Down South Airboat tours

brian bird

2024-04

This company is great. They have 5 boats and have an exclusive deal with the reservation. Thus, you will have an uncrowded Everglades experience unlike what their competitors offer. Ryan was 3rd generation Everglades City and knew his stuff. Great tour. Lots of gators and birds. Beautiful! I'd recommend the 2 hour tour so you can see the Cypress portion and not be rushed. Highly recommended!

Tammy Dorsch

2024-04

What an amazing tour! If you are looking for a company to book an airboat tour with, look no further. This was our first trip to the Everglades, and after this tour, it certainly won’t be the last. Captain Ryan is as local as advertised and while we got plenty of up close gator sightings (and don’t ask me how he can spot them while barreling through the area at top speed and spin around to show you) we saw plenty of other wildlife and learned a lot about the ecosystem that we had no inkling of. It was fascinating and the hour and a half sped by in the blink of an eye. All I can say is our cheeks hurt from smiling it was so much fun. This is a class act company that cares about what they do and I am so glad we didn’t go with one of the larger tour groups. Thank you Down South Airboat Tours and Captain Ryan!

Mindy McGrail

2024-04

Today was my second trip to Down South Airboat Tours… I cannot describe how beautiful and personal these tours are… the headsets are top notch and the tours are for smaller groups and you get such an education from the wonderful guides they have.We chose the 2 hour tour because you see so much of the beautiful natural Everglades…The first time we went we had a guide named John and he was amazing with such an education and great knowledge. He was also so nice and had great stories of his adventures. He was so great that we actually requested him the second time.He was busy so we were guided by Ryan, a third generation resident of the Everglades and he was amazing as well. He has very good knowledge and experiences that we enjoyed hearing about…These guides are so nice and fun and knowledgeable …I have to say they are both great but John was my first guide and I was so happy to see him today… Gave him a big hug and told him I would be back again🤗

Donald Brinkman

2024-03

Fabulous tour by a small, local company. Gary was an amazing guide. He knows the Everglades like the back of his hand, was able to spot alligators while driving the boat at 30 mph, was full of lore about the ecosystem as well as personal stories of growing up outside of Everglades City.Regarding the Airboat tour itself, this is not to be missed. The Everglades are phenomenally beautiful and the ride is sooo smooth. You visit multiple different areas, sometimes racing high speed through the sea of grass, sometimes creeping through dense groves of trees. There are flowers, birds, frogs, air plants, hidden cabins, fish and, of course, GATORS! My favorite tour of the trip so far.

Creekside at Yellowstone

2024-04

We highly recommend Down South Airboat Tours. We take all of our out-of-state visitors on this airboat tour and it never disappoints. Knowledgeable, friendly guides, beautiful scenery and wildlife (gators, wading birds, hawks), and we love the two-way headsets.

Sarah Carroll

2024-02

Wonderful intergenerational experience. Loved being immersed in the environment with a launch site far from crowds we passed at other places. Gary was attentive, informative, and personable. It was great to see such a variety of settings in one trip, and I know lots go for the gators, but I just loved watching the large birds take flight.

Karen Fehr

2024-03

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour. The guide was informative and very safety conscious. We saw a number of gators and birds and beautiful views. We asked lots of questions and it was all fascinating! The pick up point is off the busy highway and we questioned we were in the right spot. However, it turned out to be a great place to depart as you get deep into the Everglades right away. No washrooms at that specific location but there is a shop not far where you could use the facilities. Highly recommended!

Kelsie Kaufman

2024-02

What an amazing tour! The Everglades are absolutely beautiful and Gary, our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable. My family and I had an unforgettable experience. 10/10 would recommend.

Becky England

2024-02

Amazing tour! Greg, our driver and guide, was fantastic-loved his depth of knowledge about the plants, animals, local native tribes, and history of the Everglades. This company is about respecting all of the above, not exploiting any of it. I’ve been on tours with other companies that have small “zoos,” with animals in dirty, cramped conditions, no narration, and only 20 -30 minute tours.I will recommend Down South to all my friends! Thank you again!

Jocelyn Anderson

2024-04

Highly recommend! We had so much fun, the tour guide was awesome! Honestly didn’t want the trip to end. We got to see baby alligators and so much nature, just beautiful!

M Letendre

2024-04

I have been riding with Down South Airboat Tours several times and each ride has been remarkable. They tour the everglades on the north side of 41 which has a different ecosystem than the south side. It is fresh water. The captains are all quite knowledgeable about the animal wildlife, the plants/trees, the patterns of the alligators. I have always taken either the first ride of the day or the sunset tour and have never been disappointed. The one thing I've always noted is that I've NEVER seen another person or boat during my rides. We've just been able to appreciate the vastness of the sky and uninterrupted landscape.

Chris Sigmon

2023-05

Do not hesitate to plan your tour with Down South Airboat Tours! Everything was top notch and professional! Our captain Gary went above and beyond to make our time on the glades fun, safe, and informative. We did the the hour and a half tour and it was perfect. We couldn’t move our tour time but they messaged us to see if we wanted to move our time to later in the day to see more gators. This was based on their knowledge of the time of year, weather and environment. On our 8:30 am tour we still saw plenty of gators and wildlife and Capt Gary even stopped us directly beside freshly hatched wild baby alligators that he had just discovered days before. This just solidified his knowledge and love for the Everglades! Again, do not hesitate to book with these guys! Top notch!~ Chris Sigmon ~- March 26th 8:30am -

Ward Urlings

2024-04

What an exceptional way to experience the real Everglades! We are a family of 4 and had a private 1,5h tour with Gary who was simply fantastic. Very knowledgeable and explained everything very well (also for our 9y old kids) which made this experience unforgettable. 700hp V8 in the back, wind through your hair, spotting birds/alligators and seeing the vastness of the Glades. What's not to like :) Highly recommended!

Joan Ware

2024-03

We had a fantastic experience with Captain John on Down South. He showed us gator babies and mom came to check on us. Explained the different grasses and trees growing in the glade. Also told us about the Indian's whose land it is

Wendy Heigel

2023-05

If you’re going to do one tour in the Everglades make it this one! You can walk the boardwalks and head to the visitor centers to see some alligators but you’ll never really appreciate it’s vast beauty until you get into the middle of it!Our tour guide grew up in the area and you could tell he knew everything about it and loved to share its beauty with visitors!The boat ride was amazingly smooth and the birds and alligators plentiful!Take this tour! The local guides know the best spots and it was worth every penny!

Sarah McRae

2023-05

We recently went on a private airboat tour with Down South, and it was fantastic! Highly recommend spending a little more for a private excursion. Our captain was Gary, a long-time local, and he was so knowledgeable and friendly. He took us to see baby gators! Headsets were perfect! This was such an amazing way to experience the Everglades. Get out there with Down South!!

Christine Hicks

2024-03

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with captain Garrett! Although our tour was on a busy Saturday, we saw no other airboats because he knew the “trails” so well. He was very knowledgeable about the native plants and animals. He even gave us a history lesson about the original peoples in Florida. Meeting at a public boat dock was unusual, but we were quickly put at ease with the professionalism of all the staff present. Our tour was private (just my husband and I) and exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend!

Roger Ward

2023-05

WE recently took a tour with Down South Airboat Tours and it was an unforgettable experience. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife, and was able to point out alligators, birds, and other interesting animals during the tour. The airboat itself was well-maintained and comfortable, and the ride was a lot of fun. The tour was well-paced, and we had plenty of opportunities to take photos and ask questions. The tour also provided a great perspective of the natural beauty of the area, including the cypress trees and Spanish moss. I highly recommend Down South Airboat Tours for anyone looking for an exciting and informative tour of the swamps. The team was friendly and accommodating a great time, it was definitely a highlight of our trip.

Linnea Wallace

2024-03

Our tour was absolutely amazing! It exceeded my highest expectations. Gary was a phenomenal guide with a wealth of knowledge and he was incredibly engaging. From learning the history of the area to seeing the wildlife up close, It was a riveting experience all around. Highly recommend!

Jason Stewart

2022-05

We went on a Down South Airboat Tour on New Year's Day 2022 and it was spectacular! Perfect weather and an outstanding guide who has deep roots in the community. You could tell he really loves the Everglades and is quite knowledgeable of the history and ecosystem. We were really hopeful we'd see alligators, and our guide brought us to a hidden spot where there were several just sitting around! It was amazing! Down South is a smaller tour company than the rest and is worth the extra drive past the bigger tour operators that line the road when you're coming from Miami. I will definitely come back to Down South again someday, and I recommend them without hesitation.

Molly Johnson

2023-05

Our tour with Capt Dave was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable and entertaining about the animals, habitats and all things Everglades. We saw over 20 alligators, hundreds of birds, turtles and fish. Was definitely an unforgettable experience!

WDella HH

2024-04

So, so, so much fun! Gary was entertaining and informative. He could spot alligators like nothing else. Definitely a highlight of our trip. I don't hesitate to recommend!

B B

2022-05

This was our first airboat ride and we will definitely be back! I emailed for a last minute booking, just a few days after Christmas 2021 and they were super responsive and accommodating!Covid was surging again, so a private airboat tour just for my family was a top priority! I found this company on TripAdvisor and saw they got great reviews on both that platform and here on Google. I give this company and our tour guide Alex five stars. They were excellent and I highly recommend them!The tour will depart from Tamiami Trail 40 mile bend primitive public boat ramp (at the red shack that has TILLYS written on it). We got there a few minutes early and met with a representative from the company who told us our guide would be there soon. There were 3 other families waiting with us. Each guide came in and off loaded a group and a new group would hop on. We noticed the head sets being used were not wiped down between each guest so I had some Clorox wipes that we used before we put on our headsets.Since there were 3 of us, I sat up front by myself and my husband and son were in the second row. The headsets were a great touch. We were able to talk to one another and the guide was able to tell us all kinds of information throughout the tour. Without the headsets, we would have had to stop each time he wanted to tell us something.We did stop to look at some things- alligators, an Indian island, and fish camps! I cannot believe I am a Floridian and have never been on an airboat before now. I now want to buy one it was so much fun! The hour and a half went by so quickly. I wish we had more time but the son was setting and it was getting cold. We had a lot of locals loading up their personal airboats at the docks to take out to their fish camps for the weekend. It was so neat to see the camaraderie among the air boaters too. They were all helping each other and seemed to know each other.I would definitely recommend you give this company a try and it is totally worth the money! We will be coming back and booking another tour! Thank you Down South for a wonderful first airboat experience!

PatriciaNathaniel Clark

2024-03

Our guide was great. We didn’t see alligators but the ride was nice and he was knowledgeable!

David Rosenstein

2024-02

I was staying in Everglades City on the western edge of the Everglades. I booked a morning tour with Deep South Airboats which is a 40 minute ride east on Hwy 41, the Tamiami Trail, so that I could see the difference between the the eastern, freshwater, part of the Everglades and the western saltwater area. It was worth the trip. It was an unusually chilly morning when we started at 10:00 and it turned out I wound up with a private tour. The chilly temperatures and higher than normal water level reduced the number of alligators we encountered I saw several as well as a variety of birds. My guide, Scott, is a local resident whose family has been in the area for generations. Scott was very knowledgeable and he provided great information about the history and different ecosystems different in parts of Everglades. I learned a lot of new information and a changed my understanding of what I thought I knew. The tour was well worth the trip and the ride back to Everglades City gave me a chance to take advantage of different attractions along the Tamiami trail on the way back to Everglades City. I highly recommend Deep South Airboats Tours, whether you start from te Eastern side or western side of the Everglades.

Mary Preud’homme

2024-04

Amazing tour through the Everglades with our captain Scott today. He was so knowledgeable and his love for the Everglades was evident. He was also so patient answering all our questions including my daughters. Thank you Down South and Scott!

Tamara Roberts

2024-03

Definatley the best scenic airboat ride I've been on. Highly recommend! Capt. Gary was very professional and knowledgeable about all the different wild life and history of the Everglades. If you really want to see the beauty of the Everglades not the typical "touristy" stuff this is the place to go.

Jesse Wilson

2021-05

We spent over an hour on the tour with friends, and I have to say, it was AMAZING! The Everglades are so beautiful and seeing it from an Airboat, with Down South Airboat Tours is the best way! Scout, our personal captain was knowledgable, professional and funny. We can’t wait to so it again, great way to see the Everglades!

aubrey blanchet

2024-03

Gary was our guide and it was such a phenomenal experience! He was so informative and knowledgeable - it exceeded all of our family’s expectations! The actual landscape was breathtaking and felt like something out of a movie!

Paul Eberling

2020-05

This was a truly amazing experience and a highlight of our December vacation. The vast influx of information that Captain Seth had made the tour so fulfilling. We were provided headsets all connected so we could hear Seth and communicate over the roar of the 383 small block. He was friendly and really knew how to handle that boat! Knowing that he grew up in the area meant that he could answer any question about the Everglades and surrounding area. We saw many native species of birds, alligator gar fish, and best of all some alligators both in and out of the water. This is not a corporate touristy show, but a down to earth close up of nature and its surroundings. Would highly recommend if you want the real experience and not something scripted.