New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat Tour with Transportation

4.9 (7,147 reviews) 5 hours Free cancellation

out of 5

7,147 reviews

4.9

Explore the Honey Island Swamp — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Get close with local wildlife — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Leave the French Quarter behind and spend the day in Honey Island Swamp, one of Louisiana’s most pristine protected wetlands, on a 2-hour guided boat tour with round-trip transportation from New Orleans. Unlike louder airboat-style tours, Cajun Encounters uses small, quiet 22-passenger flat-bottom boats that can slip into narrow cypress-lined waterways — giving you a closer, more natural way to look for alligators, wild boar, raccoons, turtles, snakes, egrets, herons, and other swamp wildlife.

Your local captain brings the bayou to life with stories about Cajun culture, the Pearl River ecosystem, and the remote, boat-accessible Cajun village you’ll pass along the route. It’s an easy, family-friendly way to see the wild side of Louisiana without renting a car: choose a morning or afternoon departure, meet your shuttle in downtown New Orleans, cross Lake Pontchartrain, and return to the city after the tour. Wildlife sightings vary by season and are never guaranteed.

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At a glance

Duration: 5 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 22 people
People per booking: 1–10
Guide: English
Operated by: Cajun Encounters Tour Co.

Ages: Children (0–11 years) · Adults (12–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Transportation from downtown New Orleans
Included: Life Jackets for guests under 16 years old
Included: Wildlife encounters
Included: Live commentary on board
Included: Professional tour guide

Not included

Not included: Food and drinks
Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Lake Pontchartrain

Passing by

After pickup in central New Orleans, it's a short drive across Lake Pontchartrain to Honey Island Swamp, a wildlife preserve that is one of the last protected wetlands in Louisiana.
Stop 2

2 hours

Your guide welcomes you aboard a custom-made 22-passenger flat-bottom boat. The smaller sized, quiet boat can fit through narrow passages in the swamp foliage so that you see more and get closer to wildlife.

As your guide explains the history of Louisiana’s wetlands and swamp ecosystem, be on the lookout for alligators, raccoons, owls, wild boar, nutria, snakes, turtles, black bears, bald eagles and other bird species. Get a close look at some wild gators as your guide shares facts about the toothy beasts, who can weigh up to 1,000 pounds (453 kg).

Glide safely through the fertile swamplands, learning about Cajun culture and how local people have utilized the swamp for food, homes, and medicine. You even see an authentic Cajun village that is only accessible by boat. Gain an understanding of why the wetlands are slowly disappearing and about the efforts being made to preserve Louisiana's natural treasures.

After a fascinating 2-hour boat tour, your guide returns you to shore.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Please be outside the Homewood Suites French Quarter at 317 North Rampart Street at the beginning of the pickup window. Your shuttle departs promptly.

9:30AM Tour (Picks up at 8:00AM)

12:15PM Tour (Picks up at 10:15AM)

2:45PM Tour (Picks up at 1:15PM)

5:00PM Tour (Picks up at 3:30PM)

End point

Please be outside the Homewood Suites French Quarter at 317 North Rampart Street at the beginning of the pickup window. Your shuttle departs promptly.

9:30AM Tour (Picks up at 8:00AM)

12:15PM Tour (Picks up at 10:15AM)

2:45PM Tour (Picks up at 1:15PM)

5:00PM Tour (Picks up at 3:30PM)

Using your ticket

All tours depart from the Homewood Suites French Quarter at 317 N. Rampart St.

Hotel pickup is NOT available for this tour/activity. This tour ONLY picks up from the locations listed above. Pick ups from any other location cannot be accommodated. Please reconfirm your pickup with the local operator after booking , as they will provide specific pickup instructions.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
PLEASE NOTE: tour ONLY picks up from the location listed. Pick ups from any other location cannot be accommodated.

Options

2:45PM Tour - 1:15PM Pick Up

Pick Up Time: Pick ups will commence at 1:15pm and return is at 6:00pm
9:30AM Tour - 8:00AM Pick Up

Pick Up Time: Pick ups will commence at 8:00am and return is at 12:45pm
5PM Tour - 3:30PM Pick Up

Pick Up Time: Pick up will commence at 3:30pm and return is at 8:15pm.
12:15PM Tour - 10:15AM Pick Up

Pick Up Time: Pick ups will commence at 10:15am and return is at 3:30pm