It’s known for Dixieland jazz, Cajun and Creole cuisine, and lavish Mardi Gras celebrations, but New Orleans has a natural icon too. Home to the Mississippi estuary, the Big Easy is surrounded by the unique natural wilderness of the Louisiana swamps. From America’s largest swamp, the Atchafalaya Basin, to the Honey Island Swamp, Jean Lafitte Swamp, Bonnet Carre Spillway, and more, New Orleans is spoiled for choice when it comes to scenic wetlands.
A vital habitat for hundreds of birds and fish species, Louisiana’s bayous and swamps are also homes to alligators, turtles, manatees, wild pigs, beavers, and black bears. Made up of enchanting landscapes where Spanish moss drips from knotted cypress trees, these magnificent marshlands are filled with tales of monsters and pirates. If you’re ready to uncover the secrets of the waterways around New Orleans, swamp tours promise you a front-row seat.
Types of Tours
Just like there’s more than one kind of jazz played in the city, there’s more than one kind of tour to be taken in the swamps. When you visit Louisiana’s wetlands from New Orleans, you have a choice of ways to explore.
Airboat Tours
Favored in marshlands across America, flat-bottomed airboats are perfect for navigating low-level waters. Propelled at up to 40 mph by a mounted fan, these boats skim along the swamp surface, covering vast areas on tours that last around an hour. They fall silent and still when there’s wildlife to see or panoramic views to be enjoyed. And they’re wind-through-you-hair swift when traveling. Airboat swamp tours are the perfect combination of thrill rides and nature cruises.
Swamp boat Tours
Ideal for explorers who prefer to go slower, swamp boat tours take a gentler pace for a more thorough inspection of this unique wilderness. Guided by experts in both the ecology of the best Swamp Tours in New Orleans and the legends of the local area, these tours usually last between 90 minutes and two hours. Climb aboard and wind through the wetland labyrinths as your hosts share information about the nature around you and the folklore of the region.
Canoes and kayaks
The most immersive way to explore the rivers, bayous, and swamps around New Orleans is in a self-propelled kayak or canoe. Traveling single or tandem, these two- to three-hour group tours get you even closer to the exotic wildlife and flora. Choose your own atmosphere, with outings taking place in the day, at twilight, or under the full moon. Canoe and kayak tours are fantastic for photographers.
What to Expect
Whichever New Orleans best swamp tour for adults only or a family tour you choose, you can expect a magical experience. In the safe hands of a passionate tour guide, you’ll earn an intimate knowledge of these fascinating ecosystems. See wildlife from bald eagles, blue herons, and pileated woodpeckers to alligators, mink, and wild boar.
As you travel, by airboat, swamp boat, kayak, or canoe, you’ll sail by cypress groves and hardwood forests. Ancient moss-draped trees rise from the water, defiant against the flow and tides. In some corners, abandoned houseboats set eerie backdrops, ideal for potential sittings of the legendary Honey Island Swamp monster. All the while, your tour leader shares insights and stories while you soak in the scenic views.
Nearby Attractions
When you explore the Louisiana swamps near New Orleans, combining marsh tours with adventures in the city is simple. The Big Easy is filled with cultural sites and attractions. See the famous blended architecture of the old French Quarter. Hear traditional jazz on Frenchmen Street or buskers in Jackson Square outside St. Louis Cathedral. Watch a band at Preservation Hall or the Spotted Cat. Ride historic streetcars and board Steamboat Natchez for a paddle steamer cruise on the Mississippi River. Outside the city, learn how the region made its fortunes during the darkest times of America’s history on a plantation tour at Destrehan, Houmas House, Whitney, or more. Whatever you do, remember to leave time for your swamp tours.
Safety and Accessibility
On any outdoor tour, safety is important. While Louisiana’s swamps are shallow, generally around a foot deep, that is still enough water to get into difficulties and they are filled with wild animals. That’s why all reputable tour companies provide experienced guides and all safety equipment, including life vests. Always follow instructions and you should have no trouble on New Orleans swamp tours.
Operators in this area have a passion for sharing the bayous and marshes with everyone. Children are welcome, so long as they’re supervised. Service dogs are allowed onboard most tours and provisions can be made for guests with mobility issues if operators are notified in advance. All the best tours can be booked online where contact details are offered for parties with queries or requirements for their tours. Private sessions are also available with most providers.
Time to Book
When you travel to old New Orleans, you’ll enjoy music, dancing, history, culture, and some of the best food in the USA. You could spend your whole trip partying in the city, but we highly recommend taking a step outside to discover the magical world of the Louisiana swamps. With tours by airboat, swamp boat, canoe, and kayak, you’ll be fully immersed in nature. Cruise through a natural botanical garden and see unique wildlife as it swims in the water or flits among the leaves. Hear tales of folklore and mystery and learn about the science of the crucial ecosystem around you. Why wait? Get your swamp tours in New Orleans booked today.
Some recommended tour operators around New Orleans and the Louisiana swamps include:
- Cajun Encounters: Offering a range of tours, including swamp boats and kayaks alongside city, plantation, and ghost tours in New Orleans.
- Louisiana Tour Company: A local, family-owned company providing airboat tours and deluxe swamp boat tours in a roofed and cushioned vessel with a restroom.
- Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours: This family-friendly company offers airboat swamp tours plus fun-themed tours that kids will love.
- Beyond the Bayou Tours: Great for longer and more immersive swamp, plantation, and Cajun Country combination tours.