Ochopee Trip Overview
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. Some lakes are host to colonies of roosting and breeding birds. 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.
Additional Info
Duration: 3 hours
Starts: Ochopee, United States
Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> Nature & Wildlife
Explore Ochopee Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Ochopee, Florida, United States
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. Some lakes are host to colonies of roosting and breeding birds. 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.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Everglades Area Tours, 238 Mamie St, Everglades City, FL 34138
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.
