elkhorn slough safari reviews

Elkhorn Slough Safari

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Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Elkhorn Slough Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Elkhorn Slough Safari

• See all photos

Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Elkhorn Slough Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Elkhorn Slough Safari

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Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

ELKHORN SLOUGH SAFARI (Moss Landing) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Elkhorn Slough

Review Highlights

“ Our boys always have an adventure and we have seen numerous sea otters, birds, sand dollars and sea hares. ” in 18 reviews

“ Totally worth renting a kayak , even if your lazy girlfriend makes you paddle for both of you. ” in 7 reviews

“ You can even stay in the harbor where it's protected and see plenty of wildlife without any wind or aggressive paddling . ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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8022 Moss Landing Rd

Moss Landing, CA 95039

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Elkhorn Slough Safari Nature Tours

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Michael B. said "I took my wife and daughter here for an afternoon tour. It was so easy to book the trip from the website. Then I got a follow-up phone call the next day from Kelsey and Austin, confirming the trip and answering any questions I had.…" read more

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Can you fish in elkhorn slough or any good fishing spots near moss landing ? Need help thanks

People do fish in Elkhorn Slough - there are plenty of people standing on the shore or piers with poles. Not sure if they catch anything and you have to compete with sea otters.

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Overall rating

Otters, sea lions, whales with a beach and bench to watch the ocean. Well worth your time. Port a potties only. Uneven sandy trails but amazing views. Not wheel chair accessible. But sea otters! Sea lions! Whales!

I had a fantastic kayaking experience here! It was my first time kayaking, and I loved every moment. Our guide, Bella, was brilliant, so knowledgeable, kind and patient. They went above and beyond to show us special parts of the slough, including nudibranchs! I have never seen so much wildlife back to back, it was life changing! The tour was very thorough, did not feel rushed and was very worth it. Ten out of ten stars for Bella and Elkhorn Slough Kayaking!

Elkhorn Slough is a great place to visit on kayak - or even by foot if you enter the path across the road from the Elkhorn Yacht Club to view wildlife from two big viewing platforms. I went on for two kayak trips over the weekend -- Friday mid-day was choppy and windy, ebb tide with a LOT more animals and birds. Sunday early morning started out flat water at flood and got a bit windier as the ebb started. Fewer animals than Friday but more tourists, and also, jellyfish that blew in with the flood. Keep well clear of the animals - the guidelines I learned this weekend are: - keep 100 ft away (5-8 kayak lengths) - if a seal or otter is looking AT you - you are too close! - if a seal or otter takes evasive action, you are too close Just go out, keep your voices down (they carry well over the water and scare animals and birds) and enjoy watching nature!

See all photos from Jenn C. for Elkhorn Slough

Been visiting Monterey Peninsula for years and can't believe this is the first time I discovered this nature reserve. It seems to be a bit out of the way so even on a sunny spring Sunday it was not at all crowded - we probably saw about 20-30 or so other visitors total for the couple of hours we were there. It's a beautiful scenic spot with flat, easy trails along the wetlands and meadows, not much tree cover so can get quite hot on a sunny day. It's home to many turkey vultures which we encountered along the trails, even saw one taking flight which was entertaining. Parking and Entrance is free, ("at this time", according to the website). The visitor center is not open however when we were there they had set up a table outside with rangers answering questions.

See all photos from Chris C. for Elkhorn Slough

So beautiful. Had a perfect day couldn't believe how warm it was I saw at least 60 otters and just as many seals

Planning our vacation in Monterey received a lot of special attention and research by my traveling companion Joe K. While there are a lot of spontaneous places to visit, he also discovered that there is a lesser known point of interest - Elkhorn Slough located at Moss Landing. A protected state park reserve and cove that is within the Monterey Bay itself and considered one of California's largest wetlands. We got to take an up close and personal "Elkhorn Slough Safari and Nature Tour". We were educated in the history of the area, points of interest and most of all, lifestyles of the ocean loving inhabitants. We saw a multitude of indigenous birds, marine mammals, seals, sea lions, sea otters and even a few surface floating jellyfish! This area gave me a deeper appreciation for nature, mother earth, and all the wonders she provides!

See all photos from Ida H. for Elkhorn Slough

The kayak rental in Elkhorn Slough can't be beat. I've been 4 times and I've had all great experiences. You can reserve a time online and choose a guided or non guided kayak experience. Now with Covid, you can fill out your waiver online before you arrive and eliminate the paperwork time. The check in was maybe 5 mins to get equipment followed by a quick orientation. Staff is genuinely friendly and helpful. The slough is super calm, so calm in fact that you'll see otters galore, birds, sea lions, and other cool stuff if you know where to look! I seen tons of jellyfish and some starfish. Overall amazing experience. Take binoculars, a waterproof camera and don't forget the sunscreen.

See all photos from Moni C. for Elkhorn Slough

One of the best places to kayak and view wildlife in the area. It's pretty fun seeing the otters, seals and birds, and there' great restaurants nearby on moss landing when you return. That said, I visited today for the first time in maybe a decade and the wildlife population felt a lot smaller than the last time I visited and this time there was a stretch that smelled super strongly of cow manure. I had to turn around, it was so heavy. I love and want to support our local farms, but am a little surprised that farms are so close to the reserve since agricultural run-off is known to harm marine life. I hope more can be done to protect this area.

First - price point, excellent! Price is for ALL gear. Everything you can image including splash pants and hooded top. Current can be a drag (pun intended) but staying close to shore and the marina is boring. So venture out. We headed 3 miles up to where the old red barn use to be and saw all sorts of wild life. We even saw a migratory waterfowl nose dive and pull a fish out of the water. Now that's fishing! Otters! Seals! Birds! Beauty! New or experienced alike will enjoy kayaking or SUP at this location. It's also one of the least expensive locations we've rented from. If you are in the Bay Area check them out. The staff was phenomenal.

Beautiful, small nature reserve. Interesting to see how land that was a dairy farm is being returned to its natural state. I've been visiting the Slough since the '90's, and the change over time is pretty amazing. Each time I visit, I see something new. Go early and have a peaceful walk.

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Monterey Bay Eco Tours

Experience the amazing wetland wildlife on our elkhorn slough tours, we are local & family-owned.

The Elkhorn Slough Tour provides amazing wildlife viewing aboard the El Cat, an innovative, custom, fully electric catamaran, built right here in Moss Landing by us. As you glide cleanly and quietly through the meandering channels led by our experienced captain and crew, you’ll be treated to a spectacle of vibrant wetlands and lush marshes teeming with an array of wildlife. During a tour, you will see otters, sea lions, harbor seals, and a diverse population of birds, as the Elkhorn Slough is part of the Pacific Flyway.

IT’S ELECTRIC!

ELKHORN SLOUGH TOUR

Electric Catamaran Tours

From $45 • 1.5 Hours • All Ages

Join us on a one-of-a-kind, electric-powered catamaran ride for a wildlife tour along with one of California’s largest tidal waterways, the Elkhorn Slough. Our naturalist on board will assist in wildlife spotting, providing insight into the natural wonders of the Slough, and to answer any questions during your tour!

SUNSET TOURS ON THE ELKHORN SLOUGH

Join us on a one-of-a-kind, electric-powered catamaran ride for a narrated wildlife tour along one of California’s largest tidal waterways during one of the best time’s of the day – sunset. You are welcome to BYOB during this relaxing and educational sunset tour!

PRIVATE CHARTER

Enjoy a narrated cruise along the Elkhorn Slough, a vibrant and lively wetland located on Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Monterey in Moss Landing.

• User All ages
• Hour Glass 1.5 hours

ABOUT MONTEREY BAY ECO TOURS

Reconnecting people with nature is what we do! Embark on an eco-conscious adventure with Monterey Bay Eco Tours, dedicated to fostering a genuine connection between people and the natural world. Our El Cat tour not only offers a low-impact journey into the heart of the Elkhorn Slough but also guarantees a responsible encounter with wildlife. Our sunset tour is a great option to enjoy the Slough at the best time of day!

Our tour aboard the El Cat takes you into nature with minimal impact. Not only does the El Cat have zero emissions, but our captains are also respectful of nature, allowing you to see the magical wildlife without affecting their behavior.

ABOUT THE EL CAT

The El Cat is a 37′ fully electric, 32-passenger, Coast Guard-certified vessel. This unique catamaran is designed specifically for the calm waters of the Elkhorn Slough by our very own Joe Kitchell at Left Coast Composites. The boat is made from vacuum-infused carbon fiber/fiberglass, with 2 Elco electric motors running on 48 volts.

With the El Cat’s innovative design, including its fully electric propulsion and environmentally considerate approach led by our knowledgeable captains, you can immerse yourself in the captivating realm of Elkhorn Slough’s magical inhabitants while leaving only ripples in your wake.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOURS IN MOSS LANDING ★★★★★

We had an amazing time today on this tour. The guides were knowledgeable, easy going and more than happy to answer our questions. We can’t wait to do this again when we visit Monterey again. Thanks again Eco tours, it was great!!! Hemig’s

Very fun and relaxing tour! We had a lot of fun and got to see a lot of wildlife with a good explanation of the species we were seeing. It didn’t feel like a tourist trap and felt the price was fair for the effort put forth.

A wonderful way to get out on the water for those who don't feel comfortable with the motion of boats. The guides were very knowledgeable and explained a lot about the wildlife and we were absolutely delighted to see so many otters !

Joey and Aaron took us out on an electric quiet catamaran. Thus eco. We saw seals, otters, sea lion snd many birds. They were extremely knowledgeable personable and interesting. We even talked about the brain health issues of the otters and their quirky behavior. Would highly recommend.

We took our granddaughter age 10 for the tour of Elkhorn Slough. It was very well organized and the naturalist on board gave an excellent commentary. We saw a great many otters with pups, large groups of pelicans and some harbor seals. It was a nice way to do something safely with our granddaughter outside.

Elkhorn Slough Safari

• See all photos

Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

ELKHORN SLOUGH SAFARI: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Elkhorn Slough Safari

• See all photos

Wildlife Safari Boat Tour in Scenic Monterey Bay Wetland

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Elkhorn Slough Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Visiting Tips (2024)