Airboat Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$225
per adult
Everglades Day Safari
Everglades Day Safari
Everglades Day Safari
5
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
The Everglades Day Safari is an exciting and immersive eco-safari tour that departs from Fort Myers, Estero & Naples, allowing visitors to experience the unique ecosystems of the Everglades. This safari offers an unforgettable opportunity to explore the natural beauty and wildlife of one of the most iconic and rugged environments in the US. What to expect: 1. Round-trip, biologist-narrated transportation 2. Zip along on a Mangrove Wilderness Boat Ride into Everglades National Park in search of dolphins and other coastal species of wildlife. 3. A relaxing airboat ride, which skims across water, vegetation and mud and gets you up close to the alligators and other wildlife that call the Everglades home. 4. Venture deeper into the swamp on a wildlife drive and nature walk, getting a closer look at the plant life, butterflies and birds of the cypress swamps. 5. Southern Lunch: Enjoy a selection of delicious lunch items including shrimp, fish, burgers, chicken, salads and more.
Fort Myers, Florida
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by Everglades Day Safari
Eco Tours
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$100
per adult
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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 wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,160 reviews
Excellent
976
Very good
137
Average
30
Poor
14
Terrible
4
CalinFlorea
Montreal, Canada1 contribution
Dec 2019 • Family
Everything was done in a good schedule.
The driver was giving us a lot of interesting information about the animals and plants we saw on our way to the lake.
The 60 minutes trip with the airboat on the water and flooded areas was very nice but a bit load because of the propulsion.
The driver was giving us a lot of interesting information about the animals and plants we saw on our way to the lake.
The 60 minutes trip with the airboat on the water and flooded areas was very nice but a bit load because of the propulsion.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flamingolover_7
New York City18 contributions
Feb 2020
We were 4 couples who took this safar. From the the minute we were picked up from our hotel at 8 am to the time we were dropped off at 6 pm, we were entertained and educated by our guide Pete, who is also the owner. There were 4 components to this tour: , a nature walk through the woods, where we saw a bald eagle, an owl, snakes, baby alligators and big alligators not to mention countless birds. The second component was an Everglades guided boat tour (max 6 passengers per boat) from Chokoloskee Island. This 1 hour boat ride was a highlight of the day. We saw up close dolphins at play, osprey nests and birds, roseate spoonbills, and so much more. I cannot say enough about the beauty of this spot. We then had lunch at a great outdoor sea food spot right on the river. The last 2 components were a wildlife drive (lots of gators) and an airboat ride. Pete was with us the entire day and provided a running commentary on the sights and wildlife. He was truly amazing and I would do this again.
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
time2travelbug
Kitchener, Canada19 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We enjoyed a spectacular day in southwest Florida with Everglades Day Safari! Our guide, Alex, was extremely knowledgeable on the history of the area. Her understanding of the natural science of each environment that we explored was impressive...she was able to identify every plant and species that we came across!
Alex kept our group of twelve on schedule throughout a full day of activities! We had front row seats for a thrilling “show” put on by three beautiful dolphins during our morning boat ride with Captain Chris, learned about the local flora and fauna on our nature hike with Alex, enjoyed a tasty meal and great conversation with our group during our lunch at Everglades City, saw many alligators of all sizes during our drive through Big Cypress Natural Preserve and ended the day with an exhilarating fan boat ride on Lake Trafford!
Each member of our family of six thoroughly enjoyed the day...a perfect introduction to the Florida Everglades and all of its natural beauty!
Alex kept our group of twelve on schedule throughout a full day of activities! We had front row seats for a thrilling “show” put on by three beautiful dolphins during our morning boat ride with Captain Chris, learned about the local flora and fauna on our nature hike with Alex, enjoyed a tasty meal and great conversation with our group during our lunch at Everglades City, saw many alligators of all sizes during our drive through Big Cypress Natural Preserve and ended the day with an exhilarating fan boat ride on Lake Trafford!
Each member of our family of six thoroughly enjoyed the day...a perfect introduction to the Florida Everglades and all of its natural beauty!
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shona
Ottawa, KS9 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Do not book this tour unless you realize that you are paying for a car ride more than anything else. I felt like this airboat tour ruined me ever doing another airboat ride anywhere except Louisiana. We saw one alligator and our captain didn't even stop. They focus on only the birds and I love birds, but after stopping for the same ones every time I was over it. The reptile show was like going to a pet store. I had a 10 year old boy and a 13 year old boy with me and they were disappointed in all of it. They liked holding the snakes and alligator, but said that the airboat ride was boring. I told the owner I felt like I was lied to because I was told we were not even in the everglades. He gave me a $50 gift certificate and I felt like that was a slap in my face. I spent almost $300 for a miserable time where my family didn't even get to sit together on ANY of it and he thinks I would want to come back? I want my money back and advise that no one else wastes there's on this horrible tour that's basically on a lake.
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Shona,
Apparently we got off on the wrong foot to start the day. I always want to assure that everyone is dressed appropriately and I politely suggested that if you had extra layers to bring them for the airboat ride. It was 50 degrees out to start the day, so that's my standard response when I see guests wearing t-shirts and shorts. I jokingly said that as a native Floridian I get cold when the temperature is below 70! I also seemed to upset you when I stopped to look at an endangered Crested Caracara on the drive to the airboat ride. When you asked if I was going to be talking the whole way and told me you were bored I thought you were kidding. I apologize for not taking you seriously. Narrating the tour and spotting wildlife is my job. When we arrived at our destination you were clearly upset because you get car sick and you explained that smoking a cigarette calmed you down. Although smoking is not permitted on the tour I let you gather your thoughts before the airboat ride. When you returned from the airboat ride you screamed obscenities at me in front of other guests with children and that is not acceptable. You were upset that the airboat captain refused to do 360 spins (which is not legal) and were upset that they focused so much attention on spotting birds. It was cool that morning and other guests confirmed they only saw 6 alligators. I apologize that there were not more. I cannot control that. We do not claim that Captain Bob's Excellent Adventure is in the true Everglades. That is the grasslands near Miami. This tour takes place in the headwaters of the Western Everglades and is part of the Everglades ecosystem and watershed. After calling me a liar and stating we never did the reptile show, I explained we do that after the airboat ride. I sincerely appreciate that you apologized profusely to me. I can imagine when a person is upset about one thing it can snowball. The boys seemed to love the reptile presentation. Our airboat is one of the most amazing airboat rides, even when we don't see many alligators but if they expectation is a thrill ride I can understand disappointment.
Written January 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Doreen M
Loveland, CO351 contributions
Feb 2020
Alex was our guide for the day (Feb 21) - she is extremely knowledgeable and personable. We greatly appreciated all that she contributed to making our day so awesome. We were picked up at 7:10 am and dropped odd just before 6 pm so it is a long day. A lot of the time is spent in the van but that is the only way to get to the places on the itinerary. The website does an accurate job describing the days’ events. We saw dolphins, birds, alligators, plant life and more. Lunch is included and was perfect and well organized. This tour is a great way to see all that makes southern Florida so interesting and diverse.
The only downside is that the van is not very comfortable - I heard lots of complaining from those seated in the back. Just because a vehicle has a certain capacity doesn’t mean you should fill it to capacity. Because so much time is spent in the vehicle I think consideration should be given to customers comfort.
The only downside is that the van is not very comfortable - I heard lots of complaining from those seated in the back. Just because a vehicle has a certain capacity doesn’t mean you should fill it to capacity. Because so much time is spent in the vehicle I think consideration should be given to customers comfort.
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sylvia S
Southwest Finland, Finland24 contributions
Feb 2020
Our guide, Zac, was infused with passion about what he was showing us. From the moment he handed out lists of Florida birds to check off as we encountered them, at the very beginning of our journey, we knew this was going to be a special day. And it was! Zac used his driving time to tell us about the ecosystems of the Everglades. When he saw an animal or plant of interest, he would carefully pull over and point out distinguishing features. The 2 boat rides were quite different from one another and provided us with loads of opportunities to see wildlife close up and personally in different ecosystems. We also hiked into a cypress forest. The lunch we ordered proved to be delectable and the restaurant itself felt very genuine. We also visited a quaint local store museum that was chock full of curios and colorful local history. Zac managed to respectfully weave the history and customs of the indigenous tribes of the Everglades into his narrations, which was greatly appreciated. This day is etched in our memories as being perfect.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dancingirlb4
New Jersey20 contributions
Dec 2019 • Friends
Rhett and Keith were wonderful! Friendly and knowledgeable. The air boat ride and reptile show were better than expected. I learned so much and got to hold a snake and baby gator. Also got to see a beautiful 10 foot gator basking in the sun. What a thrill! The only complaint, and it was significant, was regarding the shuttle ride to and from the hotel. The ride is supposed to be part of the tour. There was a family letting their child watch cartoons on a phone without earphones. The entire shuttle had to listen to the screechy music and sound effects. I was shocked that Rhett was allowing this. It was difficult to focus on what he was saying. It was distracting and annoying. This went on to and from the safari and made the shuttle ride much less enjoyable. Please consider a policy that prohibits the use of personal entertainment devices without earphones on the shuttle. Other than that my experience would have been rated excellent!
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding the tour. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour and I apologize that an inconsiderate guest disrupted the tour for you. Please understand that on a 25 passenger bus, your guide Rhett is sitting a few feet away from the engine and it's difficult to hear if someone is using a device in the back. To be absolutely honest this is the first time this has ever been called to our attention. It's always best to do so at the time so we can do our best to correct the issue. It's unfortunate that another guest would behave in such a manner. We will do our best to prevent this from happening in the future.
Written January 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alexander Z
Washington DC, DC8 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
I booked a full-day Everglades tour for my family in 2021, and it was an excellent decision. Pete was very friendly and easy to book with over the phone. He was also flexible until we decided which hotel we were going to book.
Our guide, Rhett, was incredibly knowledgeable throughout the tour. He pointed out the wildlife to us during the drives, the hike, and the airboat road. He also was very knowledgeable about the ecological history of the Everglades as well as the ecosystems it contains.
Our airboat captain, Fred, was a skilled driver who navigated us through some incredible parts of the swamp that we saw. We saw a large diversity of birds, along with lots of gators!
Our cruise captain, Gary, was also very skilled with his boat. We got a sense of the immense size of the 10,000 Islands along with the mangroves and birds in the area. Gary even got some dolphins to come near the boat and show us some tricks!
The whole experience was worth every dollar, and the easy pick-up and drop-off made the Everglades far more accessible than it otherwise would have been.
Our guide, Rhett, was incredibly knowledgeable throughout the tour. He pointed out the wildlife to us during the drives, the hike, and the airboat road. He also was very knowledgeable about the ecological history of the Everglades as well as the ecosystems it contains.
Our airboat captain, Fred, was a skilled driver who navigated us through some incredible parts of the swamp that we saw. We saw a large diversity of birds, along with lots of gators!
Our cruise captain, Gary, was also very skilled with his boat. We got a sense of the immense size of the 10,000 Islands along with the mangroves and birds in the area. Gary even got some dolphins to come near the boat and show us some tricks!
The whole experience was worth every dollar, and the easy pick-up and drop-off made the Everglades far more accessible than it otherwise would have been.
Written June 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marotta_holly
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Family
Guide Rhett was great and informative on the trip to and from the airboat site. Frank our airboat captain made sure we saw as much wildlife as possible. Our boys 5 & 8 loved it. Saw alligators and beautiful variety of birds. Everyone loved the close up encounter with the snakes and reptiles. Very informative regarding environmental challenges of SE FL. Beware that SE FL can be colder. Thank goodness the tour had ponchos to act as windbreakers.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John M
Windham, ME4 contributions
Feb 2020
Had a great half-day trip with Rhett, our excellent guide. Extremely knowledgeable, Brett provided a very fun and educational half-day. Travel to and from the Air Boat ride goes a lot quicker because of his observations of wildlife and interesting commentary on FL's natural history. Of course, the Air Boat ride itself is a high point as it winds through shoreline wetlands, providing opportunities to observe a staggering number of birds. Gators were plentiful as well and close at hand. It was all capped off with a great presentation and handling (optional) of snakes and a baby gator. We'll be going back with more friends in the future!
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What are the cost for a 2 year old and 4 month old? Traveling with 2 adults and 9 year old?
Written April 14, 2019
There is no additional cost for a two year old or a four month old child. The cost for a nine year old is $145.00 and adults pay $165.00 each. My wife and I truly enjoyed the trip and thought that it was well worth the cost.
Written April 14, 2019
Can someone explain the difference between the $80 and $165 tour options?
Written March 29, 2019
The $80 cost is for a half day trip- I believe 4 hours. I think there is some reptile show included w/ the 4 hr. trip. People we talked to all said to pass on the show. The $165 price is for 8+ hours, which includes a nature walk, 2 different boat rides, a van tour where you can see lots of gators/birds, and lunch is included in the price. Well worth the cost.
Written March 30, 2019
How much walking involved during the tour? My mother has a bad knee. Thanks!
Written February 11, 2019
Most of the excursions involved stepping on and off the bus and walking to the boats and into the restaurant. The nature walk is 1.6 miles roundtrip. A portion is on a crushed shell trail and the majority is on a boardwalk.
Written February 14, 2019
when is payment due for this tour? at the time of making a reservation or once you get there ?
Written March 1, 2018
Payment is due at the time of making a reservation. The tour starts when you get on the van that picks you up.
Written March 6, 2018
is this going to be too difficult for an 8 year old ?
Written February 22, 2018
No he’ll live it-seeing real alligators I’m there environment as well as birds, dolphins etc. very safe and exciting!!
Written April 26, 2018
Hej
er der nogen der kan fortælle mig hvad der er specielt for denne Day safari, vi har været på de fleste langs med road 75
vil gerne vide hvad der evt er af specielle oplevelser på denne Everglade, er der andre dyr eller lign.
Written January 14, 2017
This ecotour is guided by a trained naturalist and takes you to the four main ecosystems of the Everglades. You experience an airboat ride on the "river of grass", and nature walk in Big Cypress National Preserve, a wildlife drive and a mangrove wilderness boy tour in the park. You will see gators, a variety of bird species possibly dolphins and so much more. Lunch with alligator is also included.
Written January 15, 2017
Going to Florida for Christmas do you take bookings for family of four two kids age 16 & 10 and where is the pick up for Florida
Written August 28, 2016
I apologize for the late response. We provide pickups near Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Estero, Naples, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Davie and Weston. There is a link to our pickups on the map page of our website. I believe International Drive is in Orlando which is about 3.5 hours from Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers. Full day tours are for ages 5 and up.
Written September 30, 2016
We will be in Fort Myers in January where does the tour start
Written November 29, 2015
There are multiple pickup locations on their website (look for the map link. Also, blame Trip Advisor's silly policies for not allowing me to include a link). We got picked up at the Residence Inn because we were in Sanibel, and it was closest to the bridge.
Written November 30, 2015
Is the nature walk possible with use of a transport chair?
Thank you.
Written August 5, 2015
Unfortunately our tour vans do not have room for transport chairs. The nature walks take place on crushed shell trails and board walks.
Written August 9, 2015
Nalini M
Port of Spain, Trinidad
I am coming from Miami cruise port-:
(1)which is the closest place i can stay in Forte Meyers to get to the day safari
(2)what is the cheapest way to get to fort Meyers from Miami cruise port
Written May 8, 2015
We have the same tour that departs from the Fort Lauderdale area each day. The webpage for Everglades Day Safari includes a list of all of the hotels that we offer pickup service.
Written May 8, 2015
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