Elkhorn Slough Wildlife Tour: Eco-Friendly Catamaran Experience
4.9
253 Ratings
Moss Landing

The El Cat, constructed in Moss Landing, is a completely electric, Coast Guard-certified boat that can carry 32 passengers. It’s a customized 37’ catamaran, specifically designed for navigating the waters of our beloved Elkhorn Slough.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve - 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.
What's Included
  • Expert local tour guide
Location
Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Elkhorn Slough Eco Nature Tour
Clam Way
Monterey Bay Eco Tours is located at 10932 Clam Way with plenty of free parking available on site and easy to find. Check in at the booth in the parking lot.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(253 Ratings)
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Stephen_b
Jun 21, 2024
Guide had a lot of... - Guide had a lot of interesting information. Saw an otter eat a large snail! Favorite was seeing all the otters.
Review provided by Viator
Karen_b
Jun 18, 2024
Fun way to spend a couple of hours in Moss Landing - The guides not only knew about nature and all of the animals were very friendly. They also provided binoculars for everyone which was much appreciated. Overall it was a fantastic tour and we would definitely recommend it to our friends and possibly even do it again.
Review provided by Viator
Daryl_s
Jun 14, 2024
Great Wildlife Viewing with Enthusiastic Giude - Otters with babies. Super knowledgeable guides with deep knowledge of the area. Comfortable boat. Binoculars provided to pull the action closer.
Review provided by Viator
Randolph_b
Jun 12, 2024
Relaxing. Educational - Great trip. Lots of wildlife. Otters. Sea lions. Seals. Birds. Nests. Great narration by the naturalist.
Review provided by Viator
Stay57279602175
Jun 12, 2024
Fantastic trip - What a superb trip! The boat was quiet and comfortable and the vibe on the trip was chilled and we were encouraged to walk around and chat about what we could see. Amazing wildlife and a great guide in Rachel. Would definitely recommend! 👌
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_k
Jun 11, 2024
Rad experience - The naturalist Rachel was knowledgeable and so sweet. The boat ride was smooth and the wildlife amazing. My family had an awesome time.
Review provided by Viator
Peggykass2016
May 30, 2024
A trip worth repeating. - What a fabulous opportunity to sit close to the water in a silent (electric) catamaran and watch sea lions, harbor seals, pelicans, cormorants,many different water and shore birds, and sea otters. The guide was so interesting and knowledgeable. I highly recoomend this excursion, especially if you can catch one at low tide when the eel grass is exposed and otters are resting and grooming in it. I will do this trip again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S4975juhowardl
May 30, 2024
Unforgettable - The tour was beautiful and very informative. Both the captain and the docent were highly qualified and taught us so much about the area, and wildlife. We would highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X1770cepeterb
May 28, 2024
Best trip EVER. Bring binoculars and a great camera lens (both of which I forgot…) - Thanks to Rachel and also to our captain for such a personal treat of a tour. BEST TRIP WEVE EVER BOOKED on trip adviser (and we’ve booked a lot!) really recommended trip - if you love learning about wildlife you’ll love this from the first second. We had a little trouble finding it, (allow a bit of time on your way there). There’s a nice coffee shop near the marina and they pointed us in the right direction. The marina is awash with sea lions and seals not far off, with cormorants and heron right there on the dock. Just amazing. Our guide, Rachel, is a grad student just finishing her PhD in analysis of the soil biome in Baja bay, (apologies if I misdescribe). She knows apparently everything there is to know about the wildlife in this area - and regaled us with her amazing knowledge. The area is a rare good-news story for the environment thanks apparently to stewardship of the Packard family which is reduced artificial chemical-use in the area, allowing the wildlife to recover. We saw more sea otter, seals and are lions, pelicans, (and I learned the collective noun for these is a “Squadron”). Who knew?! So many birds - too many to name, yet Rachel knew their habits, traits, preferences, lifestyles and names - was like having David Attenborough with us!!! The boat is also just perfect - electric powered so you ghost through the shallows, and the wildlife just ignores you meaning you can get close and personal!! And are not interfering with them or scaring them. With a 360 degree view and way more space on the boat than passengers, meaning everyone has a front row seat. We had around 12 or 15 in our trip, which was perfect. The other guests were similarly blown-away by the trip, so it was a lovely shared experience. I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time - as it was an amazing sight after amazing sight!! So great I hardly found time to take pictures!!! Thanks for a lovely treat!! Peter
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_l
May 28, 2024
Family friendly adventure - We had a great afternoon in the slough with our guide Rachel and captain Joey. The ride was really smooth and enjoyable and the crew was great. They were very knowledgeable and kept us entertained and informed the whole trip. We also enjoyed the variety of wildlife we saw and enjoyed learning about the unique ecosystem and restoration efforts of the slough.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 6 guests
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June 2024
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