Fort Lauderdale: Private Everglades Airboat & Gator Exhibit

You rent the whole boat to yourself, and the Everglades opens up differently

You get a private airboat ride through the Everglades with a captain who moves at your pace, plus a guided walk through the Alligator & Reptile Exhibit. The whole boat is yours regardless of group size, so you're not waiting for other tourists or competing for the captain's attention. Pick your time at checkout and arrive ready to go.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private Everglades airboat and exhibit tour

• Join private airboat tour
• Explore subtropical ecosystem
• See Florida gators and wildlife
• Visit Alligator & Reptile Exhibit

The experience

You're not sharing the airboat with twelve strangers, which changes everything. At Sawgrass Recreation Park just outside Fort Lauderdale, a private airboat tour means the captain slows down when you want to look, speeds up when you want the rush, and points out the gators and herons without competing for anyone's attention. The boat is yours. The timing is yours. You pick when you want to go, and the operator will work around it.

The tour itself runs through the subtropical ecosystem the way it actually works, not the way it photographs. You'll see alligators, of course, but also the birds, the water plants, the way the landscape shifts as you move deeper into the Everglades. After the airboat ride, there's a 45-minute stop at the Alligator & Reptile Exhibit, where someone who knows what they're talking about walks you through the animals you just saw in the wild. It's the kind of thing that makes the ride stick with you instead of just being loud and fast and over.

The price is per person, but you're buying out the whole private airboat, so whether it's two of you or six, the cost per head drops the more people come. Children under 3 don't count toward the guest total and ride free. The captain's gratuity is already built in. You just show up, tell them your preferred time at checkout, and the park handles the rest. Weather can cancel things, and holiday hours are shorter, but that's the only real variable.

What’s included

Your private airboat tour includes the guided ride through the Everglades with a captain who controls the pace, entry to the Alligator & Reptile Exhibit with a 45-minute educational presentation about native reptiles and wildlife, and the captain's gratuity. You're booking out the entire private airboat, so the experience is tailored to your group's interests and timing.

Options for this experience

4 options

Private airboat tour lasting 90 minutesGuide in English · 13 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 15:00Lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes

Private airboat tour lasting 40 minutesGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Lasts 40 minutes

120-Minute Private Airboat TourGuide in English · 12 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:30Lasts 2 hours

Private airboat tour lasting 60 minutesGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Lasts 1 hour

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h, runs every day, 15 start times, from US$ 140.25 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day15 departure times: 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30 and 16:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate5 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.3 with pickup ›

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Infant (under 4)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Sawgrass Recreation Park

Is this one for you?This works best if you want to move through the Everglades at your own pace without the noise and crowd of a shared tour. The private boat is what makes that possible, and it costs less per person the more people you bring along.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 4).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the price?

Private guided airboat tour, entry to the Alligator & Reptile Exhibit with an educational presentation, and the captain's gratuity.

How does pricing work if I'm traveling with a group?

Pricing is per person, but you're buying out the entire private airboat regardless of how many people book. The more people in your group, the lower the per-person cost becomes.

What time should I arrive?

You choose your preferred tour time during checkout. The park will confirm availability based on operating hours.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour operator reserves the right to cancel due to inclement weather. If that happens, you'd need to reschedule.

Is this tour suitable for people with mobility concerns?

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels. Contact the operator directly if you have specific accessibility questions.

Where is Sawgrass Recreation Park?

It's located in the Florida Everglades near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.