NEW ORLEANS
The best of New Orleans.
The 15 most popular swamp & bayou tours in New Orleans. What each one is really like, what it costs, and who runs it.
Ride from New Orleans to Honey Island Swamp on a small boat, spot wildlife, learn Cajun culture, and see a village only reachable by water.
Most Popular“Great tour guide, nice bus driver, everything as advertised. Not many gators this time of year but not their fault. Had a good time”
Speed through the Lafitte bayou on an airboat, guided by locals, with cypress swamp views, wildlife spotting, and albino gator exhibits.
“Was good experience and worth the time. Guide was lnoedgsblr. Saw some.crocs. it was on the edge of being good too long, but we csne back on time”
Swap the city for Oak Alley or Destrehan plus a private Manchac Swamp pontoon ride with wildlife spotting and photo-friendly commentary.
“House was nice swap tour only saw one gator in the water but still saw pigs and raccoons. Bus driver and tour guide were great.”
Drive to Slidell for a 2-hour Honey Island Swamp boat tour with a small open-air boat, wildlife spotting, and Cajun culture stories.
“We had a wonderful experience. Randy, our tour guide was great! He is knowledgeable, funny and really interacts with the group. We saw a ton of gators and other wildlife. Highly recommend!”
High-speed airboat thrills through the Louisiana bayous near New Orleans, with expert captains, alligators, and birds. Pickup options available.
“Very educational and a lot of fun - highly recommended..”
Roofed swamp boat tour in Marrero through Barataria Preserve with Cajun cemeteries, burial mounds, wildlife, and narrated stories.
“Entertaining and informative, Cap'n Dewey was a perfect guide! The boat was super smooth, safe and comfortable. I appreciated being under the cover of a roof, too. Excellent value! I highly recommend this activity for anyone!”
New Orleans airboat tour with hotel pickup, 2 hours on the water, expert guides, and frequent photo stops in the Barataria wetlands.
“Loved the pick up at our hotel and the efficiency of the origination. The guide Ernie was entertaining and educational. Loved the scenery and saw several gators and birds. Would highly recommend but nature is always unpredictable. We got lucky for this time of year to see so many gators e we were told.”
Small-group airboat swamp tour from downtown New Orleans: thrilling speed bursts, wildlife spotting, and a guided ride through Barataria Preserve.
“Confession- I didn’t want to do this but did for my husband. It turned out to be the highlight of our trip!!! The airboat was thrilling, the tour guide was so informative and passionate about this area and we even held a baby gator!!! This is a must see!!!”
Pontoon through Lafitte’s cypress swamps with a live guide. Look for alligators, birds, turtles, and more, with pickup options.
“Lots of fun with family, friends, and strangers. This is a must do. We learn something’s about the culture as well….”
Guided Manchac Swamp pontoon cruise with optional New Orleans pickup. Spot alligators and learn Cajun stories for about $35.
“Big Joe our bus drive was so funny and knowledgeable. Got us from our hotel yesterday the swamp with his knowledge of NOLA. Captain Brandon was so funny and engaging. He made the trip so wonderful. I highly recommend using Cajun swamp as your tour guide.”
Boat cruise from the French Quarter through Barataria Preserve for wildlife spotting and Cajun stories. About 2 hours on water.
“It was a whole lot of fun. The alligators were very "accommodating" and showed up along the way. The raccoons were cute, too. Not even the rain could spoil the ride. My only suggestion would be that they play Cajun music instead of rock-and-roll to keep in harmony with the surroundings!”
New Orleans airboat and plantation day: cypress swamps wildlife ride, Laura Plantation stories, Houmas House lunch, and guided gardens.
“Besides it raining all day. The airboat tour was fun except the rain. We enjoyed our tours it would be better to attend when it isn’t raining all day so you could walk around. Our host was great and full of knowledge. Thank goodness the other people that were with us were extremely knowledgeable about…”
New Orleans combo day trip: narrated Manchac Swamp boat tour with gators and wildlife, plus guided Oak Alley Plantation visit.
“We had a wonderful day. Morning bus trip was led by a very informative tour guide who told us all little bits and pieces about the city and the roads we were travelling on..then the swamp tour was amazing, lots of alligators, raccoons and wild pigs!! So beautiful. Then over to the plantation was just…”
New Orleans swamp boat tour with hotel pickup. 2 hours on the Barataria Preserve, guided wildlife spotting, history, and comfy covered boat.
“this tour was so much fun! we saw multiple gators and other wildlife, and got to hold a baby gator. the guide was amazing and told us about the area and animals. would 100% do this again!”
Paddle tandem kayaks through the Manchac and Maurepas swamps near New Orleans. Small group, guided lesson, wildlife spotting.
“MJ was super knowledgeable and educated us as we explored the beauty of the swamp. Lots of gators 🐊 which was a bonus! Ask for MJ! Her love of the swamp is infectious.”
Every corner of the city, and every way to see it.
