Everglades National Park: Airboat, Hike & 10,000 Islands Cruise

A Master Naturalist Takes You Where Most Tours Can't Go

You get three ways of seeing the Everglades—boat, hike, airboat—led by someone who knows the wildlife and history, with lunch and all gear included. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Fort Lauderdale means you don't arrange transport or navigate the park yourself. The permit to guide in the preserve is what opens access to the remote spots most tours can't reach.

Step-by-step itinerary

Everglades guided tour with boat and hike

• Pick up from Fort Lauderdale hotel
• Drive to Everglades National Park
• Take 80-minute boat tour in 10,000 Islands
• Enjoy lunch with menu options
• Go on 1-hour dry nature hike
• Visit historic trading post
• Take 75-minute airboat ride in River of Grass
• Explore Native American tree island village

The Experience

The moment you step into the airboat, you realize why a permit matters. Not every operator can take you 75 minutes deep into the River of Grass where the endangered snail kites hunt and alligators surface without warning. Your guide—a master naturalist who knows which cypress tree holds nesting roseate spoonbills and where manatees gather in the shallows—points out details the casual eye misses. The Everglades National Park tour runs full-day, starting with hotel pickup in Fort Lauderdale, and the route clusters pickups to keep van time short so you're on the water and in the preserve by mid-morning.

The day splits into three distinct moments, each one a different way of moving through the same landscape. First comes the 80-minute guided boat cruise through the 10,000 Islands—a maze of mangrove channels where white pelicans and dolphins appear suddenly, and the water goes so shallow you wonder how the boat floats. Then you trade the boat for your legs on a one-hour nature hike through Big Cypress National Preserve, where the guide walks you under a canopy of massive cypress trees and stops to show you rare orchids and plants you'd walk past without knowing what you were seeing. The airboat ride comes last, and it's the one that stays with you—75 minutes of speed and spray, the kind of ride that makes you hold onto the safety bar and laugh at the same time, spotting alligators and wading birds in their actual habitat instead of behind a fence.

Between the water and the walking, you'll visit a historic trading post on the National Register and spend time in a remote Miccosukee village accessible only by boat. The guide explains the history—how the Seminoles and early settlers traded here, how the family still owns the post today—and you get the sense of a place that hasn't been polished for tourism. Lunch is ordered off the menu at a local spot with fresh seafood, vegetarian, and vegan options, and the company provides sunscreen, insect repellent, ponchos, snacks, and water so you're not scrambling to buy things you forgot. The whole day is structured so you're never waiting or figuring out logistics; the guide handles the timing, the transitions, the stories.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Fort Lauderdale, an 80-minute guided boat tour of the 10,000 Islands, a one-hour nature hike in Big Cypress National Preserve led by a master naturalist, a 75-minute airboat ride into the River of Grass, visits to a historic trading post and remote Miccosukee village, a lunch ordered off the menu with vegetarian and vegan options, snacks and beverages throughout the day, sunscreen and insect repellent, ponchos, and a National Park map to keep.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Wild Lime Adventures

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see the Everglades as a naturalist would—wildlife in context, history explained, and remote spots most tours skip—without arranging your own transport, timing, or park logistics.

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Top questions

What wildlife will I actually see?

Alligators, manatees, dolphins, wading birds including roseate spoonbills and white pelicans, ospreys, and the endangered snail kite. The airboat and boat tours take you to active wildlife areas; the nature hike focuses on plants and birds in the preserve.

How long is the full day?

Full-day tour with hotel pickup and drop-off. The itinerary includes an 80-minute boat cruise, one-hour nature hike, 75-minute airboat ride, plus stops at a trading post and Miccosukee village, with lunch included.

Is the airboat ride rough?

The airboat covers distance fast and can be loud, but it's designed for passenger comfort. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

What's included in lunch?

A meal ordered off the menu with fresh local seafood, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. Snacks, soft drinks, water, and sparkling water are provided throughout the day.

Do I need to bring anything?

Sunscreen, insect repellent, and ponchos are provided. Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes for the nature hike. Free luggage storage is available at the pickup location.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and service animals are allowed. Public transportation options are available near the pickup location.

What if I'm not a strong swimmer?

You don't need to swim. The boat tours and airboat are passenger experiences; the nature hike is on dry land. Life jackets are standard on water activities.

Why does this tour have a permit?

Wild Lime Adventures holds a permit to guide in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, which allows access to remote areas and Miccosukee villages that unpermitted tours cannot reach.