Louisiana Destinations ... Travel Across the Bayou State


Louisiana Swamp Tours

Sunset in a Louisiana swamp
Sunset in a Louisiana swamp

A swamp is an area of land permanently saturated, or filled, with water.

The lush growth in a Louisiana swamp is indescribable. You have to see it to believe it.

The most impressive objects in the swamp are the cypress trees which are very graceful in their structure, with their reddish bark, exquisitely bent branches, and delicately fine leaves.

Besides the trees and abundant fauna, there are a variety of alligators, turtles, snakes, birds and other wildlife.

Tour Boats into the Louisiana Swamps

One of the most popular things to do for visitors to Louisiana is touring the swamps! Most tours are concentrated in South Louisiana.

In the greater New Orleans area, there are many swamp tour options in communities such as Marrero, Westwego, Braithwaite, Lafitte, Des Allemands and Laplace.

Others can be found in South Louisiana cities such as Breaux Bridge, Henderson, Slidell and Thibodaux.

Section 1: Swamp Tours Near Slidell & Lacombe, Honey Island & the Pearl River
Section 2: Swamp Tours in the Greater New Orleans Area
Section 3: Swamp Tours Near Morgan City, Houma & Thibodaux
Section 4: Swamp Tours in the Atchafalaya Basin
Map showing major sections of swamp tour locations in Louisiana

Airboat used in a Louisiana swamp tour
Airboat used in a Louisiana swamp tour (Staff Photo)

Swamp tour operators provide a variety of options, boats, tour length and cost. Some use flat bottom boats, other airboats. Kayak and canoe tours are also available.

If you are visiting the greater New Orleans area, many of the tour operators offer pickups at French Quarter and downtown hotels.

Some operators offer online reservations, others only by phone. Some accept credit cards, some require cash, so plan accordingly.

List of Selected Louisiana Swamp Tours by City

We have no connection with any of the tour operators listed below ... we just know of their existence and offer their names, web addresses and phone numbers as a starting point in choosing the right tour for you and your group. We also offer links to TripAdvisor to read reviews for many of the tour companies.
Swamp Tour Operator, Website, Address & Phone Number City

Grosse Savanne Eco-Tours

358 Chalkley Road

Grosse Savanne’s vast property of over 50,000 acres is nearly split in half by the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, a nationally acclaimed “Louisiana Outback” wildlife and photography trail. Grosse Savanne Eco-tours has unlimited access to a multitude of various ecotypes including both fresh and salt water marshes, cypress swamps, native coastal prairies, pine forest plantations, and agricultural lands.

p 337.310.4260

Bell City, Louisiana

Louisiana Marsh Adventures

P.O. Box 1304, 1045 Hwy 39

Airboat tours, alligator hunts, customized private tours

p 504.684.3432

Braithwaite, Louisiana

Cajun Country Swamp Tours

1209 Rookery Road. 7 miles off the I-10 Breaux Bridge exit 109

Flatboat tours in the Cypress Island and Lake Martin Swamps. Owned and operated by Walter "Butch" Guchereau and his son, Shawn, who are proud to offer eco-swamp tours that are done with as little environmental impact as possible through a beautiful surreal cypress/tupelo swamp.

p 337.319.0010

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Champagne's Cajun Swamp Tours

1151 Rookery Road

Swamp tours on Lake Martin. Handicapped accessible dock. Tours in French are available as are custom photography and bird watching tours. Kayak and canoe rentals and/or tours. Reservations are required. RV and tour bus parking is available as is a store with drinks, snacks, sandwiches, etc.

p 337.230.4068

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Houseboat Adventures

Cypress Cove Landing, 1399 Henderson Levee Road

Tours into Henderson Lake in the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp

p 800.491.4662

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Swamp Tours of Acadiana

1209 Rookery Road

Lake Martin swamp tours. Night tours by request

p 337.342.3867

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Couret's Swamp Tours

Ernest Couret operates a custom all-welded aluminum 16 foot long, wide bottom boat, into the Atchafalaya Swamp near Henderson.

p 337.296.1173

Butte La Rose, Louisiana

Airboat Tours by Arthur Matherne

4262 US Hwy 90

Airboat tours, swamp tours, and night tours

p 800.975.9345

Des Allemands, Louisiana

A Cajun Man's Swamp Tours & Adventures

Bob's Bayou Black Marina, 251 Marina Drive (off Hwy 182).

Tours by Captain Billy Gaston in the Lower Atchafalaya Basin and Gibson Swamp in 49-passenger, covered vessel

p 985.868.4625

Gibson, Louisiana

Bayou Black Airboat Swamp Tours

251 Marina Dr.

Airboat tours by the Ponthieux family

p 985.665.8571

Gibson, Louisiana

Cajun Customized Excursions

Atchafalaya Welcome Center

Enjoy a personalized nature adventure deep inside the Atchafalaya Basin with Cajun Customized Excursions. Enjoy a customized tour aboard the “Wood Duck”, a deep woods excursion vessel, and venture into a world only accessible by small boat. The boat has custom made benches and a Bimini top to protect guests from the sun.

​Safety of tour guests is in the hands of Captain Mark Allemond, a captain of more than thirty-five years. Mark is a native of the Henderson, Louisiana area and knowledgeable of regional waterways. Captain Mark will share in French or English the beauty of the swamp, his lifelong nature experiences, and firsthand stories about the ways of life in the swamps and bayous of South Louisiana.

The tour service offers a minimum two-hour Deep Swamp Excursion in the Henderson Swamp Area as an introduction to the beauty and mysteries of the Atchafalaya Swamp.

Tour guests are met at the Atchafalaya Welcome Center at Exit 121 near Butte LaRose. For more information, visit ...

p 337.303.8060

Henderson, Louisiana

Atchafalaya Basin Landing & Marina

1377 Henderson Levee Road

Airboat tours in the Henderson Swamp

p 337.228.7880

Henderson, Louisiana

The Atchafalaya Experience

1212 Bordelon Road

Expeditions by Coerte Voorhies and Kim Voorhies for photographers, birders and lovers of nature into the Atchafalaya Swamp

p 337.277.4726

Henderson, Louisiana

McGee's Landing

1337 Henderson Levee Road

Atchafalaya Swamp tours and airboat tours; kayak rentals. Restaurant and cafe on the premises. Cabin rentals and campground are also available.

p 337.228.2384

Henderson, Louisiana

Mequet Swamp Tours

1399 Henderson Levee Rd.

Jude Mequet and Mitch Mequet provide swamp tours and airboat tours in the Atchafalaya Basin

p 337.258.0700

Henderson, Louisiana

Annie Miller's Son's Swamp and Marsh Tours

3718 Southdown Mandalay Road

Tours into the swamps, bayous, marshes and canals of the Mandalay Wildlife Refuge

p 985.868.4758 or 800.341.5441

Houma, Louisiana

Torres Cajun Swamp Tours

Highway 307-105 Torres Road

Flatboat tours by Captain Roland Torres in the swamps of the Bayou Boeuf area. Wheelchair accessible.

p 985.633.7739

Kraemer, Louisiana

Canoe and Trail Adventure Tours

24401 Highway 90

Founded in 1972, family-owned and operated Canoe and Trail Adventure Tours has guided thousands of people into the swamps and bayous surrounding New Orleans. The company offers canoe and kayak tours, birding tours, swamp tours, moonlight paddles, Bogue Chitto River paddles, educational outings and more.

p 504.233.0686

Lacombe, Louisiana

Airboat Adventures

5145 Fleming Park Road

Airboat swamp tours, night tours. Will arrange pickups at downtown New Orleans hotels.

p 888.467.9267 or 504.689.2005

Lafitte, Louisiana

Cajun Pride Swamp Tours

110 Frenier Road

Cajun Pride Swamp Tours is a privately owned wildlife refuge just 25 miles from New Orleans. Authentic Louisiana swamp eco-tours, plantation tours, and combination tours.d

p 504.467.0758

Laplace, Louisiana

Cajun Style Swamp Tours

9706 Barataria Blvd.

Airboat and pontoon boat tours

p 504.628.8848

Marrero, Louisiana

Jean Lafitte Swamp & Airboat Tours

6601 Leo Kerner Lafitte Parkway

Airboat and flatboat swamp tours at Jean Lafitte National Park

p 504.689.4186

Marrero, Louisiana

Louisiana Tour Company

9706 Barataria Blvd., Crown Point

Airboat and flatboat swamp tours, history tours, plantation tours, city tours

p 888.307.9267 or 504.689.3599

Marrero, Louisiana

New Orleans Airboat Tours

4757 Orleans Way

Family owned and operated by three generations of local residents. Adjacent to historic Jean Lafitte National Park. Large and small airboats can accommodate various size groups, private tours, corporate groups.

p 504.738.4778

Marrero, Louisiana

Attakapas Adventures Swamp Tours

1324 Highway 401

Captain Ginger Rushing operates ecological and historical tours on Lake Verret and surrounding bayous and swamps. Sunset cruises. Fishing charters available.

p 985.369.8588 or 985.637.8923

Napoleonville, Louisiana

ATV Swamp Tour

ATV rentals & adventure tours, airboat swamp adventures, fishing charters, more

p 504.390.8800

New Orleans, Louisiana

Big Easy Swamp Adventures

6201 France Road

Airboat swamp tours, kayak rentals, marina, sunset cruises, charter fishing, marina. Reservations required.

p 504.266.0014

New Orleans, Louisiana

Gators & Ghosts Tours

500 Bourbon Street

Airboat tours, covered boat tours, plantations, cemeteries, more

p 888.481.8188

New Orleans, Louisiana

Gray Line Tours New Orleans

Toulouse Street at the Mississippi River

Variety of swamp & bayou tours, airboat adventure tours, bus tours, walking tours, plantation tours, French Quarter tours, more

p 800.233.2628 or 504.569.1401

New Orleans, Louisiana

Lost Lands Environmental Tours

2411 Octavia Street

Nature tours, swamp tours, kayak wetlands tours, educational field trips

p 504.858.7575

New Orleans, Louisiana

Machu Picchu Tours

442 Jackson Avenue

Swamp tours and airboat tours, city tours, plantation tours and more

p 504.561.9050

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans Tour Center

3110 Magazine Street #113

Airboat tours into the swamps, bayous, forests and marshes of the Barataria Preserve. City, cemetery, plantation and historical tours also available, as are hotel pickups.

p 503.533.4544

New Orleans, Louisiana

Tours by Isabelle

12601 River Road

Swamp tours and airboat tours, as well as plantation, city and walking tours

p 877.665.8687 or 504.398.0365

New Orleans , Louisiana

Wild Louisiana Tours

Kayak and canoe swamp tours in the Manchac Swamp, overnight camping, swamp landscape photo workshops, fishing charters, birding trips, more

p 985.205.1527

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours

Kayak tours into area bayous, rivers and swamps, and plantation and city tour combinations

p 504.571.9975

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans Pedal Barge - Swamp Tour Party

Offers party boat tours on a variety of different types/sizes boats in the New Orleans area, conveniently located near Westwego, Marrero, Belle Chasse, and Metairie. Also provides e-bike tours.

6301 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA 70043

p 504.264.1056

New Orleans, Louisiana

Cajun Jack's Swamp Tours

118 Main Street

p 985.395.7420

Patterson, Louisiana

Miss Sandi Houseboat Rental

637 N. Belle River Road

p. 337.298.2705

Pierre Part, Louisiana

Last Wilderness Tours

33115 Highway 75

Personalized day and night swamp tours, by appointment, into the Atchafalaya Basin. Night tours in the summer. Family owned by Albert (Al) Wilson.

p. 225.385.9562 or 225.692.4114

Plaquemine, Louisiana

LeBlanc Swamp Tours

4939 Main Highway

p 337.654.1215

Saint Martinville, Louisiana

Cajun Encounters Tour Company

Admin Office located at 941 Decatur St. in New Orleans; Swamp tour location is 55345 Highway 90 East in Slidell

Honey Island Swamp tours. Also tours of cemeteries, city tours, plantations, custom tours. Hotel pickups available.

p 504.834.1770 or 866.928.6877

Slidell, Louisiana

Dr. Wagner's Honey Island Swamp Tours

41490 Crawford Landing Road; tours depart from Crawford Landing on West Perarl River, Slidell

Small boats (both covered and uncovered) allow deep access into the heart of the beautiful Honey Island Cypress Swamp. Boat tours since 1982. Hotel pickup available.

p 985.641.1769 or 504.242.5877

Slidell, Louisiana

Pearl River Eco Tours

55050 Highway 90

Large and small flatboat swamp tours, night tours, and tours for school groups into the Honey Island Swamp. Hotel pickups available.

p 985.649.4200 or 866.597.9267

Slidell, Louisiana

Airboat Charters of Bayou Dularge

3282 Bayou Dularge Road

Captain John Verret, a Houma Indian, and his son provide airboat rides and bowfishing adventures in the evening hours

p 985.872.0989

Theriot, Louisiana

Bayou Woman: Beyond the Bayou Excursions

1917 Bayou Dularge Road

Captain Wendy Billiot, "The Bayou Woman", offers bird watching excursions, student excusions, photography excursions, "mini" 2-hour excursions into the bayou, and more

p 985.851.7578

Theriot, Louisiana

Zam's Swamp Tour

141 Kraemer Bayou Rd.

p 985.633.7881

Thibodaux, Louisiana

Cajun Critters Swamp Tour

363 Louisiana Street

Ride in comfort aboard the splendid Swamp Queen, a fully Coast Guard approved vessel, complete with handicap accomodations. Tours depart from the end of Bayou Segnette. Custom, private and corporate tours available.

p 504.347.0962 or 800.575.5578

Westwego, Louisiana

Ultimate Swamp Adventures

501 Laroussini Street, 15 minutes from the New Orleans French Quarter.

Airboat and covered swamp boat tours. Transportation from New Orleans hotels available.

p 800.728.7187

Westwego, Louisiana

Acadian Swamp Tours

58235 New Camp Road

Tours into the Atchafalaya Basin and Bay Natchez. Minutes from Nottoway Plantation.

p 225.247.4156

White Castle, Louisiana

 

 

McGee's Landing, Henderson, Louisiana
McGee's Landing, Henderson, Louisiana (Staff Photo)

Home of Cajun Jack's Swamp Tours, Patterson, Louisiana
Home of Cajun Jack's Swamp Tours, Patterson, Louisiana (Staff Photo)


The Great Atchafalaya Basin and Swamp

The Atchafalaya Basin is the nation’s largest river swamp, containing almost one million acres of the nation’s most significant bottomland hardwoods, swamps, bayous and backwater lakes.

Atchafalaya Swamp, Henderson Louisiana
Louisiana's Atchafalaya Swamp at Henderson (Staff Photo)

The Atchafalaya River meanders from near Simmesport southward past Pierre Part down to Morgan City and the Gulf of Mexico. The Atchafalaya Basin is a unique combination of wetlands, bayous, marshes, estuaries,and river delta area. It is often called "America's Wetland", and covers an area 20 miles wide and 150 miles long.

Some interesting facts about the Atchafalaya Basin:

  • It’s larger than the Florida Everglades.
  • It’s five times more productive than any other river basin in North America.
  • About 65 species of reptiles and amphibians inhabit the Basin.
  • Over 250 known species of birds fly in the Basin.
  • Other species of animals found in the area include the Florida panther, black bear, bobcat, nutria, mink, fox, muskrat, beaver, otter and raccoon.
  • The Basin is home to the largest nesting concentration of bald eagles in the south central United States.
  • There are more than 100 different species of fish and aquatic life in the Basin.
  • The Basin has an estimated average annual commercial harvest of nearly 22 million pounds of crawfish.
  • The Basin contains the largest contiguous bottomland hardwood forest in North America and is the largest overflow alluvial hardwood swamp in the United States.
Atchafalaya Visitor's Center at the Butte LaRose Exit from I-10, near Henderson, Louisiana
Atchafalaya Swamp Visitors Center in Butte LaRose, near Henderson on Interstate Highway I-10 (Staff Photo)

 

An American-Indian word, "Atchafalaya" (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ah) means long river. Established in 2006, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area stretches across 14 parishes in south-central Louisiana.

It is among the most culturally rich and ecologically varied regions in the United States, home to the widely recognized Cajun culture as well as a diverse population of European, African, Caribbean and Native-American descent.

Videos Out in the Louisiana Swamps

Troy Landry talks about "One Eye" on a YouTube video uploaded by the History Channel

 

An airboat ride with the Louisiana Tour Company in a swamp near New Orleans, Louisiana in Jefferson Parish
Tom Gregory narrates a tour into the Honey Island Swamp. Video produced by the St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission and WLAE-TV


Photographs of Louisiana Swamps

Cypress swamp in Louisiana Swamp scene in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp
Swamp scene in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp Swamp scene in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp
Swamp scene in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp Swamp scene in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin Swamp