loxahatchee everglades tours

Great time with Wild Lyle our tour guide who gave us a lot of interesting information. We got to see many different species of birds and and a bunch of alligators. Our tour was supposed to be 50 minutes but it was much longer. I highly recommend this tour.

We had the opportunity to take this tour with "Wild Lyle" and loved, loved, loved it. Lyle Thomas was most informative and courteous. He spent a lot of time explaining the various plants, and wildlife we saw along the way and answered any questions he was asked. This is a worthwhile tour for anyone wishing to learn more about the Everglades and the environment. There is also a museum which can be visited and is filled with all kinds of informative articles and many species of animals. Treat yourself and take this tour with "Wild Lyle" who really isn't all that wild!!!

A nice airboat ride through the glades. We saw lots of herons, egrets, gators (from 3 feet to 9 feet), turtles, snake birds and fish. The driver would slow/stop when we approached any animals or birds so as to not frighten them before we got close. Half way through, the boat stopped and the driver offered to use each groups camera or phone to take a picture. He also talked about te various animals and plants in the glades. All in all, a very good experience.

My husband and I, along with visiting guests, have visited this venue 4 times, today included. The experience we had today was the worst and "Wild Lyle" was very rude, not only to the boat operator who worked there, but to the patrons on the boat. My husband, granddaughter and I arrived at Loxahatchee at 11:00 a.m. for the 50 minute tour and were told that the next boat was leaving anywhere between 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. After waiting 2 hours 40 minutes, we finally boarded the boat....14 people in all. Our tour guide, Matt, was very polite and started the tour pointing out some wildlife and then stopping briefly to let us know what we can expect to see on the tour. About 15 minutes into the tour, we came across another airboat that was having engine troubles. There were 4 passengers on that boat and it was from another tour company, not Loxahatchee. Matt stopped and gave the captain of that boat some oil for his engine and after about 5 minutes, we moved over to the side of the vegetation where Matt spoke for about 10 minutes and answered questions. Seeing that the other boat was still having trouble, Matt went over to help. The other Captain asked if his 4 passengers could continue the tour on our boat. Matt said he would have to call it in to Lyle and Lyle said he would come and get them. When Lyle arrived, his boat was filled to capacity so he had the 4 passengers get on our boat. He then switched boats with Matt and Lyle then piloted our boat. He turned the boat around brought us back to the shore. He never said one word to anyone on the boat, not a greeting, not an explanation as to why he was brining the boat back early. The other boat that Matt was now piloting also came back to the shore. Myself and another passenger, who had 2 guests with her, went to the ticket booth and spoke to the woman who worked there and she said that she would take our phone numbers and have Lyle call us. Lyle called about an hour later and proceeded to tell me that we got what we paid for and that we were out on the boat for 50 minutes and that he wasn't going to refund our money. I began to tell him that I disagreed with him and started telling him why----that we waited 2 hours and 40 minutes before we got on the boat and that we didn't get the 50 minute tour that we paid $114.00 for. He cut me off, telling me that I was complaining about things other than the tour time and they were busy and did the best they could. In the 2 hours and 40 minutes that we were waiting for the boat, one boat went out as we were buying tickets and no other boat departed or came in. Apparently they were understaffed and could not accommodate their customers. Their website states that tours leave "on the hour" and to arrive 30 minutes before the tour. We arrived well before that. It's very evident to me that "Wild Lyle" is more interested in making money that making his customers happy. When I told him that we had been to his place 3 previous times and that we would never go back again, his response was " I don't care if you never come back again". Great way to run a business. My advice to anyone thinking about using this tour is DON'T BOTHER WASTING YOUR TIME OR YOUR MONEY!

My husband and I took our 18th Loxahatchee Everglades Tour yesterday (over a period of 13 years) and we found it just as enjoyable and educational as our first trip. This is truly an experience in a natural environment. There are no caged animals and you won't find alligator wrestling here. There are no pretensions or efforts to impress . . . just knowledge imparted from years of exposure to and researching the Everglades. Lyle (the owner and one of four guides) was our guide yesterday and we always learn something new, even after all the visits we've had here. Obviously, Lyle and the other guides cannot guarantee that you'll see an alligator. They are, after all, not employees. We're the ones visiting their home. There are, however, always other critters (birds, turtles) to see and plants to learn about. I highly recommend that you spend the time and the money to have this experience. It's educational, relaxing, enjoyable and definitely time well spent.

I have taken this tour three times, as it is close to home, with very mixed results. The boat always goes around in a fixed circle on open water close to the bank. There is no field of grass or Everglades swamp experience. On two occasions we did not see alligators at all which was very disappointing. However, last time we did see a couple and that was great. And there are usually lots of interesting birds around.This is a serious company, they are environmentalists and do not employ any gimmicks. But it can fall a little flat and seems a bit pricey.

A group of nine from the family went this morning and had "Wild Lyle" as a guide. Not only was the tour incredible, but Lyle provided an education that made us appreciate the beauty surrounding us even more. We saw plenty of alligators, birds, turtles and would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks again to Lyle. Well worth a visit!

If you're looking for an airboat ride in the Everglades for this area its a great choice. The people who drive the boat are very knowledgeable. You really see lots of alligators, birds and turtles. I have been to other air boat tours and saw hardly anything. There is a small museum there which is nice. It doesn't have a mini zoo like others have but it has what you go for a ride on,an airboat with lots to see. The boat seating is great to it's like stadium seating so you can see lots.

This was a great experience. Dan was an excellent guide, educating us on the wildlife and vegetation. We will be back, bringing more friends and family.

I highly recommend Loxahatchee Everglades Tours. This is a great activity for any age level. You will see plenty of wildlife while learning about the area from their expert guides. It is obvious that this company is passionate about the Everglades and educating the public about this unique ecosystem. I have taken this tour 4 times and learn something new every time. Our favorite guide is Dan. His expert knowledge combined with humor makes for a most enjoyable tour.

This was a wonderful tour. Dan is a really knowledgeable tour guide. I have been on many tour boats before and this was my first trip to Florida, was not disappointed. Plenty of crock's, blue herons, and other wildlife. The day was perfect, not too hot and a nice breeze.

My wife and I enjoyed this ride -Never went on any other type of attraction like this before - but our experience was great:1. Courteous and friendly staff2. Very informative3. Tried to show us all that there was to see.

Dan our tour guide was very educational, he took the time to go through and describe all the different birds and plants in the everglades when he would spot alligators he made a point to point them out. We had the chance to talk to the owner which is a native to the everglades, really nice guy.

It was ok ,but not worth the price. Saw a few alligators and some birds. I think we could have seen most of this from the shore without paying. Over priced for short tour.

We went on the 11am tour (they are hourly starting at 9am) a couple of days before Christmas. The airboat seats about 12 - 15 people. Our guide Matt, who was very knowledgeable, spent an hour driving us around the Everglades, pointing out wildlife, circling around for us to get a better look, and generally doing his best for us to have a great time. And overall we did: we saw one very large alligator, and several babies near a nest. Also, several herons and assorted other wildlife. However, as another reviewer mentions, the airboats are very loud (headsets are provided), and I have no doubt they also scare off a lot of wildlife. My guess is they are the only form of boat they can use out there, since the water is obviously very shallow in some places. I went on a similar 'swamp tour' near New Orleans a while ago, where a different, much quieter, type of boat was used, and we saw way more alligators, but that was probably also because the company owns the land the tour is on, and feeds the alligators, which isn't allowed in the Everglades. We drove to Loxahatchee from Fort Lauderdale, which took close to an hour. Note that the Sawgrass Express Way is a toll road.