Everglades & Keys Kayaking

Miami, FL

Our most popular winter escape!

We are beyond excited to share this trip into a unique wilderness and a subtropical escape. The Everglades and the Florida Keys are two of the most amazing paddling destinations in the world. As we explore, we encounter curious dolphins and dozens of bird species. Along the way, we beach camp before glowing sunsets, weave our way through island mazes, and visit a coral reef.

Ticking items off bucket lists, we experience tidal paddling and backcountry self-supported kayak camping. However, we keep the intensity mild, to make the trip accessible to adventurers of lots of skill levels.

So, let's do this! Join us for a kayaking adventure of a lifetime!

Is this for me?

Small Group

We keep it to no more than 8 amazing travelers plus a guide or two.

Camping

The first two nights of the trip we spend backcountry beach camping in Everglades National Park on a self-supported kayak camping trip. The final two nights of the adventure we spend at our comfy base camp at Long Pine Key. Dome-style tents and self-inflating camping mattresses are provided. You won’t share a tent unless you specifically request to.

Meals

Most of our meals are cooked together at camp. Your guides have prepared scrumptious recipes, will provision the trip, and lead meal preparations. This is gonna be yummy!

Kayaking

We paddle single-person sit-on-top touring kayaks. The physical activity is mild, but the paddling is sustained for a few hours each day. All kayaking gear is provided!

Traveling solo?

This trip works well for couples, friends, and solo travelers. The adventures we plan seem to attract like-minded people. Odds are, you'll enjoy the company of your fellow travelers.

There’s no singles supplement fee!

Mild to Moderately Challenging

5

Days

From

$1799

2022 Dates

$299 to reserve your spot today!

Balance due 60 days before the trip.

Possible change of plans? You can cancel for a full refund until 90 days before the trip.

Here’s the plan…

To the Gulf Coast! Day 1

We load the van and drive south, watching the Miami skyline give way to the wetlands of the Everglades. Our first stop? Flamingo Visitor Center to get the lay of the land, look for manatees, and enjoy a yummy lunch together.

We're here to go kayaking though, right? We put-in for a 5 mile paddle through grassy marshes and mangrove islands. Welcome to the Everglades!

In the late afternoon, we pitch our comfy basecamp at Long Pine Key and chow-down a signature Bad Adventures frontcountry camp dinner.

Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

And Wait, There’s More Day 2

Your guides whip up a hearty breakfast to start the day. We leave our tents pitched, load the van, and point the wheels past the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula. We leave wetlands behind, in favor of blue water and bluer skies.

More aquatic adventures await at John Pennekcamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. We devour a beach-side picnic lunch, then head off to snorkel the coral reefs (optional).

We finish the day with a stop at an authentic Florida Keys Tiki Bar for dinner (not included), then return to camp.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Everglades Ho! Day 3

We organize our gear into company dry bags as we strike camp. This morning we travel to Everglades City, the gateway to the next phase of our adventure in the National Park's Gulf Coast.

After a final gear-check, we put-in for three-days of self-supported backcountry kayak camping. We paddle 6 to 10 miles to a gorgeous beach campsite. The day closes by watching the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

To the Keys, Please! Day 4

Nothing beats waking up to a new day in the backcountry. We enjoy a hot breakfast, leave camp setup, then set out on a day-paddle to explore the area. We keep eyes peeled for wood storks and ibises. We return to our beach campsite for a final night in paradise.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Just Like That, It’s Over Day 5

We struggle to keep the “trip’s almost over” sad sniffles at bay, pack up camp one final time, then explore part of the Wilderness Waterway as we paddle back to Everglades City.

We load up our kayaking gear for the return to Miami. There will be an optional ice cream stop on the way. Your guides can drop you off at any of the six designated gateway hotels near Miami International Airport, or the Tri Rail station for a return train ride to the Fort Lauderdale Airport area.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

How intense is this?

Overall, this is a mild to moderately challenging trip.

Day 1

Paddle to Beach Campsite

Potential wind and rough sea state can make this paddle more challenging.

Mild to Moderately Challenging

Distance

6¾ to 7½ miles

Day 2

Explorative Paddle Around Camp

We explore the area around our camp. We only paddle as far as each group wants to go, often with a smaller group that splits off and goes back to camp after 2 miles. Potential wind can make this paddle slightly more challenging.

Easy to Moderate

Distance

2 to 6 miles

Day 3

Paddle to Takeout

Potential wind and rough sea state can make this paddle more challenging.

Mild to Moderately Challenging

Distance

6¾ to 7½ miles

Day 4

Boardwalk Bird Hike

Effortless

Distance

¾ miles

Day 5

Mangrove Island Paddle

Potential headwinds can make paddling through the exposed areas of this paddle slightly more challenging.

Mild to Moderate

Distance

5¼ miles

What’s included?

5 Days of Incredible Guided Kayaking

Explore Flamingo, the Keys, and the Ten Thousand Islands.

3-Day, 2-Night Kayak Expedition

The trip culminates with a backcountry adventure off the beaten path!

4 Nights of Spectacular Tent Camping

We stay at beautiful sites! Tents and camping mattresses are included.

Kayak & Paddling Gear

We'll bring a single-person 16-foot sit-on-top touring kayak, paddle, lifejacket, dry bags, and more for you to use!

Services of a Guide or Two

Friendly, accommodating, fully credentialed, and always professional.

4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, and 3 Dinners

We’re talking about meticulously planned yummy provisions.

National Park Admission and All Permits

Sit back and relax! We've got the red tape covered.

Transportation in Florida

Ride in style in a comfortable Ford Transit passenger van.

Group Gear

Medical kit, satellite phone, navigation supplies, and more.

Not Included: Your flights or other transportation to and from the trip, your accommodations the night before and the night after the trip, lunch on day 3, dinner and tiki bar libations on day 4, your personal clothing and gear on the packing list, travel insurance, and guide gratuity.

What should I pack?

We put together a recommended packing list with all the clothing and gear you need for the trip.

Where do we meet?

Miami Airport Area Hotels

Miami Tri Rail Station

Where does the trip end?

Bad Adventures will drop you off at either the Miami International Airport, the Miami Tri Rail Station, or any of our recommended hotels between 4:00 and 6:00 PM. If flying out the night the trip ends, we do not recommend booking a flight before 8:00 PM.

FAQs

It’s no problem if this is your first kayaking trip! Our guides have decades of experience and are happy to provide paddling instruction, beginning with the absolute basics.

If you’re a swaggering, experienced paddling pro, you’ll feel right at home, too!

We tent camp all four nights of the trip. Our first two nights are spent backcountry kayak camping on a beach in the Everglades! The final two nights are spent at a comfortable frontcountry basecamp inside Everglades National Park.

Dome-style backpacking tents and self-inflating camping mattresses are provided. You’ll have a tent all to yourself, unless you specifically request to share with someone. You’re also free to bring your own tent if you’d prefer.

It’s quite likely that we’ll see alligators while kayaking. We will, however, give them their space and avoid encounters.

It’s exceedingly unlikely that we’ll get to see Burmese python while in the Everglades. Should you be worried about invasive constrictor snakes? Well, yes, in the sense that their presence is a huge disruption to the Everglades food web.

No problem. Just please let us know what you’re packing that's beyond the scope of the packing list, so we can load for the trip accordingly.

You may! Please start by contacting us with a description of your boat. Large touring kayaks, tripping canoes, and sea kayaks are all appropriate for the trip. Recreational kayaks lack the carrying capacity required for this adventure.

Weather varies, but let's hope for daytime highs in the 70's and nighttime lows in the 50's. We'll also prepare for unseasonably cold nights, strong winds, and unexpected storms.

Nah. That’s pretty unlikely. This trip is solo traveler friendly!

You can reserve your spot by paying a $299 deposit. The balance is due 60 days before the trip. Be sure to read the complete Trip and Course Policies.

We recommend taking out a travel insurance policy. Bad Adventures reserves the right to cancel trips and a travel insurance policy keeps you protected. See the Travel Insurance Page for more information.

There's no cancellation fee if you decide to cancel 90 days or more before the trip and we'll even refund your deposit! However, if you cancel less than 90-days before the trip, your deposit is nonrefundable. Additionally, there are significant cancellation fees if you decide to cancel your registration 59 days or less before the trip. Be sure to read the complete Trip and Course Policies.

We only advertise trips we plan to operate. Since our founding in 2013, Bad Adventures has never canceled a multi-day trip. However, we must reserve the right to do so. Be sure to review our Trip and Course Policies and purchase travel insurance.