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Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland | 1 hour 30 minutes

14 Reviews | Monterey & Carmel
From $43.00 per person Lowest Price Guarantee
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You can select up to 8 travelers in total.
Senior (65-110) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 8
0
Adult (13-64) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 8
2
Child (3-12) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 8
0
Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland
2 Adults x $43.00
$86.00
Approx Total
$86.00

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English
  • Free street parking along Moss Landing Road.
  • Use of binoculars during tour.
  • $12 fee to park in Moss Landing Harbor parking lot. Free with handicap placard.

Overview

The Elkhorn Slough has the largest population of Sea Otters in California, and over 300 species of birds! We’ve been offering guided boat tours of this wetland for almost 30 years, and have an intimate knowledge of the area, its history, and it's wildlife. All our Naturalists have Marine Science degrees, and we are third party certified Wildlife Stewards, so you can be assured that we always conduct ourselves responsibly around the wildlife. Our stable, comfortable vessel is designed for unobstructed wildlife viewing, and we’ve been a preferred outfitter for many prominent wildlife photographers, like Frans Lanting and Suzi Eszterhas, to name a few. On our relaxing ride, no one gets sea sick, and our safety record is flawless. We also operate a large science and nature themed Gift Shop / Bookstore celebrating the Monterey Bay. Our shelves contain over 600 titles, many of which are 30-50% off the list price, plus attire, stuffed animals and souvenirs.

Meeting points

Check in for your Safari inside our Gift Shop, and then it's just a short walk across the street to the dock where the boat launches.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

  • Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

    The world's largest population of Southern Sea Otters and 340 bird species inhabit this spectacular wetland. Our expertly guided tours will show you all this, and more! And, we offer complimentary use of binoculars to ensure that everybody gets a great look at the wildlife.

    1 hour 10 minutes

  • Moss Landing Harbor

    Moss Landing Harbor is not just a commercial fishing harbor. Overflowing with local character, and home to hundreds of endlessly entertaining Sea Lions, the harbor also hosts a number of Marine Research institutions, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Their research vessels and impressive technology is often in view as we make our way to the Elkhorn Slough. But before doing so, we always like to pause and linger at the mouth of Moss Landing Harbor, and discuss the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and it's deep submarine canyon. The Elkhorn Slough is a tidal inlet fed directly by the Monterey Bay, so these bodies of water share a unique relationship and history. And we might even encounter Humpback Whales feeding close to shore!

    20 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Tours typically last an hour and a half to two hours.
  • Our minimum age fro passengers is 3 years old.
  • Weather in the Monterey Bay can vary, so it's always a good idea to bring layers of clothing.
  • There is no restroom onboard, but restrooms are available at our Gift Shop and in the harbor.
  • Do not enter "Elkhorn Slough" into your maps app. This will direct you away from our location, and we'll be unable to delay our departure time if you are late.
  • Please arrive 30 minutes before your tour time to check in, and walk over to departure point.

Free Cancellation

January 04100% refund
January 05No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

4.8

14 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    11
  • 4 stars
    3
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 11 reviews with 5 stars

Wonderful experience!

Published on Dec, 2024

It was a beautiful day and we saw many sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and many species of birds. The tour guide shared so much information with us. It was a wonderful two hours!

California river safari

Published on Nov, 2024

Enjoyable boat trip up Elkhorn Slough, we saw seals, otters, many species of birds. Captain/owner and crew coordinator/narrator were great! Recommended.

Moss Landing Safari

Published on Aug, 2024

Great trip with knowledgeable guides! Fun experience. Also gave a great suggestion for lunch. Communication on purchasing tickets and directions were helpful.

Wild Kingdom

Published on Jul, 2024

There were many kayakers and paddle boarders on the slough, but I feel we were luckiest choosing this pontoon boat tour. Both the captain and super informed naturalist on board filled us with knowledge about the history, plant and animal life. We were given binoculars to borrow, and we were able to spot numerous sea otters as well as seals and sea lions. I usually get sea sick, but this would have been so unlikely on the calm waters of the slough. They even had a great gift shop with a wealth of books on natural history for both kids and adults. Several restaurants nearby. Easy access from Monterey where we stayed. The highlight of our trip!

Well balanced tour to experience, learn and be entertained

Published on Jun, 2024

This was an absolute thrill to attend as I love otters. Seeing the babies on the Mommas tummies and "barking" was sweet as I never heard this. A lot of whimsy from sea lions to otters. To troll by enjoying this natural beauty I had no idea was in the area was refreshing and relaxing. It was a great day to spend. So many wildlife to see, experience what they do and learn more about. It was a well balanced tour to take. I recommend to all. The little kids were even engaged to enjoy the ride. We all had a great time with the birds in flight by us!

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