FAQ

Reservations

We do require reservations which must be made by 5 pm the day before a tour.
Tours tend to sell out quickly from mid-December through April. We suggest booking several weeks in advance to assure your reservation. From May through November we suggest booking three days in advance.
The full-day tour operates when we have four guests or more and we can accommodate up to 13 passengers in our custom tour van.
Captain Bob’s Excellent adventure operates when we have 6 guests of more and can accommodate up to 13 passengers in our custom tour bus.
Please be advised, on rare occasions, tours may be cancelled if we do not reach the minimum number of passengers.
Our tours depart early in the morning and require a reservation made by 5 PM the day before the tour.
A credit card is required to make a reservation. If you wish to pay with cash or gold doubloons we hold the reservation with a credit card. No checks. You can make your reservation online or by phone.
All cancellations must be made by calling 239-472-1559. Please no emails.
- - Safaris can be cancelled or rebooked online up to 48 hours before a tour to receive a full refund.
  - Safaris cancelled within 48 hours of the tour are non-refundable. All cancellations within 48 hours must be made by calling 239-472-1559. Please no emails.
  - No-shows will not be refunded.
  - If you made your reservation through TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide or another Online Travel Agent you must contact their customer support to cancel and receive a refund.
  - The Everglades Day Safari operates when we have four guests or more. Captain Bob’s Excellent Adventure and the Western Everglades Adventure operate when we have 5 guests or more. Tours may be cancelled if the minimum number of passengers is not reached.
  - With the Tour Cancellation Protection your purchase can be converted into a gift card, rescheduled, or refunded up to 5pm the day before your tour. A cancellation request MUST be submitted by phone to (239) 472-1559 during business hours of 9am-5pm. All funds, minus the 6% protection plan and processing fees, are transferable and refundable.

Pickups

Our location is the Everglades – a 4 million acre subtropical paradise and the greatest benefit of our tours is that our expert naturalists and biologists narrate the tour and escort you to a variety of locations in the Everglades during your tour. Pickup from one of our departure points is required.
We have departure points near Southwest Florida International Airport, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades.
We offer free parking and pickup from the following areas:
- Fort Myers Area
  - Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers & Cape Coral area – Perkins Restaurant (14801 South Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers)
  - Naples and all other West Coast Locations – Embassy Suites, 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive, Estero)
- Fort Lauderdale area
  - Galleria Mall (2414 East Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale)
  - Flamingo Gardens Botanical Gardens (3750 South Flamingo Road, Davie)

Tour Excursions

The full-day Everglades Day Safari includes:
- - Nature Walk
  - Wildlife Drive
  - Airboat Ride
  - Mangrove Wilderness Boat Cruise
  - Lunch
  - suitable for ages 6 and up
The half-day Captain Bob’s Excellent Adventure includes:
- - airboat ride
  - reptile presentation
  - suitable for all ages but geared for families with small children
Do you want a sample of the Everglades or the full experience?There are 40 airboat tour providers in Florida. Anyone can drive there and take a quick ride but our day tour is a true safari and includes a variety of activities. The airboat is one of the highlights during the day and is part of the full experience.
The airboat is a flat-bottomed boat with an aircraft propeller and an automobile engine. This unique mode of transportation brings us close to birds, turtles, alligators and other wildlife.

The mangrove wilderness boat cruise uses a 6 or 18-passenger skiff. The tour goes into the Ten Thousand Islands portion of the Everglades where we explore the mangroves in search of dolphins, manatees and coastal birds.
The airboat ride is usually smooth as it glides over shallow water, mud and vegetation. The skiffs can experience some chop depending on weather conditions. Kids 6 and younger are required to wear a coast guard-approved, personal floatation device which are also available for all other ages. Ear protection is provided by the airboat captains.
You can walk as far as you like as fast as you like. When damp, the boardwalk can be a bit slippery. There are picnic benches at the start of the walk for those that wish to remain behind. For security reasons the tour van must remain locked while we are on the walk.

From Greater Ft Lauderdale: The walk is 1 mile round trip on a boardwalk.

From Greater Ft Myers: The first 2/10 of a mile is a crushed shell walkway that leads to a boardwalk that is 6/10 of a mile. The walk is 1 6/10 miles roundtrip.
We guarantee wild alligator sightings. We often see dolphins, turtles and a variety of bird species. Manatees and bears are rare to spot and panthers are extremely rare.

Weather

The weather forecast is “a chance of rain” from May through November. Hourly weather forecasts are rarely correct but typically the summer rains occur in the late afternoon when we return from our tours. We do go out rain or shine. The Everglades is the only subtropical rainforest in the continental United States and water is the driving force that makes the Everglades what it is. Rain and water are part of the tour! On very rare occasions we get rained out and once every few years a tropical storm or hurricane will put our tours on pause for a few days.

We do provide rain ponchos if rain is a possibility.
A typical summer in the Everglades might bring out the mosquitoes, most notably on the nature walk. Since Hurricane Irma in September of 2017, there have been minimal to no mosquitoes. We do carry insect repellant with us and have used four cans of spray in two years!
Only if it rains or if you fall in. No one has ever fallen in on our tour.

Only if you plan to swim with alligators and sharks.

Food & Beverage

We encourage you to have breakfast before going on the tour. You can also bring drinks and snacks. Our day safari includes lunch, which is served around 12:30 pm.
Food is only provided on the full-day tour but there are places to purchase drinks and snacks on both tours.
From May to October we offer a veggie wrap with onions, tomatoes, black olives, lettuce, cheese and pickle or a caesar salad. From October to May we offer a veggie burger with fries or a Cranberry Walnut Salad with tomato, onion, bell peppers and cheese.
There are gluten-free, peanut-free and shellfish-free menu options but all food is prepared in one kitchen and we cannot guarantee food is 100% free of allergens.
As an ecotour, we encourage the elimination of single-use plastics. We no longer offer bottles of water on tour but ask that travelers bring reusable containers for water. There are opportunities to purchase drinks and snacks along the way.
Alcohol is not permitted in the tour vehicle but can be purchased and consumed at designated locations.

Comfort

Sneakers or closed-toed sandals are good. No flip flops because it makes it hard to run from angry armadillos. On colder days bring a jacket or sweater, so you have layers. Sometimes it can be cold in the morning and it gets warmer in the middle of the day. Sunglasses & sunscreen are important as well.
Sunscreen, sunglasses, extra water & snacks and a camera.
There are restrooms at each of the stops during the day safari. The guide will advise travelers when and where restrooms are available. Margaritas and burritos are not recommend as a pre-tour dinner.
Collapsable walkers and wheelchairs are welcome. Please advise us in advance if will you will be bringing either. Our vans do not have space for a motorized scooter.
The airboat captains provide ear protecters for travelers on the tour from Fort Myers and earplugs for travels on the tour from Fort Lauderdale.
Space is limited in our tour van and there isn’t space for luggage. Small coolers and backpacks are fine. Personal items can be left in the van throughout the day. However we are not responsible for any lost or damaged items.
It is not required but it is highly recommended. Our vans have the latch system. Our bus requires using the seat belt.
There are no restrictions for pregnant women. The airboat ride is usually quite smooth and the boat cruise is occiaionally bumpy but they should always consult their doctor.
For the comfort of others, tobacco products are not permitted on the tour. They’re not good for you anyway.

General Questions

Gratuities are not required but certainly appreciated. We leave tipping up to happy guests. If we had to answer the question or risk being eaten by sharks, we would suggest $1-2 per person for boat captains, $10 per person on Everglades Day Safari and $5 per person on Captain Bob’s Excellent Adventure.
Our tour is an ecotour, so we try to spend most of our time looking for wildlife on the excursions. When time permits you can grab a souvenir at a shop at one of the stops along the way.
Currently the National Park pass does not save travelers money on their reservation with Everglades Day Safari. Tours from Fort Lauderdale do stop at the Oasis Visitor Center in Big Cypress National Preserve and can get their park pass stamped there.
Phone reception is great in some places in the Everglades and non-existent in others. Cell phones can be disruptive to our PA system and we recommend you put them in airplane mode.
Purchased Gift Cards do not expire. Donated Gift Certificates expire roughly one year from the time they were donated.

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