shots from the tour! Our activity fees also included free admittance to the education center, which was great, especially for kids.Overall a great experience! I'm not a very experienced kayaker and I struggled against the wind at one point but both guides were very patient and Tommy stayed back with me to make sure I was doing okay. If you are like me and either not very experienced or not very strong I would recommend a tandem kayak as I would have been better off if I had shared a kayak with my husband. read more

I highly recommend this tour! Our guide Gerald was incredibly knowledgeable of the area and wild life! The tour was fun and informative. My group had very limited kayaking experience and we didn't have to hard of a time during the experience! Guide was very helpful at teaching us the kayaking basics so I would say this tour is for all experience levels! A must on your trip! read more

A fantastic experience in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on a boat tour with Captain Winston, the scientist and adventurer. Winston was an excellent guide with a deep knowledge of the ecosystem from birds to reptiles to the mangrove swamps. I highly recommend the covered boat tour. So good, I'll be coming back for the kayak tour soon. The only miss was no alligators or manatees, but we did see dolphins! If you come, ask for Winston as your guide, he can spontaneously talk about Rookery Bay for 3 hours straight and answer all your questions! read more

See all

It was my first time kayaking and I had a great time. It was a very educational trip, as well. The guides were fantastic! My husband and I appreciated having a tandem kayak, and that our guides took photos of the entire experience. We highly recommend it! read more

See all

My sister and I were on the eco tour with Captain Ryan at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve yesterday. What a super experience! Ryan has a great passion and love of the area and shared his knowledge with all of us on the tour. It was a beautiful day and we learned so much. I highly recommend booking a tour with Rising Tide Explorers. It's a great company that plays an important role in the health of such an important and vibrant area in SWF. I look forward to booking the sunset cruise in November. read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Captain Ryan - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

Yes, book them! We booked a mangrove kayaking tour with them for our family of 5. We've kayaked a few times but by no means pro with navigating. Plus we had 3 kids, one who can help paddle but 2 that are too small to help (6 and 5 yr old). Ryan was very helpful in my email communication, and that gave me the reassurance to go ahead and book with them. Our tour guides were Winston and Renee. They were both so kind, helpful and knowledgeable. We got stuck a few times through the mangrove tunnels and Renee patiently stayed behind with us, making sure we were safe at all times and encouraging us to keep going. It was a little tough at times, esp when you're navigating a tandem kayak with small kids but she kept us going. On our tour, there were experienced single kayakers who smoked us but we had a great time. If you can't navigate through the tunnels or have a hard time paddling through the wind they can get out of the kayak and help you (water was knee deep only), or tow you. So don't hesitate to book even if you're inexperienced or dont think that you're fit enough. It's definitely doable, and the guides will help. We saw mangrove crabs and a few birds. No alligators, manatees or dolphins as I was hoping to find but you can't control nature. The kayaks and life jackets were in great condition. They also had dry bags if you need em. My son got bitten by something and was very uncomfortable in the kayak and they had first aid kit. Of all things, I forgot to put on insect repellant and quickly regretted it. There were so many no see em's and the next day I had so many swollen bite marks. Highly recommend these guys! Thanks for a great experience Rising Tide! Kudos to Winston and Renee - we enjoyed kayaking with you! read more

We were 4 experiencing the Life's a Beach Barrier Island Shelling and had a relaxing educational flat-bottom skiff ride with Captain Jeannine. She was fun, pointed out bird life, results of the hurricane Ian, and helped us find a gigantic whelk shell, conches, lightning whelks, etc. Our boat excursion fee also got us into the Educational Center for free. The latter was well-set up for both adults and children. read more

This was a lovely way to spend the morning. We got some good physical activity with rowing the kayak, learned a good bit about Rookery Bay and the mangroves from our guide, and of course, it was so beautiful to be out in nature and going through the mangroves. Definitely wear a long sleeve UV shirt or lots of sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, and bring a nice cold water bottle, as you'll be in a good amount of sun. read more

Was wonderful. Entire family loved it. Paddling in nature. Guides are friendly and appear to love sharing what they know. Immersion in a beautiful preserve was fantastic. Saw lots of wild life and plants and it's a well needed escape from daily life. There is a little physical exercise since it's kayaking but it's a great way to get a bit of a work out in and some sunshine with it. I absolutely enjoyed it and will definitely do it again. Bring a little cash with you so you can tip the guides. read more

See all

This is nice and mellow kayaking tour through Rookery Bay. The guides we're helpful and very knowledgeable. They helped everyone both experienced and inexperienced with kayaking. Definitely worth a try to see the hidden side of Naples. read more

We had an exceptional time on this tour. The kayaks were easy to handle and our guide, Leif, was fantastic. He was knowledgable, calm and very aware of our safety and enjoyment. His tour was the right amount of science and environmental awareness that we could all understand. The speed was perfect and we never felt like it was too slow or fast. We LOVE the pictures he took, too! We saw SO MANY birds and even two dolphins! The sunset was gorgeous and it was magical paddling back through the mangroves under twilight. I will definitely do this tour again and recommend it to anyone I know traveling to southern Florida. read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

The very best to explore and understand the great natural environment that is Rookery Bay A cheery and informative welcome, highly qualified naturalists as guides - the experience was first rate and unforgettable Where else in Florida can you find a deserted beach in tune with nature? read more

We had a huge group wanting to kayak and the team at Rising tide were so helpful and patient, ensuring that everything was just right. With every change we had we immediately got an update to the reservation. The kayaks were there on time and the gentleman was very nice. He ensured that we knew the route, had all the equipment and were ready to go. I would highly recommend them. Thank you for helping us have a great Sunday morning! read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

HIGHLY recommend Rising Tide Explorers! What a great way to explore more of Naples. We loved the owner/our tour guide Ryan. He is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and you can tell he loves what he does. This was my first time kayaking, and he made it super easy and fun. Additionally, he took photos for us on the tour (how nice!) and has a great website where he uploaded them right after the trip. We'll be back next time we are in town! read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

We thoroughly enjoyed kayaking through the mangrove tunnels with our guides, Evan and Rene. Rene gave personal attention to each of us, making sure everyone was doing well. Evan shared his expertise on the animals and various mangrove trees. He also stopped a few time to take candid shots of us with a professional camera and later gave us the link to view the photos. Fun for all! read more

My family and I did a kayak tour this morning - it was awesome! Our tour guide, Ryan, did a great job explaining everything and pointing out interesting things as we went. The sites were gorgeous, and it was really cool to learn more about the wildlife and ecosystem around us. We went through a few mangrove tunnels, and they were so cool. We also saw an osprey nest and the father osprey leaving its nest, which was awesome. I really appreciated getting to know more about the environment around me and learning about the balance of everything. Ryan was great at explaining all of this! Our guide made us feel comfortable with kayaking, even though it was only my second time on a kayak. He explained how to do everything properly, and took the time to help us understand how we could improve. You could tell he was really excited and passionate to be sharing this with people. It was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon! read more

My wife and I had a lot of fun. We had no kayak experience, but found it easy to catch on. We also didn't find the 2 1/2 hr tour very strenuous. The kayaks are surprisingly stable. Ryan the owner is awesome. He is very knowledgeable about the ecosystem. We borrowed a dry bag from him for my phone and wallet. I will use him again next year. read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

See all

We were on vacation with our 3 teenage boys and they had a blast! We learned a lot about the environment and the view was amazing. Ryan and Ian made our trip relaxing and fun. If we had more time we would have done a ton more! read more

We had a great experience kayaking. Saw dolphins and other wildlife. Ryan and staff were extremely helpful from start to finish. One suggestion for those of us who are directionally challenged, small signs with trail color codes at the entry of the paths would be helpful. We understand there is an app but feared our phone would end up as fish food. Thanks to all for a great afternoon! read more

Wonderful guide, really knowledgeable! They did a great job and were well prepared. We didn't see much animal life, but that wasn't their fault, there just weren't any manatee or dolphins or big things around at the time, and it was high tide, so we couldn't see much of the stuff under the water :( it happens! Still, our guide made the best of it and was great, and we still learned a lot. read more

Kayak tour in Rookery Bay was Awesome! Our guides Nick and Evan were biologists (self described Nerds). Thank you for a fun and informative day in the water. We saw dolphins, crabs, fish and birds. Every visit to the bay is different. Look forward to my next excursion. read more

Our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He has a deep background in research and Florida wildlife and conservation. A very fun and educational experience for adults and kids alike! Book the excursion! read more

This morning I went kayaking in the isle of Capri with tour guide Ryan from Rising Tide Explorers. I had the best time!! We saw a ton of dolphins, seas stars, and other interesting creatures which Ryan was able to educate us on with much enthusiasm. Our group was captivated the whole time as we explored through the mangroves in and out of super cool tunnels and at times just putting our paddles down to take it all in. Truly memorable experience, highly recommended. :) read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rising Tide Explorers tour guide through the mangroves.. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

We celebrated our 25th anniversary with a kayak trip with Rising Tide Explorers. It was a wonderful trip! It happened to be scheduled on a day when Hurricane Michael was churning out in the Gulf. We got a call the night before to notify us that all looked good for a safe trip out but the final call would be made in the morning. True to their word, we got a call at 6:30am notifying us that conditions were fine for the trip. Everything was ready when we arrived and we set off. It was a great trip with Terry. Learned a lot, saw lots of birds, dolphins. The mangrove tunnels were so cool to paddle through! Thanks for a great experience! read more

We took the afternoon kayak tour with Phoebe, our tour guide, through the mangroves on December 9, 2019. We had four people in our group plus Phoebe who was an excellent guide and provided a lot of very interesting facts about the mangroves and their impact on the environment. With such a small group, we had a lot of interaction with Phoebe and had a great time. I would highly recommend this tour. read more

See all

So much fun. The tour guides were knowledgable and engaging. I will be doing this again when I'm back in Florida! I love seeing the Rising Tide updates on Instagram. read more

What separates this Kayak tour from others is the tour guide Sam. She is a biologist with exceptional knowledge of Florida's ecological landscape. She answered every question and discussed each aspect of the environment with excellent detail. I now have a much better appreciation and understanding of Florida's dynamic and fragile estuaries. The operation is first class! read more

Fantastic experience! Highly recommend this tour. My wife and daughter convinced me to try kayaking and I am so glad they did! Ryan is a great guide - highly knowledgeable about the incredible eco system in SWFL - and makes his guests feel very welcome. If you're thinking about a kayak tour in Naples/Marco - go with Ryan and RisingTide! You will be glad you did! read more

Rising Tide Explorers - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Naples, Florida

We needed a last minute rental and your team came to our rescue! Very professional, knowledgeable, and good people!

Just back from our morning kayaking tour through the Mangroves with our tour guide Ryan and it was awesome. He was incredibly knowledgeable and also just a really good guy and guide. It was beautiful out on the water, and the tunnels were really amazing to experience and to learn about. We would definitely use Rising Tide again. read more

Such a fun tour. Booked this because we wanted a biology focused tour for our 7 and 10 year olds. I think my husband had more fun than the kids did! Kids came back talking science all afternoon, and the guide they got (Ryan) was genuinely in love with the Everglades. Just what we hoped for....an up close look at the Everglades with people who really care about the environment. read more

Ryan was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and down to earth. Wonderfully friendly. Highly recommend the boat tour

I have never spent a better 2.5 hours on the water. I learned so much about the environment: fish, reptiles, mangroves, birds. Our guide, Matt, knew so much. Beyond the education was a fabulous kayak trip through these really cool mangrove "tunnels." You are in areas no other boats can get into. Even if you aren't familiar with a kayak, you'll find this trip an easy challenge. read more

Ryan was an amazing tour guide who genuinely loves sharing his vast knowledge of the ecosystem with everyone! As a biologist, he shared many insights which made us much more appreciative of the diversity of the ecosystem. His enthusiasm was wonderful! He made the kayaking so enjoyable, manageable and a great learning experience! I would highly recommend this as a must see in Naples! read more

This was a very informative trip as everyone has stated. Ryan was great and very knowledgeable guide. Personally would have hope to do more kayaking and seeing more animal life in our sundown tour. Otherwise, highly recommend this tour. read more