Everglades Airboat Tour from Orlando: Gators & Wildlife

Airboat through protected swamps, alligator sightings, and a wildlife park in one morning

An airboat tour from Orlando into the Central Florida Everglades with pickup from select hotels, a guided ride through 100,000 acres of protected wetlands, and access to one of two wildlife parks depending on the day you book. You ride with an expert guide, see alligators and birds in their natural habitat, and spend time exploring the park grounds: all in about five hours round-trip from the city. Infants can ride on an adult's lap, and the tour suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Airboat tour and wildlife park visit

• Pickup from Orlando location
• Travel to Everglades headwaters
• Enjoy airboat ride through wetlands
• Observe alligators and wildlife
• Explore Wild Florida Wildlife Park
• Visit Native American Village
• Learn about indigenous lifestyle

The experience

How do you get from Orlando into the Everglades without renting a car? The tour picks you up from select hotels in the city and drives you about 45 minutes south to the headwaters of the Florida Everglades, where you board an airboat with a guide who knows the wetlands. The ride itself (either 30 minutes or an hour depending on which option you choose) takes you deep into 100,000 acres of protected swamps, marshes and rivers. You're guaranteed to see no development, no homes, no signs of human life: just alligators sunbathing, birds, eagles, and the vegetation that holds the ecosystem together.

Which park you visit depends on the day. On Tuesdays and Fridays the tour stops at Wild Florida Airboat Rides, where you can explore a wildlife park full of zebras, sloths, crocodiles, monster alligators and tropical birds from around the world. The park also provides gator feed so you can feed them yourself. On Thursdays and Sundays you go to Boggy Creek Airboat Rides instead, which has a butterfly pavilion and a gem mining attraction. Either way, you spend the rest of the tour exploring the park grounds, watching alligators pose for photos, and visiting the Native American Village where you can see traditional cooking, tool making and weapons demonstrations.

The whole day takes about five hours from pickup to drop-off. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle both ways, and the airboat ride length is your choice: 30 minutes or an hour. Small children and infants can come along. Infants ride on an adult's lap, and strollers are fine for the park exploration time. Call or WhatsApp Gray Line the day before to confirm your pickup location.

What’s included

• Airboat ride through the Central Florida Everglades (30 minutes or one hour, depending on your option).
• access to either Wild Florida Airboat Rides or Boggy Creek Airboat Rides wildlife park.
• gator feed at Wild Florida (included with that option).
• Native American Village demonstrations.
• air-conditioned round-trip transportation from select Orlando hotels.

Options for this experience

3 options

30-minute ride at Wild FloridaGuide in English · 08:30A 30-minute airboat ride with roundtrip transportation to a local airboat park, pickup is included

Wild Florida 1-hour airboat rideGuide in English · 08:30Airboat option with a 1-hour ride and transportation from the Orlando area, pickup is included

Boggy Creek 1-hour airboat rideGuide in English · 08:30Take a 1-hour airboat ride and roundtrip transportation from the Orlando area, includes pickup

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Thursday, Friday and SundayDeparts at 08:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 50 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gray Line of Orlando

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see alligators and the Everglades without arranging a rental car or navigating the swamps on your own. The guide handles the route, the park access is set by your booking day, and pickup from your hotel means the morning stays simple.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

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 the difference between Wild Florida and Boggy Creek on this tour?

Wild Florida operates on Tuesdays and Fridays and includes a wildlife park with zebras, sloths, crocodiles and tropical birds from around the world, plus gator feeding. Boggy Creek runs on Thursdays and Sundays and features a butterfly pavilion and gem mining attraction. Both have the airboat ride through the Everglades and a Native American Village with heritage demonstrations.

Can I choose how long my airboat ride is?

Yes. You can book either a 30-minute ride or a one-hour ride through the swamps, depending on which option you select at checkout. Both include the same airboat experience and park access.

Does the tour include transportation from my Orlando hotel?

Pickup from select Orlando locations is included. You'll need to call or message Gray Line the day before your tour to confirm your pickup address and time.

What wildlife will I actually see on the airboat?

The guide takes you through 100,000 acres of protected wetlands where you'll see alligators, birds, eagles and native plants. The operator guarantees no development or human structures. Just the natural Everglades. At the wildlife park afterward, you'll also see exotic animals like zebras, sloths and crocodiles (Wild Florida) or explore the butterfly pavilion (Boggy Creek).