About this Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour
Florida Sunset Kayaking at its best – See Birds, Dolphins, Manatees and Bioluminescence
On this AMAZING tour, you get the best of our most popular kayaking tours.
You’ll see Florida’s unique variety of birds like cranes, storks, falcons, anhinga, cormorants, and eagles (just to name a few). Look out for dolphins playing in the river, and manatees as they get a last bite of seagrass before going to sleep.
As the tour begins, we paddle out for a breathtaking River view Sunset. We will kayak out to get a good view of Bird Island on the Indian River and enjoy this time out on the waters.
Dolphins Put on A Show
Dolphins are usually very active at this time and we may even see some manatees. After about 1.5 hours of paddling, we take a shore break – time for a romantic picnic? Ok, if you brought your children, maybe just a juice box and a granola bar. It’s whatever you’d like!
After Sunset – Time for Snack
We will stop and have break as we wait for it to get dark. We recommend bringing out your favorite snacks to enjoy a picnic experience. This break is usually on the shore at the launch site.
See Bioluminescence at Night
Then as the day turns dark, we paddle into our favorite spots to see Florida’s bioluminescent creatures. Depending on the season, you will see plankton dino bioluminescence or bioluminescent comb jellies. During the mid-seasons (Mar to June and Nov – Dec), you might even see both!
See the water glow and sparkle as you paddle through the dark waters of Haulover Canal.
This is our staff pick’s favorite tour!! If you have the time you should do it.
More about the Indian River Wildlife and Manatees
The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary that is fed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean making it a unique natural habitat. Florida has more endangered or threatened species than any other state, and the Indian River is home to 36 rare or endangered wildlife. This river is home to dolphins and the West Indian Manatee. Manatees love this river because of the abundance of seagrass beds.
Other rare wildlife you are likely to see are: Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Loggerhead Turtles, Blue Crabs, Seahorse, Otters and Great Blue Herons. In the summer months, night tours offer a rare view of glowing seaweed that is “bioluminescent.” Yes – it glows in the dark!
What is included
- Kayak This tour is in a 2-person tandem kayak.
- PFD
- Guides
What you should bring
- Insect repellent
- Towel
- Flashlight
- Water bottle
- Snacks
How to prepare for your eco-tour
- Check for emails
- Check directions – double check
- Wear quick-dry clothes
- Wear water/river shoes
- Bring cash (tips optional)
- Call for questions
- Be ready for fun
Check tour condition
Check our Twitter updates to see how the wildlife has been lately on BK Adventure Tours.
Meeting points
Get directions to Haulover Canal here.
Haulover Canal is a beautiful launch site on the Wildlife Refuge. We use this site for our 10:15 Bioluminescence Kayaking tour, and other tours, like the Sunset Tour.
Reviews
Write a reviewWow.. I'm born & raised in Florida and this BK ADVENTURE BIOLUMINESCENT TOUR is absolutely the best adventure you can do. Our paddle guide Jasmine was so friendly and knowledge. ...
Kim Gerardi
Wow.. I'm born & raised in Florida and this BK ADVENTURE BIOLUMINESCENT TOUR is absolutely the best adventure you can do. Our paddle guide Jasmine was so friendly and knowledge. And cant forget funny. We had an amazing time.. The sunset was beautiful to watch in the water and then the water came to life at night with everything glowing including fish. We saw fish, birds and lots of manatees. Highly recommend.. Thank you Jasmine and the BK adventures. ❤️ We will definitely be back
We took the 3 hour bioluminescence sunset tour!! It was amazing!! Our guides Leo and Joe were so helpful and informative, just great all around! Couldn't have asked for better ...
Hollie Knight
We took the 3 hour bioluminescence sunset tour!! It was amazing!! Our guides Leo and Joe were so helpful and informative, just great all around! Couldn't have asked for better guides!! We were able to see lots of different birds, dolphin, manatee, the beautiful bioluminescence AND a rocket launch from the water!! Money for sure well spent!! Thank you Joe and Leo for an amazing time!!
We had a great time kayaking! Our guide Ranger did an awesome job educating us about all the exciting things in the Indian river. We kayaked around for a few ...
Jonah Munzer
We had a great time kayaking! Our guide Ranger did an awesome job educating us about all the exciting things in the Indian river. We kayaked around for a few just over an hour and saw dolphins, manatees, crocodiles (alligators? I never know the difference) and did a great job dealing with our big loud Midwest family, haha.
Went with friends for the Bioluminescence tour kayaking 10pm. We had a blast. Guides were fun and knew a lot about the nature of the wildlife preserve. We saw dolphins ...
Anonymous
Went with friends for the Bioluminescence tour kayaking 10pm. We had a blast. Guides were fun and knew a lot about the nature of the wildlife preserve. We saw dolphins from the shore. At first glowing plankton were not out, but guide knew where to kayak and water started lighting as we paddled around. Tons of stars out. Can't say enough good stuff about BK and our guides (dillon? And jake).This was the best thing we did in Florida. Everyone should try this!
FAQ
Our tours rarely cancel due to weather. If it is raining the day of the tour, chances are, with Florida weather, it will clear up by the time your tour starts. Sometimes we will hold the tour by 30 minutes for the weather to clear. In the case of lightning, high winds, or some other reason that we cannot paddle, we will re-schedule all guests to the very next tour available, or at a convenient time for you. Rainchecks are valid for 1 year.
We recommend you do the "Sunset Tour" if you have time. That way you get to see dolphins, and possibly manatees and all the amazing birds. Then, take a break, and go out for the Bioluminescent Kayak Tour later. It's just $20 more and it's an amazing tour! Click here to book that.
For our single kayaks, the weight limit is 275 lbs. For the tandem kayaks it is 550 lbs. The night kayaking tours are done on tandem kayaks.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, or have small children, you may want to choose the Haulover Canal kayaking location. You may also want to ask about our new rafting options where you join others in the raft for an easy paddle in a big boat.
Ram, the owner, likes to say, "You bring the spray, we'll bring the mosquitos!" We cannot guarantee there will be mosquitos, but there is a 99% change there will be. Some breezy nights have no mosquitoes. Some nights there are a lot. The other pest is No-See-Ums. The best way to keep them away is with Baby Oil. So, consider slathering on a layer of Baby Oil to any exposed skin. PLEASE BRING MOSQUITO SPRAY.
We can manage groups up to 50 people. We recommend you book weekend nights at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about Group Tours here.
We like to think so, but we cannot guarantee it. Here are the best conditions: hot weather, right after a rain storm, dark night. Sometimes the night is dark even when the moon is supposed to be bright. Sometimes a barely visible moon occurs on such a clear night, that even the slightest shine makes it seem bright. So, there are many factors that make the bioluminescence more/less visible. The BEST TIME for glowing algae (dinoflagellates) brightness is usually July to October. But we see it all year round, and in November, we see amazing flashing comb jellies! So, don't miss out because your vacation does not fall during the summer months.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
Lots of people who love kayaking with their dog have asked about this tour. We do not recommend this one for dogs, as it is a night kayaking tour. Maybe chose the manatee tour or the monkey tour instead of bioluminescent kayaking if you want to have a great experience with your favorite pooch!
Our recommended age for paddling is 5+ years old. Each tandem kayak, has a small middle seat, that a younger child could sit in. Price is per person regardless of age, or number in kayak. We recommend only for small children who are able to sit still for at least 90 minutes.
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of kayaks we can launch at one time. So, we use 2 person tandem kayaks in order to get all of our guests out to see the bioluminescence on the dates they want. That does not mean you will be in a large group. Only 8 boats go out with 2 guide boats at one time.
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of bicycles we can use at one time. There will be 4-6 people on your tour, plus your guide. Fat tire bikes are made to ride in sand and over rough terrain. They are perfect for your wildlife beach adventure.
This tour is better for older children. All of our bikes are 26 inches. We recommend children are 10+ and 55" tall to be able to ride the fat tire bikes.
BK Adventure's office is about 50 miles from Orlando, and just 15 minutes away from Kennedy Space Center. Guest will meet at our Titusville office and then be driven to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge (about 10 miles away).
Because of the limited availability of our equipment, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on.
Please request a tandem kayak at time of booking if you would like one. This river is technical, and better in a smaller kayak.
This kayaking tour is not recommended for smaller children. 10+ is a good age for this tour.
Lots of people who love kayaking with their dog have asked about this tour. We do not recommend this one for dogs.
Though we do not guarantee wildlife on any of our tours (Mother Nature makes no guarantees!), we usually see alligators, ospreys, herons, river otters and deer on this tour.
We can manage groups up to 15 people for this tour. We recommend you book weekends at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about Group Tours here.
Some people are naturally athletic, and they pick up any kind of activity easily. If that's you, pick either launch location. If you are a beginner, or not sure about kayaking abilities, let your guide know when at the beginning of the tour.
Because of wildlife and environmental protection we have a limited number of boats we can launch at one time. There will be 6-10 people in your raft depending on the size of the boat.
This tour is better for small children. We recommend only for small children who are able to sit still for at least 90 minutes. Please bring USCG issued life vest for toddlers to be sure it is a good fit. We do have child size life vests available for 3+.
This depends on your launch site: either Kelly Park is near Port Canaveral right off of Hwy. 528 (about 45 mins from Orlando), or in peak-season also, Haulover Canal in Titusville, Florida (1 hr; 15 mins from Orlando). Kelly Park near Cocoa Beach is the closer launch site to Miami.
We can manage groups up to 22 people for rafting. We have 3 rafts to accommodate this. We recommend you book weekend nights at least 45 days in advance for large groups. Weekdays is best, as those are easier to find spaces for. Please phone us for details, and we will be happy to get you and ALL your wonderful friends out for the tour! See more about Group Tours here.
The weight limit for 1 raft is about 2400lbs. We can accommodate people of varying sizes in our rafts. Be sure you can get in and out of the raft on your own.
Because of the limited availability of our rafts, they tend to book up quickly. Please call us if there is a time/day you would like that is not available for online booking. We may be able to get you on.
