5-Day Everglades Kayak Tour

Explore Entire Everglades

Our Most Popular Trip

Moderate Active Rating

Experience all of the different habitats in Everglades National Park on our most popular tour! Sleep each night at a different type of campsite including “chickee”, “shell mound”, and beach. You will kayak through the 10,000 Islands, inland freshwater rivers, famous Wilderness Waterway, and open Gulf of Mexico. You will also observe all of the exotic wildlife such as manatee, alligator, dolphin, sea turtle and countless birds that inhabit each of these areas.

Why Choose This Tour:

Explore Entire Everglades - On this loop itinerary you will visit all of the major Everglades' ecosystems including the 10,000 Islands, freshwater rivers, Wilderness Waterway and open Gulf of Mexico. ​

Stay at Every Type of Campsite -­ You will spend a night at every type of national park campsite including wooden "chickee" platform, historic Watson Place "shell mound" and remote Gulf of Mexico beach.

Observe Exotic Wildlife ­- You will be shown the secret hiding places of alligators, dolphin, manatees, sea turtles, plus countless fish and birds.

Guide Services - Be expertly guided through maze-like landscapes to discover some of the Everglades hidden gems. Learn fascinating natural history from a certified Florida Master Naturalist.

Backcountry Permit -­ Don't worry, we'll organize and handle all permits and campsite entry so you can focus on soaking up the experience.

All Inclusive -­ Our tours are fully outfitted and guided. All kayak equipment, camping gear and food is included at no additional cost. Don’t waste your valuable vacation hauling tons of gear to Florida - we´ve got you covered.

Safety -­ The internet is full of stories about dangerous gators and venomous snakes lurking in the Everglades. We have never had a guest threatened by any wildlife. Please don’t let exaggerated fears or uninformed opinions stop you from coming!

“Moderate Active” Rating -­ This is our most popular tour and is best for individuals with some sea kayaking experience. It is intended for active and fit adults who feel comfortable camping in the backcountry and kayaking up to 12 miles over 6 hours each day.

Trip Details:


Active Rating:

Moderate level – This is our most popular tour! It is best for individuals with some sea kayaking experience and primitive camping skills.


Distance:

48 miles in total (up to 12 miles and 6 hours of kayaking a day).


Day Tour Runs:

Any day of the week, typically departing on Sunday and Tuesday. See calendar for currently scheduled tours.


Departure and Drop Off:

Departure: 9am from the Canoe/Kayak Access at the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center
Drop Off: 4pm (same location).
Click here to see the map.


Group Size:

Max group size 8 | Min group size 2.


Minimum Age:

18 years old.


Season:

Winter dry season, November to April.


What to Bring:

A specific personal packing list is provided with our Overnight Tour Information sheet.


About Your Guide:

Your guide will be an ACA kayak instructor, NOLS wilderness first responder, and certified Florida master naturalist.
Read more about our guides here.

Important Information

Price: $1300 (See below for what's included)

Detailed Itinerary

We´ll begin the day at the Everglades visitor center for a brief orientation and an outline of the day´s itinerary. Today we´ll explore the brackish mangrove estuary where we´ll keep our eyes peeled for the shy manatees who gather in this warm estuary water. After a day of paddling in the peaceful landscape of the Everglades and snapping photos of the incredible wildlife, we´ll head back to Crooked Creek Chickee for a truly unique camping experience. “Chickee” is the native word for home and what Everglades National Park designates its elevated wooden camping platforms. Upon arrival, we will unload the boats and set up our first camp before enjoying a fresh and delicious dinner, including appetizers, local seafood, fresh salads, and desserts. With our extensive backcountry camping experience, we’ve learned that depending on bland dehydrated meals is not necessary. Once you´re ready to retire, you´ll experience a camping experience you´ll never forget – camping on the chickees allows the unique opportunity to sleep directly over the water listening to the manatees breathe and fish jump throughout the night. Your daily life and stresses will seem like a lifetime away as you sleep under the stars, surrounded by nothing but the gentle sound of nature.

Paddling distance: 10 miles. Lunch and dinner included.

This morning we awaken to a sunrise view over the water from inside our sleeping bags. After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, juice and hot coffee, we break camp, load the boats and paddle a section of the famous Wilderness Waterway. This waterway is the only marked route through the entire length of the national park from Everglades City in the north to Flamingo in the south. It is routed for easy paddling, following protected inside creeks and shallow bays.
Our destination today is one of historic significance; the infamous Watson Place. The campsite here is located in a man made shell mound, originally built by the Calusa natives.

Paddling distance: 10 miles. All meals included.

There is no need to break camp and load the boats today. A second night at Watson Place allows us to fully explore this fascinating area. You may use this as a rest day and relax in a hammock under the shade of a tropical Gumbo Limbo tree, or if you’re interested in kayaking we´ll head deep into the interior of the Everglades to explore the Sweetwater River. Slowly, jungle will close in on us as we paddle upriver and the mangroves form a canopy overhead. These freshwater rivers are a favorite habitat of the timid American Alligator. We may catch a glimpse of several basking on the river banks before they silently slide into the water. This afternoon we’ll head back to our campsite with plenty of time to explore Watson Place on foot. The 38­ acre shell mound has become completely overgrown with jungle and is unrecognizable as the sugarcane plantation it was during Watson’s days in the early 20th century. There are, however, still plenty of relics from those days hidden in the jungle waiting to be discovered.

Paddling distance: optional 8 miles. All meals included.

Prepare to paddle down the Chatham River out to the Gulf of Mexico, where dolphin, sea turtles and white pelicans are often in plain sight! We´ll set up camp on the beautiful sandy beach of Pavillion Key, one of the largest and most open of the islands. The powder soft and sparkling white sand is formed of calcium carbonate produced from the shells of marine animals, very different from the more familiar coarse tan sand found on Florida’s Atlantic beaches. In the evening, we can stretch our legs and shell hunt or simply enjoy a vibrant Florida sunset beside a blazing beach campfire.

Paddling distance: 8 miles. All meals included.

Before we head back to civilization, we´ll weave through the 10,000 Islands on our last paddle! This vast tangle of “islands” is actually a maze of mangrove trees growing in a shallow tidal estuary. At high tide the inaccessible islands are completely flooded and at low tide they are surrounded by boat­ trapping mud flats. The 10,000 Islands afford a fantastic opportunity to witness our abundant migratory and resident birdlife, including flocks of ibis, diving osprey and vibrant pink spoonbills. Your guide will gently lead you through this vast and remote landscape, weaving through the labyrinth of mangrove islands, before we end our trip back in Everglades City around 4:00PM.

Paddling distance: 12 miles. Breakfast and lunch included.

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