Elkhorn Slough Wildlife Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Join us on a one-of-a-kind, electric-powered catamaran ride for a wildlife tour along one of California's largest tidal waterways. 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. Scan for otters, sea lions, birds and beyond during a cruise through these peaceful waters.

   1 hAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 498 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Loved the Slough!

  Wonderful, laidback trip into the slough. Lots of sea otters, sea lions and seals. And if you’re a birder, this is the way to see all the shorebirds with a guide who actually knows who’s who.

  Janet_COctober 2026via Viator

• 5Beautiful Day!

  My husband and I had a beautiful day for our tour. We saw a lot of otters of all ages. We also saw Harbor seals and sea lions as well as many different types of birds. Our guide was new but very knowledgeable. All in all, it was a perfect day. The extra was a visit to a private fossil museum inspired by the large fossil display by the tour headquarters.

  normak932October 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5It's not just about otters.

  We had a wonderful experience on the Elkhorn Slough Eco Tour. There were plenty of otters, including a mom and pup, but our excellent guide Aaron pointed out birds such as a belted kingfisher and a common loon, and gave us lots of fun facts about loons and some of the behaviors of the brown pelicans and other birds that make the slough home. A harbor seal swam along with us for a while. It was high tide, which isn't as good a time to visit as low tide, but still we saw and learned so much about this gem of the Monterey Bay area. Huge thanks to everyone who is working to preserve our beautiful California coast, and to share their knowledge in such an important and fun place!

  Darla_HOctober 2026via Viator

• 5We had a great time on...

  We had a great time on this tour and both our guides were professional and knowledgeable and fun. There was a little confusion before boarding, my friends and I were waiting at the wrong dock, they talked us through arriving at the correct one which we were extremely grateful for.

  Marie_DOctober 2026via Viator

• 5Great outing

  This was a great outing. The people were great and informative. So good to take in our natural wonders, especially for the kids.

  Gary_DOctober 2026via Viator

• 5Elkhorn Slough

  Very informative naturalist, and the other scientist (operating the boat) had knowledge that added to the experience as well!

  Alice_COctober 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Monterey & Carmel

• Its from-price is 38% below the median of the 98 experiences we list in Monterey & Carmel.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 5 of 98.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Monterey & Carmel

Monterey and Carmel share a rugged California peninsula of cypress-lined coast, a famous aquarium, an old Spanish capital and an artists' seaside village.

Monterey stands on the south shore of Monterey Bay in California and was the capital of Alta California under Spain and Mexico. Its historic adobe buildings, including the Custom House, line the old streets near the harbour, while Cannery Row, the former sardine-canning street made famous by John Steinbeck, is now lined with restaurants and shops. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, in a converted cannery, shows the kelp forests and open-sea life of the bay.

Top-ranked sights in Monterey & Carmel: 17-Mile Drive, Cannery Row, Monterey Bay.

See all 98 experiences in Monterey & Carmel