Guided Walking Swamp Tour

Take a three hour excursion with one of our knowledgeable (and passionate) naturalists to explore the many wonders of these environments. Discuss the natural history of the Everglades, as well as the last 120 years of human impact to the ecosystem, and the current Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) — the largest restoration project our planet has known.

You may also encounter a variety of invasive exotic plant and animal species as well. Learn how many of these pests have been negatively impacting native species of South Florida, the consequences of their arrival, eradication efforts and best management practices.

Each and every tour will present unique opportunities. You may come across an endangered orchid in bloom (such as the ghost orchid or the dingy-flowered star), or we may see fresh tracks or scat from an elusive Florida panther or Florida black bear. Encounters with white-tailed deer, red-shouldered hawks, barred owls, pileated woodpeckers, egrets, herons, alligators and water reptiles are always a possibility, and definitely a bonus.

Our most popular walking tours take us through the cypress swamps of the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Welcome to the Fakahatchee Strand which is known as «the Amazon of North America». For thousands of years moving, clean fresh water has carved away at this spectacular environment. The Park is a 75,000 acre wilderness area and is approximately twenty miles long by five miles wide. A protective canopy of bald cypress trees covers a slow moving shallow «river» or «slough» running north to south. The canopy and water below create a unique «humidity controlled „environment that neither gets too cold in the winter or too warm in the summer. Flora and fauna flourish and the Strand is home to rare and endangered tropical plant species. It contains the richest diversity of native orchid and bromeliad species in North America (44 and 14 respectively) as well as the largest groves of native royal palms.

Groups will have an option of a “dry walk» or a «swamp walk» through these environments. For those who prefer to stay dry, we can take advantage of the vast network of tram roads (dirt/gravel) that were built during the days of cypress logging (1944-1956). Those who are a bit more adventurous may prefer to get their feet wet. One of the best ways to be enveloped by the swamp is walking through its' nutrient rich waters usually knee or thigh deep.