Everglades Tour – 5 hours

Half Day Private Everglades Tours

(Approx. 5 hours – Private Tours Only)

Big Cypress

I’m going to be honest.  I don’t like doing this tour because i know just 20 miles farther birds are everywhere, we can get a stone crab lunch at the docks, and a spectacular boat ride with dolphins, birds, sawfish, manatees.  I only recommend this tour if there is a smal craft warning for the Ten Thousand Islands, making the All Day tour not worth the effort.    

I only sell this tour when time is tight for my guests but they have to see alligators.  We do an airboat ride to a Miccouskee tree island on their reservation, and we continue on to Big Cypress National Preserve.   

Big Cypress is home to many unique fauna and flora such as the Florida panther, black bear, the American Alligator, wood storks, the Big Cypress fox squirrel and the ghost orchid. The best time to see wildlife is in the early morning so Dawn Patrol is a highly recommended in order to experience the best of the Everglades. Transportation is included to and from your Miami or Miami Beach hotel. We also pick up and drop off at the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport (MIA). View our prices and tour details below. 

Parks visited:

  • Everglades National Park
  • Big Cypress National Preserve
  • Micoosukee Reservation
  • Fakahatchee can be added for birdwatchers in the fall and winter
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Big Cypress boardwalk light

Boardwalk

A 30 minute hike on a Big Cypress Boardwalk under a beautiful Cypress canopy. Epiphytes, flowers and a variety of orchids fill the trees and swamps in the summer months. 

A great bird spot for migrating wading and raptor birds in the fall, and songbirds all year round.

Stop at Clyde Butcher Photo Gallery which features a cypress swamp trail behind his gallery. Keep your eyes open for his resident alligator Lily. 

There are several designated stops for gators and birds in Big Cypress, depending on water levels and migration. Expect dozens of gators in the summer, and sometimes hundreds in the winter. 

Lots of Backroads in the Everglades

Ask any local and they will tell you the best place to see “Old Florida” is traveling through the backroads of the Everglades. Both Loop and Turner Road are well known but never crowded, which increases your chances for seeing more wildlife. Few tourists visit these spots and even fewer operators offer them as an option on their tours. These roads drive through the heart of Big Cypress passing through marl prairies, pinelands and cypress swamps and offer exceptional opportunities for viewing alligators, birds, turtles, and snakes up close without ever leaving the comfort of the passenger van. 

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Airboat ride to a Miccosukee tree island

  • Airboat ride to tree island where Miccosukee Indians lived for generations fleeing the US Army. 
  • Tour highlights the unique history of Miccosukee tribe.
  • How they differ from Seminoles even though both came into Florida to escape the Indian Removal Act. 

Rates ( minimum 4 people)

  • Adults (4-6 People) – $135 each
  • Adults (7-8 People) – $1120 each
  • Adults (9-11 People) – $110 each
  • Seniors, veterans and and elementary school kids are less $10
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