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    Shark Valley Tram Tours

    4.4 (145 reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Shark Valley Tram Tours are one of the most popular excursions inside Everglades National Park.
    Seth A.

    The Shark Valley district may be the busiest section of Everglades National Park. And within Shark Valley, riding the two hour tram excursion through the heart of the park is probably the #1, most popular activity. So...although Everglades NP is broken up into 4 separate parts...here at Shark Valley, it's most accessible to tourists and who doesn't enjoy being chaperoned around along a narrated tour (avoiding the rugged Florida heat especially in summers), feeling the fresh air breeze hitting your face without having to work hard to see the sights around a national park?? I just revisited this Shark Valley area of the Everglades and let me give an updated perspective about what you can expect from this tram ride. - Tram Tours are 9am - 4pm - Tours depart at the top of every hour. Last tour is 4pm. Most mornings tours sell out quickly with mid to late afternoon tours having remaining availabilities. - You can pre-book online ahead of time at sharkvalleytramtours.com or you can arrive the day of and purchase tickets from leftover tours inside the Visitor Center. - Adults are $33, Seniors are $25 and Children ages 3 through 12 are $18. - Tours are two hours long and are escorted by a park ranger who gives all details about the Everglades, the wildlife in the park and the swampy landscape surroundings. The tram follows the 15 mile roundtrip, paved loop around Shark Valley. - It's open seating for tours. Trams accommodate 5 passengers per row. - The first hour of the tour is driving halfway into the Everglades and stopping for gator and bird sightings and introducing guests to what makes the park so important in preserving. - After the first hour, you take a 20 minute pause to exit the tram and walk up an observation tower ramp to uncover 360 degree panoramas of the Everglades from high above. - The remaining 40 minutes returns back towards the Visitor Center navigating beside the park's canal and stopping for anything of relevance. - Here's an inside tip...I sat on the left hand side of the tram and was rewarded with the best views along the tour, especially on the trip back towards the entrance. The scenery on the canal side was more colorful and scenic compared to the marsh side on the right hand side. Overall, the tram tour ride is fine. I believe it's worth the 2 hours for being in the middle of the Everglades. The park ranger offers good insights. You get to see some gators along the way. In the end, I'd suggest it when coming to Shark Valley. Btw, instead of riding the tram, there's an alternative.... The park rents out bicycles to visitors. Bike rentals are available starting from 8:30am - 4pm. Bikes are rented for unlimited time throughout day at $26. You can even take the bike around the full 15 mile loop of Shark Valley while stopping at your leisure. You can reserve a bicycle online at the same website as tram tours....sharkvalleytramtours.com. You can also bring your own bicycle with you to the Everglades without having to pay for a rental. And finally, you can walk, hike or jog any and or all of the paved loop yourself depending on how adventurous you may be. One last detail to mention....Shark Valley park gates open daily at 8:30am. It is suggested to arrive as early as possible as there's usually traffic when entering at the park gates including driving on Highway 41 to arrive here, which is one lane each way. Also, there's limited parking at Shark Valley. Lots can be full and then you're out of luck for entering. There's no alternative parking lots. Obvious advice...make plans in advance. Book tours ahead of time. Arrive as early as possible. Thanks for taking a moment to read this. Have a good one.

    Female gator sunning on top of male.
    Kirk H.

    This was an amazing tour of this part of the Everglades. Our guide and driver were both very helpful in pointing out various birds and reptiles on the tour. We lost count of the number of alligators we saw, and there was even a crocodile hanging out near the observation tower. We also saw many types of birds--storks, herons, egrets, purple gallinule, and more. The guide and driver were also good at explaining the history, geology and ecology of the Everglades. So, glad we took this tour, and it is relatively inexpensive.

    Great blue heron
    Claire A.

    The tram tour was so much more than I expected. The weather was great which added to the experience. The tour is 2 hours with a 20 minute stop at the observation deck. The driver pointed out various bird species, talked about the ecology of the Everglades. We saw so many alligators, alligators hatchling and a crocodile. Getting into the place was a nightmare. Stayed on line for 20 minutes because the parking lot was full. One car out, one car in. We missed our noon tram but caught the 1:00 tram. The gift shop was cool. The bathrooms were beyond disgusting. I don't even know how to describe it. The getting in and bathroom were definitely downsides. You can park out on the street and walk in and I would do that if I go back. The trail is 14.9 miles and you can walk it or rent a bike. There are a few picnic tables. It is a Unesco Heritage site which I did not know. It's really a very cool place. I would avoid going in the summer as there is no tree cover so you'd melt

    Brett A.

    Can't say enough good things about Shark Valley tram tours! We were going to bike the 15 mile trail, but thought better of it to take on such a demanding physical task in July. We chose to take the tram tour at 9:30am on a Wednesday. Dan was our driver and Juan was our guide. These guys made the trip absolutely worth the money! They were both knowledgeable, funny, and quick to point out anything of interest during the ride. The only thing that could make this experience better would be if the ports-potties halfway through the tour had hand sanitizer. If you want to see gators, try to go during the cooler months and not in the hottest parts of the day. We only saw one on a very hot July morning, but these guys still made it an unforgettable experience. Would highly recommend. 10/10!

    It was an amazing experience. Ricky was our guide and Richard was our driver. They were both very knowledgeable, friendly, provided a lot of information and willing to answer questions. We learned about National Parks and the Everglades. We saw many different animals including a number of alligators and birds. It was an excellent experience and I highly recommend.

    View from observation tower.
    Jaron K.

    Tram was good, but we could not hear much of what the tour guides said. Observation tower was very cool, along with the small hike. Every thing was good except for not being able to hear the guide and the amount he talked.

    Isabella K.

    We did the Shark Valley Tram Tours while at Everglades National Park as it is pretty much the only thing to do there if you're not biking. It's operated by a 3rd party - we paid around $85 for two adults and one child. All rides are usually fully booked and unless you're a party of 5 or more, you'll have to sit with other people. I found that a bit uncomfortable as I was basically staring at some strangers each time I would look to the right. The staff was great - very knowledgeable and kind. That being said, as someone who has been the Everglades plenty of times, I didn't find this to be the most exciting tour. It's about two hours long including a stop at the observation tower. You mostly see sawgrass. The breeze is nice tho - we all took a quick nap lol. We did see over 20+ alligators including babies and birds like egrets and cranes. Overall a nice afternoon but probably a one and done kind of experience for me.

    Red-shouldered hawk
    Susan E.

    We had a fabulous 2-hour tram tour at Shark Valley on 2/19/24 at 3 pm. Both guide and driver were excellent, with the driver doing a great job to spot wildlife and ensure that everyone on board had a chance to see it. The guide ID'd the wildlife and gave great explanations of the local flora and fauna while mentioning what was invasive as well. We saw many alligators, anhinga red-shouldered hawk, purple gallinule, herons, egrets, and other species. I highly recommend this educational tour. A couple of things to be aware of: 1) while this tour operates within the national park, it is a concession. 2) You need to pay admission or have a pass to enter the park. Parking is limited, and when the lot is full you will wait in line to enter the park. One car is allowed in when one car leaves. If you've prepaid, plan to arrive early to be sure you don't forfeit your reservation.

    Tiffany S.

    Nice tour, definitely recommend! I was so glad we did the tram- the park is vast and full of gators!

    Bird
    Matt M.

    Did this in June, and it was packed. They said February was usually their best time. We lucked out and got a non-rainy tour. Maybe a few drops, but we stayed dry. Both the driver and Ranger Jeep were great, lots of good information all around. Only saw a few gators as it was super hot and they were under water, but it was fine. Lots of cool birds, the fish at the tower at the halfway point were awesome. Just lots of good information and humor throughout. Highly recommend!

    Claire S.

    I'd highly recommend the 15 mile bike ride through the Everglades here! You'll pay about $35 to enter the park with your car, and once you're in, plan to see lots of gators and cool wildlife! I've been here twice. On the first visit, which was a cold, cloudy day, we saw over 40 gators, some of whom were sunbathing right in the bike path! Today was warmer, so most gators are under the water. We saw about 8 total throughout the ride. We also some a few beautiful birds. Overall, this is a very peaceful and relaxing ride that almost anyone can do!

    Observation Tower stop.
    V W.

    TIP: Sit on the driver side of the tram for the best views in my opinion. JUST TAKE IT! We took the Shark Valley tram in April 2023 while visiting the Everglades. I had been hesitant to take the tram as the reviews I'd read were so-so, but there wasn't much else to do, so we went for it. We were pleasantly surprised! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is I felt it was a bit on the pricey side, but ultimately well worth it. PARK AND PAY We arrived on the early side and parked in the Shark Valley Visitor Center parking lot. We paid for the tram ride in the gift shop and waited on the benches outside where you can use the restroom, get a soda from the vending machine or eat snacks and sandwiches purchased from the shop. You can also get your National Park Passport stamped in the shop/visitor center. The visitor center is quite small -- if you want to visit a larger/better one at Everglades, I recommend the Ernest F. Coe visitor center, closer to Homestead. INFORMATIVE The narrator, Kelly was excellent -- she was very enthusiastic , passionate and interesting and totally made the tour. Also a shout out to our driver Woody! I was glad that we took the tram over renting a bike as we were able to benefit from the educational narration and a roof over our heads, sheltering us from the sun. Definitely wear a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and bring water as even in April it was very hot and humid. The tram itself has hard seats and is a bit cramped as you're sat knee to knee with your neighbor. My husband and I sat one in front of the other so we both had a seat next to the 'window'. (There's no glass, it's all open air). OBSERVATION TOWER STOP Approximately halfway through, (at the 7-mile mark) we stopped at the Shark Valley Observation Tower for about 20 minutes. It's an ugly concrete tower with walking ramps that was formerly part of an oil well that gives you a 360 degree, 20 mile view over the area. It was good to stretch our legs. We saw a variety of wildlife along the way including many alligators and birds. Note: There are restrooms at the visitor center and at the observation tower, although some of them weren't working at the observation tower. We later drove to the Oasis Visitor Center, but it was disappointingly closed, so be sure to check for opening hours/closures.

    Female alligator guarding her nest

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    Lots and lots of gators. A little too much narration and slightly long but overall it was excellent to see all of the gators.

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    Enjoyed the tour . Kelly and Ricky were amazing . Saw quite a few alligators and birds in December.

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    Review Highlights - Shark Valley Tram Tours

    As we were arriving at the park, our guest from another state said he knew very little about the Everglades.

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