Wild Florida Airboat Tour: Everglades Wildlife Park

Skip the theme parks and ride an airboat into actual Florida wilderness

A 7-hour tour from Orlando, Kissimmee or Disney areas that combines a 30 or 60-minute airboat ride through the Everglades headwaters with a walk through Wild Florida's wildlife park, where you see alligators, birds, lemurs, sloths and a Florida panther. Hotel pickup, a BBQ basket lunch and a souvenir family photo are included. Your guide is live and speaks English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wild Florida airboat and wildlife park

• Transport to Wild Florida
• Enjoy 30 or 60-minute airboat ride
• Stroll through Wildlife Park
• Walk boardwalk in Cypress Forest
• Eat included basket lunch at cafe
• Take souvenir photos

The experience

How do you get from the theme parks to actual alligators and cypress forest without renting a car? The tour picks you up from your hotel in the Orlando, Kissimmee or Disney areas and drives about 45 minutes to Wild Florida, a wildlife facility in Central Florida's natural landscape. Once there, you board an airboat (either for a 30-minute ride or a full hour, depending on which package you book), and head into the Everglades headwaters where the water is shallow and the wildlife is real. You'll see birds, alligators, and if you're lucky, bald eagles. The airboat's shallow draft and open design let you move through terrain a regular boat cannot reach.

After the airboat ride, you walk the Wildlife Park on foot. The park holds rescue animals from around the world (lemurs, sloths, raccoons, a Florida panther), and a separate aviary with a range of birds. A boardwalk cuts into the Cypress Forest itself, so you're standing in the actual ecosystem, not behind glass. The park is compact enough to cover in an afternoon but dense enough that the animals and the forest feel like the main event, not a quick add-on. A BBQ basket lunch from the Chomphouse grill is included and eaten at the café. A souvenir photo of your group is also part of the package.

The whole day runs 7 hours from pickup to drop-off. Your guide drives the van and leads the airboat education (live, in English), so questions about what you're seeing get answered in real time rather than over a speaker. The tour does not run on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. If you need wheelchair accessibility, contact the operator in advance to confirm the vehicle can accommodate you, as not all tour vans have lifts or ramps.

What’s included

• Roundtrip hotel pickup from Orlando, Kissimmee and Disney area hotels.
• services of a live English-speaking guide.
• your choice of a 30-minute or 60-minute airboat ride through the Everglades headwaters.
• entry to the Wildlife Park with access to the rescue animal exhibits and the Cypress Forest boardwalk.
• a BBQ basket lunch at the café.
• one souvenir family photo.

Options for this experience

2 options

Airboat ride tour lasting 30 minutesGuide in English · 08:30Adventure Package: For a day at Wild Florida, this tour includes round-trip transportation, a 30-minute airboat ride, a BBQ basket lunch, a 6x8 family photo, wildlife park admission, and a bag of gator food. Pickup is included.

Ultimate airboat ride lasting 1 hourGuide in English · 08:30Ultimate Adventure Package: For a day at Wild Florida, this tour includes round-trip transportation, a one-hour airboat ride, a BBQ basket lunch, a 6x8 family photo, wildlife park admission, and a bag of gator food. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Thursday and FridayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 13

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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gray Line of Orlando

Is this one for you?Choose the 30-minute airboat ride if you want a shorter day and more time walking the Wildlife Park. The 60-minute ride suits you if you'd rather spend the bulk of your time on the water and see more of the Everglades headwaters. Both packages include the same park access and lunch, so the difference is how you split your afternoon between the boat and the forest.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: 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 animals will I actually see on the airboat ride?

The airboat ride through the Everglades headwaters regularly shows birds and alligators. Bald eagles appear sometimes but are not guaranteed. Your guide provides live education about the wildlife as you move through the water.

How long is the airboat ride, and can I choose?

You pick either a 30-minute ride or a full hour when you book. Both depart from Wild Florida after your arrival and take you into the same headwaters. The longer option simply covers more distance.

Is lunch included, or do I need to bring my own food?

A BBQ basket lunch from the Chomphouse grill is included in your package and served at the café on the Wildlife Park grounds. You eat there between the airboat ride and the park walk.

Do I need to drive myself, or is transportation from my hotel included?

Roundtrip hotel pickup is included from Orlando, Kissimmee and Disney area hotels. The driver also serves as your guide for the day, so you don't arrange any transport once you're picked up.

What is the Wildlife Park like, and how much time do I spend there?

The Wildlife Park holds rescue animals (lemurs, sloths, raccoons, a Florida panther and birds in an aviary) plus a boardwalk into the Cypress Forest. You walk it at your own pace after the airboat ride. The park is part of the same 7-hour tour, so timing is built in.