Top New Orleans Nature and Wildlife Tours

Experience the Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve on this pontoon excursion led by a local guide. After a convenient, optional pickup from your accommodation, learn about Southern Louisiana’s distinctive ecology while cruising past magnificent cypress trees and watch for native wildlife like gators and egrets. Enjoy flexible timing and opt for a delicious lunch at Restaurant Des Familes with the 10 a.m. tour.

Discover the mystique of the swamps and bayous on a sightseeing boat tour from New Orleans. Travel deep into the secluded bayous across the Mississippi River to witness Cajun life and spot native wildlife. Your guide will provide commentary on Cajun culture and the myth‐laden swamps while you snap photos of alligators, raccoons, snakes, turtles, and native birds.

Trade in the urban bustle for the bayou on a half-day trip from New Orleans to the wilds of the Honey Island Swamp. Relax on the ride from your downtown or French Quarter hotel, and then cruise beneath hanging moss and cypress trees while a wetland ecologist shares tall tales and fun facts about this protected nature reserve on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain. Learn about Louisiana’s long-standing fishing industry, and keep an eye out for native critters like otters, turtles, egrets, and alligators lurking beneath the surface.

Experience life on the Louisiana bayou on this ultimate swamp tour from New Orleans, run by one of the city’s oldest tour companies. Ride on a state-of-the-art swamp boat through the famous wetlands teeming with native wildlife, while learning about Cajun culture from your tale-spinning captain.

Are you ready to experience one of the best excursions New Orleans has to offer? Adventures of Jean Lafitte offers personal Alligator Tours through Louisiana’s beautiful backcountry. Gather your whole crew and come experience the “road less traveled”! You’ll be touring 20,000 acres of tidewater cypress swamp. During your 1 hour 30 minute tour you’ll have opportunities to see alligators, snakes, turtles, egrets, herons and ibis, and we sometimes see hawks, owls and bald eagles. We are approximately 35-45 minutes from New Orleans. If you do not have transportation to our location we offer pick-up and drop-off services to all hotels located in the Greater New Orleans area for an additional fee. Because we are located about 40 minutes outside of New Orleans, cab and uber services are not available.

Immerse yourself in the rich culture and natural splendor of New Orleans’ mystifying swamps and wetlands on a 2-hour New Orleans swamp tour and wetlands adventure. Relax in the luxurious interior of a New Orleans swamp tour boat as you cruise past cultural highlights like a Cajun cemetery, an Indian burial mound and a traditional fishing village. Scour the scenery for fascinating flora and fauna like snakes, turtles and alligators while listening to interesting commentary from your professional guide.

Soak up the atmosphere of the bayou on this 8-hour cultural tour from New Orleans. Visit the Oak Alley Plantation House, dating from 1837, and view the stately row of 28 evenly spaced mature oaks that line the driveway. Follow your guide, dressed in period costume, through the mansion, the blacksmith shop and the onsite restaurant. Then, learn about life in the bayou's waterways aboard a swamp and wetlands boat tour. See the amazing variety of flora and fauna native to the area and hear about life in the Barataria Swamps from your native guides. Round-trip transportation from New Orleans is included.

Lose yourself in the atmospheric depths of the New Orleans swamps and wetlands on an exhilarating 2-hour boat tour, led by a professional guide. Cruise past ancient wonders and listen to legends surrounding a 2000-year-old Indian burial mound and an atmospheric Cajun cemetery. Scour the Barataria Swamps for sightings of fascinating wildlife such as snakes, turtles and ferocious alligators, and learn about the area’s history and geology from your knowledgeable guide. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by luxury vehicle fro your New Orleans hotel.

Experience Louisiana’s wild bayou country on an exciting, family-friendly airboat tour. This tour includes an airboat ride that zips through the tree‐lined marshes at speeds up to 45 mph (72 kph). While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from your guide as you view lush scenery and local wildlife, including alligators, nutria, and native birds. Pickup and drop-off from downtown New Orleans and French Quarter hotels included.

Cruise through the wild wetlands of Honey Island Swamp on a 2-hour boat tour. Located on the marshy shores of Lake Ponchartrain just north of New Orleans, this protected nature reserve is home to an array of southern wildlife, from egrets and herons soaring above to otters and alligators lurking below the water’s surface. Hear tales of swamp pirates, fishermen’s lore and mysterious creatures from your captain as you glide past hanging moss and swooning cypress trees.

Let a wetland ecologist guide you through the Honey Island Swamp during this private tour from New Orleans. Listen to engaging commentary about the city as you make your way to the West Pearl River. Then, climb aboard a shaded flat-bottom boat, equipped for up to 14 passengers, to get a close look at one of the country's wildest swamps. This private tour offers flexibility and personalized attention from your guide.

Uncover the mysteries of the swamps surrounding New Orleans on an exhilarating airboat tour of the area, led by a professional guide. Cruise along the picturesque waterways in search of ferocious alligators and other rare wildlife while listening to illuminating commentary from your guide. Feel your adrenaline levels surge as your driver accelerates to high speeds, and capture fantastic photographs during regular stops. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned coach.

Explore the French Quarter and Marigny aboard a relaxing horse and carriage during this small-group tour in New Orleans. Discover the history, culture, and legends that surround this historic city as you see landmarks including the St. Louis Cathedral, Napoleon House, and French Market. You also get insider tips from your guide about the best places to eat, drink, and explore in New Orleans.

Delve into the atmospheric beauty of New Orleans’ vast swamplands on an exciting 2-hour small-group tour by airboat. With a knowledgeable guide, cruise past fascinating flora and fauna, scouring the picturesque scenery for sightings of alligators and other rare creatures. Experience the exhilaration of traveling at high velocity as your driver alternates between gentle cruising and high-speed bursts. Receive personalized attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to only 9 passengers.

Experience the iconic New Orleans swamplands during a small-group airboat tour, led by a professional guide. Alternate between adrenaline-fuelled high speeds and gentle cruising as you sail past fascinating flora and fauna. Capture fantastic photographs of alligators in their natural habitat, and relish the intimate atmosphere of a small-group, limited to only nine passengers. Enjoy the convenience of round-trip transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned coach from your hotel in Downtown New Orleans.

Take a wild ride through the bayous of Cajun Country on this airboat adventure from New Orleans. In a small group, wind through tree‐lined swampland and spot abundant local wildlife, including nutria, alligators, and giant catfish, and stop at Destrehan Plantation to get a taste of the elegant antebellum south.

Experience New Orleans’ wild bayou country on an exciting, family‐friendly airboat ride. This boat tour winds through the mossy cypress swamp close to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named for the 19th‐century pirate and smuggler. While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from a native guide as you admire lush, forested shoreline and spot local wildlife.

Among the best ways to get a feel for New Orleans is to get out and walk it, but the standard self-guided tours can get a bit dull. Take one of these 3-hour smartphone-guided scavenger hunts and a three-hour window of your day will suddenly turn into adventure. Solve puzzles, study clues and celebrate at the finish, all while navigating the historic streets and taking in the sights of the Big Easy.   

Go beyond the French Quarter and discover the unique Cajun and Creole cultures of New Orleans during this full-day swamp and plantation tour. Venture deep into the bayous, with a small group limited to 12, to see Cajun living and spot wildlife like alligators and pelicans on your high-speed airboat ride. Then, admire the beautiful architecture and learn about the history of Houmas House and Laura Plantation. Gourmet, unlimited buffet lunch at Houmas House is included.

Explore Louisiana’s unique history and ecology on this combo day tour from New Orleans. Travel along the oak-lined River Road to Destrehan Plantation, where you can tour the 1787 sugar plantation home, grounds and slave quarters while learning about life in the antebellum South and the site’s changing role during the Civil War. Then, venture into the bayou on a narrated swamp cruise through wild wetlands that are home to turtles, otters, snakes and famous Louisiana gators.

Zip NOLA is New Orleans' and the World's FIRST ever fully aquatic swamp zipline! With over a half mile of ziplines and suspension bridges spanning the Maurepas Swamp, Zip NOLA is the premier activity for nature lovers and thrill seekers alike. View swamp critters and the amazing swamp ecosystem from the comfort of the moss covered cypress treetops! Zip NOLA’s facility has many amenities including a 1200 sq ft gift shop with the latest and greatest New Orleans souvenirs, gifts, and snack/beverage items. Our shop also boasts a phenomenal enclosure for our baby alligators and turtles! We also have spacious restrooms, locker storage, green space picnic area, and an expansive 2000 sq ft elevated seating area overlooking the beautiful cypress-filled Maurepas Swamp. Guests can take in breathtaking sights of moss covered cypress swamp, while they also view the many wildlife that frequent the area. Alligators can be readily seen, as well as a plethora of other swamp critters!

Explore Louisiana wildlife and culture outside of the Big Easy on this full-day trip from New Orleans to the country town of Vacherie. Zoom across a swamp on a 6 or 9-passenger open-air speedboat with ample opportunities for viewing wild animals in their natural habitat, and then tour an antebellum plantation home with a classic alley of oaks when you return to shore.

After a New Orleans hotel pickup, relax on board an enclosed, air-conditioned bus to the Plantation of your choice. You will be given a guided tour through the main house and some time to walk the grounds . You will then take a short ride and your at the swamps. Your invited to join us for an educational journey back to the early days of Louisiana bayou and swamp explorations.  Swamp creatures, seeing our boats daily, recognize them as part of their normal environment. Unafraid and responsive to their boat captain's call, they peak out from underbrush and between moss-draped trees and shrubs, frequently coming directly to the boat. In the safety and comfort of the boat, you can actually come within a few feet of jumping alligators.

Travel into the bayou on this combination swamp and plantation tour by 6 or 9 passenger Airboat. See the oldest documented plantation in the Mississippi Valley and visit the slave revolt museum located on the grounds. After the tour explore the grounds on your won and enjoy lunch (own expense) if time permits.