Small Group Boat, Kayak and Walking Guided Eco Tour Everglades
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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Everglades National Park, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Deepen your understanding of the Florida Everglades immersivity when you visit with a naturalist guide on this small-group, half-day, eco-adventure. Explore a variety of lush landscapes by boat, kayak, and on foot, looking for dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, bald eagles and more. Take a boat ride through some of the most remote areas of the park. Kayak to Barrier Island Beach and spend time exploring dunes and mangrove swamps.
- Learn about the Everglades from a naturalist guide
- Kayaks and equipment are included in the cost of the tour
- Choice of morning or afternoon tour times to suit your schedule
- Enjoy more personal attention from your guide with a small group
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Kayak equipment and instruction
- Boat ride
- Professional naturalist guide
- Guided nature hike
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1180 Chokoloskee Dr, Chokoloskee, FL 34138, USA
Our meet location is Parkway Marina at 1180 Chokoloskee Dr, Chokoloskee, FL 34138 Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early. Please know that refunds are NOT provided if you miss the tour. When you arrive at Parkway Marina, please park on the right hand side in the parking spots. Meet at the dock.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
This tour is led by a naturalist guide certified by both the park and the US Coast Guard. Learn about the history of the Everglades and the wide variety of wildlife and vegetation that exist throughout the park.
Make your way to Chokoloskee to board your transport boat and ride through one of the most remote areas of Everglades National Park. At the destination, hop in a kayak and paddle along close to the flora and fauna, en route to Barrier Island Beach, an island seldom visited by others.
At the beach, the interpretive experience turns into a walking tour. Check out the wrack lines, shallow tidal zones, dunes, uniquely adapted plants, shells, mangrove swamps, plus the many different invertebrate species.
After the beach hike, it’s back in the kayaks to paddle back to the boat for the ride home.
Make your way to Chokoloskee to board your transport boat and ride through one of the most remote areas of Everglades National Park. At the destination, hop in a kayak and paddle along close to the flora and fauna, en route to Barrier Island Beach, an island seldom visited by others.
At the beach, the interpretive experience turns into a walking tour. Check out the wrack lines, shallow tidal zones, dunes, uniquely adapted plants, shells, mangrove swamps, plus the many different invertebrate species.
After the beach hike, it’s back in the kayaks to paddle back to the boat for the ride home.
1
Everglades Area Tours
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Everglades National Park
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Smallwood Store (Pass By)
4
Chokoloskee
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- You will need to access the boat by decending a couple steps of a ladder.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants must sit on laps
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Dan_J
Don was a great tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and taught us quite a bit. We enjoyed our time greatly.
Reviews
4.8
based on 164 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Laura_A, Apr 2026
Amazing tour with such a knowledgeable guide. The entire experience was perfect and we learned so much about the area.
Lana_M, May 2025
Our guide was awesome - we learned a lot about the local flora and fauna and kept the tour fun and light.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you for the review!! Glad you had a great time in the Everglades with us! Our guides love to share their knowledge and passion of the everglades in a way that is fun and engaging! Thanks again for coming out with us!
Jen_K, Apr 2025
Fantastic tour in the Everglades National Park! This is out in the ocean so no alligators but saw 4 dolphins (by kayak and jumping our boat waves), many different birds, tons of crabs, and learned a lot about the the history and ecology of the area. Captain Don is a true pro!
Marilyn_B, Mar 2025
We had a fabulous guided tour with Captain Don; his enthusiasm and knowledge were delightful. The weather was beautiful and we saw lots of sea birds and dolphins. The mangroves were fascinating as were the lightning whelks and horsehoe crabs.
The trip was not quite as described by Viator - no manatees for example (apparently they are rarely spotted) and the 'hike' was a short walk on a beach (which was lovely but not a hike). We enjoyed the boat ride and the kayaking and the wild life we saw. As mentioned earlier, Captain Don was an excellent guide.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for leaving a review! Captain Don is one of the best captains you could ask for! Sorry the manatees were not out to play, as they can hide in spots we can't really get the boat into. Thanks again for coming out with us!
Alaina_U, Mar 2025
We had an amazing experience! Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, teaching us about the history of the Everglades and surrounding area. He was able to tailor the tour as we encountered wildlife, knowing the best change to spot birds and dolphins! The kayak portion was my personal favorite part, I liked being tucked away in a cove and taking the time to paddle about close to the mangroves. My husband and I both agree this was the highlight of our trip, thank you again!
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for the great review!! Getting to experience the Everglades via boat and kayak in one trip really takes the experience to the next level!! Glad we could make this trip the highlight of your vacation!
pollard5, Mar 2025
The boat ride was comfortable and fun. Our guide, Don, was outstanding. He took us into pods of dolphins who "surfed" in the wake of our boat, showed us numerous bird habitats and took us to an island with more shells than I have ever seen in one place. Lots of stories and information was shared. Kayaking off the island with Don and one other couple on the tour was peaceful and enjoyable. It is obvious he has been doing this for quite awhile and loves what he is doing, which made for an interesting and enjoyable day. We highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
It sounds like you had an amazing experience on the boat tour! Don is a fantastic guide, and it's great to hear that the whole day was both informative and fun. Experiencing The Everglades via boat and kayak is the way to go! Plus, kayaking with such a small group must have made it even more special and serene. Thank you coming out with us and leaving a review!!
William_B, Dec 2024
We had an unforgettable trip! Our guide, Don, was exceptionally knowledgeable, sharing fascinating stories and teaching us about the 10,000 Islands and the surrounding wildlife. We were lucky to see multiple dolphins, and Don even got them to ride our wake, leaping right behind the boat—it was absolutely incredible. To top it all off, I started the trip with a girlfriend and ended it with a fiancée! A huge thank you to Don for taking us to Jewell Key for the proposal and capturing the moment with amazing photos. I couldn’t recommend this tour more—it was an extraordinary experience!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Congratulations!! That sounds absolutely magical! What an incredible way to propose—surrounded by dolphins and the beauty of the 10,000 Islands. So glad captain Don was able to capture the beautiful moment for you two! Thank you for spending it with us!
Artur_C, Apr 2024
What a great day! The guys are knowledgeable, polite, funny and easygoing. We got to experience everything at a nice pace.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We do our best to make sure you can enjoy the tour and see everything the Everglades has to offer. It's only worth doing if you do it right, right?
Thank you so much for touring with us and leaving a review!
Marit_S, Mar 2024
We had an amazing tour with Dan. We manged to see lots of Dolphins, various birds and endangered species of sawfish. Dan was very knowledgeable of the marine life and environment. Our kayak tour was through beautiful areas with mangroves and the beauty of silence. We also enjoyed a lot just sitting at the boat with the sun in our faces and wind in our hair. Excellent day.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
We're ecstatic you enjoyed your time with Dan on the boat and got to see some of the beauty the Everglades has to offer. The creatures and the area are truly something to behold.
Thank you so much for touring with us and leaving a review.
David_S, Jun 2023
Lots of birds, enjoyed kayaking, walking along beach of island great, thrilled to see shark, sawfish, sting ray. All in all a rewarding experience. Captain was personal and very knowledgeable.
Melissa_V, Apr 2023
Extremely knowledgeable and lovely guide! Went with my science curious 6 year old. Just wish we didn’t have rain and could have stayed out longer
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you.
Rain is April is rare...but much needed
Shellane_B, Apr 2023
It was a 4 hr tour but didn’t seem too long, had a long boat ride , short kayak and a walk to a sandbar. Tour guide knowledgeable of area. Meeting place was a little harder to find, we were there early and the office is not staff, just be on time, not too early.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you ... the office is being renovated to be a restaurant/Sandwich Shop...opening soon!!
Cynthia_G, Apr 2023
Don was a knowledgeable and competent guide, who made our trip very enjoyable. I had no idea how seashells developed, which was so interesting.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you
Bryce_M, Apr 2023
We had a great time on this group boat and kayak tour in the 10,000 islands area. It is a great way to experience the Everglades mangroves, see bird and sea life, and experience pristine beaches.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you
Dan_J, Feb 2023
Don was a great tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and taught us quite a bit. We enjoyed our time greatly.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thank you
Gregory_P, Feb 2023
Our guide seemed reluctant to be there. Though the the tour was supposed to be part walking, there was no walking. Our guide did not tell us much about the area unless prompted and appeared to meander around in the boat for three hours aside from a brief period where we kayaked, but again, he did not explain the area very well. I would not recommend. Very disappointing.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Gregory,
This public review is different from what you conveyed privately, when you said " I was looking forward to exploring on foot, but our guide skipped that part. Can you explain what happened?" ... I copied my response to you below.
"Convective Sea Breezes!
This has been an unusually warm period on the Florida peninsula, yet the water temperature is still relatively winter cool. As the land mass heats up relative to the water, the air over the land rises significantly and rapidly draws in air from the water to replace the rising land mass air (convection).
This phenomenon occurs everyday in the warmer months and is the energy source for our afternoon thunderstorms. The breezes can become significant near shore increasing wave action making the ride to the outer barrier islands "bumpy" and making beach landings, where we conduct the walks, impractical or unsafe.
Because of this convection and the energy/waves created, we try to only conduct morning tours in the warmer months ... before the convective sea breezes develop.
Sunday, the convective sea breezes, although fairly unusual for this time of year, generated pretty quickly. Your captain, based on comfort and safety, made a decision to extend the paddle and not go to the outer islands under those conditions."
Siobhan_F, Dec 2022
Dolphins playing in the wake of the boat, on both the “drive in” trip and the return trip, and the story telling of the guide Don. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all kinds of questions about the sea animals, birds and flora. As we were kayaking on the return trip he got into the shallow waters and pulled out a living Conch - and it was a very large shell! I’ve never seen that before and then found viable egg sacks for the Welk (another sea creature, gastropod) and explained that process and I’ve never seen anything like that either. Loved the trip!! Maximum if 6 people, so very private and serene experience.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
So glad you enjoyed your tour with us
Lauralynne
Joyce_B, Dec 2022
The boat captain was very knowledgeable. He gave us a great experience! We saw lots of wildlife and historical shells pottery. We also saw a dolphin that swim with our boat.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Thank you so glad you enjoyed your tour with us
Jolanta_M, Dec 2022
Fantastic captain.
It didn’t feel commercial. Beautiful nature, comfortable boat ride.
I would recommend to my friends.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Thank you so glad you enjoyed your tour with us
Todd_S, Aug 2022
Don McCumber was an excellent guide who loves the Everglades. He's knowledgeable and friendly and gave me a great introduction to the wonderful world of the Everglades. I'll be back!
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Thank you so glad you enjoyed your tour with us
Joseph_S, Aug 2022
Captain Don McCumber Everglades Area Tour - thoroughly enjoyed boating around Ten Thousands Island, and mangroves. Had a dolpen follow the boat, rising the surf, so cute. Walk along the beach and listen to him explaining all these different shells and marine life, was fascinating. Captain was so knowledgeable about the area, flora and fauna and you could really tell he loved sharing it with people. Then kayak around Mangrove trees to the Rabbit and Bunny Island to see Calusa Indiana shell beach
9am - 1230noon, about 3.5hr long
Best time to spend around coast of Everglade City
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you so glad you enjoyed your tour with us
Herbert_C, May 2022
The walking on the sand barrier as this was in between 2 islands. The tide was high and provided a great opportunity.
Our guide was great. Very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, May 2022
thank you
Denise_H, May 2022
It was a relaxing boat and kayak ride. Captain Dan was very informative. Seeing the large conch shells was amazing. Loved the small group
Response from Host, May 2022
thank you
Heidi_H, Feb 2022
The kayaking was in a beautiful area and truly spectacular. Dolphin sighting and eagles and ospreys were awesome!
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Thank You
Deborah_C, Feb 2022
The variety of this trip was amazing. Motorboating through the Islands of the Everglades, kayaking through the mangroves and walking on shore. Captain Don was so knowledgeable about the birds and other wildlife. We saw ospreys in their nest, bald eagles, pelicans and more. A great afternoon!
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Thank You, so glad you enjoyed Captain Don
Oleh_B, Jan 2022
Dan was great. He made our adventure unforgettable . His interesting stories about this park were fantastic
Response from Host, Jan 2022
Thank You
Barry_H, Jan 2022
We went out and it was raining on and off and when it did clear we just power boated around which was interesting but not what I signed up for or paid for. Never got to kayak which is what I really wanted to do and thought that this would be a good combination. Sadness. I would have signed up for the power boat tour and saved alot of money if that had been what I wanted to do.
Response from Host, Jan 2022
So sorry but we can not control the weather, If you would like to try another tour, we are willing to give a 10% discount on your tour. thank You
Kendle_J, Dec 2021
Jason our guide was a treasure trove of knowledge about the wildlife! My favorite part was learning about the birds and seeing an Osprey catch a mullet.
Response from Host, Jan 2022
Thank You
Matthew_B, Dec 2021
It was a really fun trip for our family. We were able to see sea turtles, dolphins, and many different types of birds. Abs the guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Dec 2021
Thank You
sandra_c, Oct 2021
Beautiful environment, our tour guide was amazing helpful and knowledgeable
We feel safe and enjoy the trip
Response from Host, Oct 2021
Thanks Sandra!
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