Everglades National Park Institute

"Went out yesterday on the Everglades eco adventure with Captain Clayton - it was wonderful! We walked cape sable beach and saw flamingos, crocs, and every kind of bird imaginable. Clayton was knowledgeable and funny and our small group had a lovely adventure! 12/10 recommend the Everglades and Biscayne national park institutes for tours"

"Absolute blast with Captain Clayton on the Florida Bay Eco Adventure! The Florida Bay Eco Adventure was the perfect way to spend a day exploring Florida Bay and the brackish waters of the Everglades Mangroves. Captain Clayton was a great guide, educating us on the history of the Everglades and the flora/fauna of the area. It was also a very intimate experience—just 3 of us total + the captain. We were greeted by manatees and a nesting pair of Ospreys in the harbor. On the boat ride out to Cape Sable, a pod of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins hung around our boat. The ride took about 30min to get to Cape Sable. We took a tour through the mangroves where we saw a bunch of crocodiles and a bevy of different types of wading birds. We took a short 15min ride to a reclusive beach, where we took a long walk marveling at the Gulf of Mexico. Next came a short ride deeper into the mangroves followed by a short lunch as Clayton unpacked the kayaks (reminder to be sure to pack your own lunch & snacks!). The paddle through the mangroves was adventurous—we encountered a bunch of crocs (not as nerve-racking as it sounds; they were very docile and/or skittish), herons, pelicans, and a lone raccoon. We paddled through streams, lagoons, and mangrove tunnels. It was strenuous at times and leisurely at others. After that, we cruised back to the harbor—a successful day! Would highly recommend if you want a good taste of Florida Bay and the mangrove biome, you like a little adventure/activity, and if you want to get a close encounter with a bevy of birds + crocs. Captain Clayton was a great guide & the Everglades Institute did a fantastic job catering the experience."

"The Cypress Tour Wet Walk was an amazing experience! Our group of four had never been to the Everglades before, so this was a great way to jump right in and see all the habitats, plant life, and birds (and thankfully no gators). The guide gave us a great intro to the habitats as we drove to our water walk trail, introduced us to all the plant life and birds we saw, and explained the habits of gators in the area. On top of that, when we were done she gave us amazing recommendations on how and where to spend the rest of our day in the park."

"The Florida Bay Eco-Adventure at Flamingo was one of the best tours I have ever taken. We were a small group of 2 plus our guide Justin and it’s important to note that these tours go ahead even with one person only, contrary to private tour operators who require a minimum group size! We took the speed boat to a breeding ground of the white pelicans, launched the kayaks right across one of the biggest crocodiles and continued to see many more, as well as spotted many rare birds and even flamingos. We still had time to squeeze in a walk along a remote beach. Justin was very knowledgable about the flora and fauna and happily extended the tour time in order for us to really enjoy the moment of watching the flamingos in their habitat. Just beautiful. Thank you Justin and team!"

"Thank you, Mike for being our guide today for our first ever tour around the Everglades. We got a good insight to the right history of what the Everglades are and so glad we did it. Next time is to come back during the dry season and see a different landscape and wildlife."