The murky and mysterious swamps of Louisiana are within easy striking distance of New Orleans, with a plethora of tours on offer that let you explore them for yourself.
(Photo: Louisiana Tour Company / Courtesy GetYourGuide)
Characterised by mile after mile of eerily still water, loomed over by trees draped in Spanish moss, the swamps are among Louisiana’s most evocative attractions. Then, there’s the wildlife, with choruses of birds competing with those of frogs, and alligators floating with sinister intent through the rushes. Tours, naturally enough, take place on boats, and if you pay slightly more, great fan-powered air boats – another icon of Louisiana Americana, redolent of a very particular kind of frontier spirit and offering what feels like a journey into the recent past. Here are 5 of the best swamp tours currently available that start from New Orleans.
High-Speed 16-Passenger Airboat Ride
The bayous may have a reputation for being a laid-back kind of place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t expect a shot of adrenaline when it comes to exploring them. This 16-passenger airboat tour piles a whole bunch of visitors onto a large fan-powered craft so you can see as much swamp as possible in tours that last from 1 to 4 hours, depending on your choice. Alligators and an expert local guide are guaranteed. Pick-up from your AirBnB or hotel is also offered. From $58 per person.
High Speed 9-Passenger Airboat Ride
(Photo: Louisiana Tour Company / Courtesy GetYourGuide)
Sometimes, to paraphrase Roy Scheider in the iconic movie Jaws, what you need is a smaller boat. Joining a more nimble-sized tour means being able to access parts of the swamp that you would not otherwise be able to, delivering a more personal experience with your guide, and more chance of holding a baby alligator – a definite highlight of any bayou trip and one that demands photographic proof for any cynical friends back home. From $88 per person.
Swamp Zipline Tour
One of the most unique ways to witness the swamps is from the vantage point of a zipline 60 foot in the air. This 1.5-hour tour invites you to traverse over a half-mile of ziplines and suspension bridges spanning the Maurepas swamp, feeling the wind in your hair as you glide over the murky depths below, marvelling at the views of moss-covered treetops and wildlife including alligators, turtles, snakes, wild boar, raccoons, armadillos and herons. Over the course of the tour, you’ll get to try five separate ziplines over different areas of the swamp. Hotel transfers from New Orleans are available as optional extras. From $91 per person.
Airboat and Plantations Tour with Gourmet Lunch
(Photo: Tours by Isabelle / Courtesy Viator)
Going way beyond the swamp, this tour offers a complete experience of the historic, beguiling countryside around the city of New Orleans. Including transport both by boat and minivan, as well as the usual visit to the swamps, there’s a guided visit to a couple of plantations complete with fascinating stories and facts, and a stop for a mouth-watering Cajun lunch along the way. The tour doesn’t come cheap, but at nine hours long worth every penny. From $259 per person.
Honey Island Swamp Boat Tour
A little further from New Orleans centre than our other tour suggestions, but Honey Island Swamp is considered among the most pristine examples of wetland anywhere in the US. It’s also said to be home to the legendary “Honey Swamp Monster”, a Louisiana big foot myth, covered in grey foul-smelling hair, and looking out on the world with piercing yellow eyes. The nuts and bolts of the tour are similar to elsewhere, with leisurely moving boats and expert captains telling you all you need to know about the history and the wildlife you’re floating among. The price includes hotel pick-up. From $59 per person.