3 Hour Guided Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Eco Tour
This is a wonderful alternative to an airboat ride … quiet, peaceful and surreal. It is a leisurely paddle experience with a naturalist guide who throughout the tour will be interpreting and explaining what you are seeing. It is a great learning experience in a very unique part of the Everglades. The Everglades is a vast and varied ecosystem containing the largest mangrove forest in North America. Throughout the forest are brackish "lakes" whose waters are a mix of "sweet" fresh water and salt water. They are refuges and nursery grounds for alligators, herons, egrets, stilts, ducks, wood storks, spoonbills, otters, orchids and bromeliads and a gamut of fishes. Interconnecting these lakes are narrow, flowing tidal creeks. The mangrove forest grows to the very edge and over the tops of these creeks forming a canopy or a tunnel. The dense canopy regulates moisture and humidity allowing to thrive.
Note: June through October, we suggest the morning experiences due to the weather.
Options
3 Hour Guided Kayak Tour
What's included in 3 Hour Guided Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Eco Tour
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Everglades Area Tours
Located just a 1.5-hour drive south of Fort Myers lie the incredible Florida Everglades. On this 3.5-hour eco-tour, enjoy a kayak adventure through the lush mangrove tunnels and discover the area’s diverse ecosystem. Your tour will begin with a brief introduction on how to maneuver your single-person kayak (no experience required). Once you feel comfortable with the kayak, paddle down the lake and arrive at a narrow entryway, where the mangrove tunnels form a canopy approximately 10 feet (3 meters) overhead. This is one of the largest mangrove forests in North America! Follow your naturalist guide as you explore the vast and varied ecosystem and keep your eyes out for herons, egrets, ducks, spoonbills, alligators, otters and a variety of fish species. Along the way, your guide will provide an interesting, informative overview of the area and its incredible ecosystem.
Inclusions
- Professional guide
- Kayaking equipment and safety briefing
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting / End Points
- Please meet at the EVERGLADES AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE building at the intersection of US 41 (Tamiami Trail) and SR 29 (Collier Blvd.); This area is also known as Carnestown. Look for your guide's vehicle on the SE corner of the intersection pulling a kayak trailer loaded with kayaks.
