Shuttle Services

Shuttle Service for Wilderness Waterway

There are so many variables to doing the waterway! The planning may even be harder than the paddle!

Browse through all the options below and our helpful Waterway Resources page to get a rough plan together.

When you are ready, please give our, Wilderness Waterway Coordinators, a call to make sure all your planning is on the right track. (305) 282 – 5408

“Using your own car is the ideal shuttle”.

Note: These rates are for transport only and do not include canoe rentals.

To: Everglades City to Flamingo | Flamingo to Everglades City

1 Day Shuttles for paddlers with their own car.

Shuttle Rates for Paddlers Renting CanoesHostel’s Canoes

• $350 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $375 – 2 canoes; 6 people max
• $400 – 3 to 10 canoes: 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation.

Shuttle Only Rates for Paddlers with their own boats.

• $425 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $500 – 2 to 4 canoes; 6 people max
• $600 – 5 to 10 canoes; 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation

For One Day Shuttles from Everglades City to Flamingo or Vice Versa Paddlers will:

• Stop at the Everglades Hostel and Tours, in Florida City, to make final arrangements, payments and complete any paperwork
• If you are renting our canoes make sure you place the “Car Topper Gear” in your car away from your waterway gear!!!
• Drive personal vehicle to your ending point (Flamingo or Everglades City)
• Pull permit at that ranger station before driver arrives at your end point
• Be ready for pick-up at pre-determined time, recommend no later than 10:00 am (see additional fees)

The Hostel will:

• Pick you and your gear up at your end point(detailed arrangements made at hostel).
• Transport paddlers and gear from end-point to starting-point (3 hour drive)

Tips for a good Wilderness Waterway Trip.
Arrive a day ahead of time! We feel that trying to Fly into Florida; pull your permit and get to your first night camping on the same day is insane and causes undue stress for everyone! In fact we just can’t let you do this to yourself so we most likely will pass on the shuttle if this is your plan.

• Permits can only be pulled in person at Rangers Station in Flamingo or Everglades City and no more than 24 hours in advance.
• Have at least 3 routes planned out since your permit is like a lottery, you won’t know what you’ll get till you get to the ranger station.
• Be ready for pick-up at scheduled time and place.
• Make sure your gear is easy to move from your car to ours.
• If you are bringing back our canoe, PLEASE make sure the ”Car Topper Gear” we gave you at the hostel STAYS in your car!
• Driver shuttles you and gear to your start point with a stop at the hostel to finalize any details or paperwork.
• We recommend you spend your first night at your nearest start point walk-on campground (Flamingo/Chokoloskee).
• Make your test paddle and take advantage of last chance to pick-up anything you might have forgotten.
• Get a good nights sleep.
• Have a great trip!

See you upon return if you have our canoe, we love it when they come back on time!

To: Flamingo – Hell’s Bay – 9 Mile Pond – West Lake (Alligator Creek) – Coot Bay Pond

1 Day Shuttles:
Note: These rates are for transport only and do not include canoe rentals. Shuttle Only Rates for Paddlers Renting Hostel’s Canoes

• $150 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $200 – 2 to 4 canoes; 6 people max
• $300 -5 to 10 canoes; 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation

Shuttle Only Rates for Paddlers with their own boats

• $175 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $225 – 2 to 4 canoes; 6 people max
• $350 – 5 to 10 canoes; 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation

Same tips above are still good for Loops in the Flamingo area or 1 day paddles that need shuttles.

For: Entire Waterway or Flamingo Loop

2 Day Shuttles – Without a car

Shuttle service will be completed in two stages. Start Day “Stage 1″ & End Day “Stage 2″.

Shuttle Only Rates for Paddlers Renting Hostel’s Canoes

• $380 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $400 – 2 to 4 canoes; 6 people max
• $450 -5 to 10 canoes; 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation

Shuttle Only Rates for Paddlers with their own boats.

• $480 – 1 canoe; 2 to 3 people max
• $550 – 2 to 4 canoes; 6 people max
• $625 – 5 to 10 canoes; 6 people max
• *All rates are subject to change prior to reservation

Note: These rates are for transport only and do not include canoe rentals.

1st stage for entire Wilderness Waterway Paddlers without a car.

Paddlers will:

• Arrive at Everglades Hostel and Tours, in Florida City
• Finalize any details; payments and complete liability waivers
• Hop in the shuttle vehicle and drive to your start point (Flamingo or Everglades City)
• Pull permit at that ranger station at starting point
• Driver will wait to take you to the closest place for launch where you will camp-make arrangements for Chokoloskee Island Park ahead of time if your are starting at Everglades City
• Call the  hostel to inform of expected arrival date.

2nd stage – At this point we offer 2 options for pick up on a 2nd shuttle run.

• Camp at your finish point and we will pick you up the next day at a pre arranged time
• Call for Pick Up on your first day off the water means a wait time of 2 to 5 hours.
• Call for Pick Ups must know if you arrive after 5pm you may have to camp anyways and be picked up first thing in the morning
• Be ready for pick-up (see additional fees)

Tips for a good Wilderness Waterway trip.

Arrive a day ahead of time! We feel that trying to Fly into Florida; pull your permit and get to your first night camping on the same day is insane and causes undue stress for everyone! In fact we just can’t let you do this to yourself so we most likely will pass on the shuttle if this is your plan…

Ideal shuttle if you will be without a car!

Day 1 – Fly into Miami rent a car form Budget Car Rental- Call Paco at our Homestead location for great rates. (305) 247-8896 or Enterprise “The company that picks you up but lacks in personal service”, also has a Homestead location for drop off.

Drive to Hostel and Check-in for 1 night.

Get all last minute provisions with your rental car and return car to the rental agency (Enterprise will bring you back at their leisure). Get everything ready for early departure.

Day 2 – Driver shuttles you and gear to your start point ranger station (Flamingo or Everglades City) starting any time after 8am. Unload at ranger station boat ramp. Driver leaves. Pull your permit at rangers station. Make your test paddle to local walk-in campground; (Flamingo or Chokoloskee) take advantage of last chance to pick-up anything you might have forgotten. Get a good nights sleep.

Day 3 – Paddle out first thing in the morning on your big adventure well prepared.

Day X – Arrive at planed finish point on planed finish date. Call hostel to inform of arrival and set approx. pick-up time. Camp at local walk-in campground (Flamingo/Chokoloskee).

Day X+1 – Be ready for pick-up at scheduled time and place. Driver Shuttles you to Hostel. Check-in at the hostel for 1 night.

Day X+2 – Check-out from Hostel. Pick-up rental car and drive to airport. Both Enterprise and Budget car rentals have Homestead locations. When reserving your car to be picked up at the airport make sure they know you will be returning it to Homestead.

Additional Fees:
If you schedule a set time for pick-up on the day you are coming off the water, the charge is $25 per hour until you arrive at pick up location. We highly recommend arranging pick-up the day after you come off the water. Camping is available at Chokoloskee and Flamingo.

Please have all your gear in one location as close to the road as possible. a $25 to $75 charge will apply if driver has to wait or help haul your gear to van. Time change requests on the day of shuttle are $75 to $100, based upon availability.

Date change requests for pick up or drop is $75 to $300, based upon availability.

Change of location on day of pick up or drop off  is $50 to $300.

Why should I camp before heading off on the waterway?

This allows you to make a test trip so you can try everything out and check your provisioning before setting out into the wilderness plus you can only get your permits in person at the ranger station no more than 24hrs in advance.

Please give our Wilderness Waterway Coordinators a call at (305) 248 – 1122.

Brainstorm all your possibilities. Help make arrangements to receive your supply packages. Reserve your shuttles and canoe rentals.