Book a Kayak Swamp Tour Near New Orleans
If you want to see alligators in the swamps of Louisiana, you probably think of taking an airboat tour. But did you know you can venture into the swamp in a kayak? At first glance, it seems like a big “Heck no!” response. Videos of large alligators jumping up against large boats may have influenced that reaction. But a guided kayak swamp tour was so much fun, and at no point along the way did we feel unsafe.
We spotted nearly a dozen alligators along the 3-mile trip and came within about 20 feet of them. We came across other wildlife of the swamp, including a Bald Eagle and its nest.
If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans, I highly recommend taking a half day to explore the wildlife on a guided kayak swamp tour.
How to Book Your Guided Kayak Swamp Tour
As soon as you book your flight and hotel to New Orleans, next on your list should be to book a kayak swamp tour with NOLA Kayak Tours. They have a few options to consider, depending on how long you want to spend kayaking through the swamp.
The most popular kayak swamp tour is the Mystic Swamp Kayak Tour (also known as the Manchac Swamp Kayak Tour), and it’s available year round. The time commitment is about 2.5 hours and is a great option for beginners. Our group booked this tour, because we were flying back home that afternoon following a pretty jam-packed business trip and didn’t have time for the longer tour.
If you’ve got more time, you can do the Extended Manchac Swamp Kayak Tour, which is a 6-hour experience. You’ll travel further into the swamps and be able to see that much more wildlife. Lunch and transportation to and from the launch site are included with this tour.
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Another option is the Honey Island Kayak Swamp Tour, and its extended version as well. The time commitments are two hours and four hours respectively. Outside of the wildlife, you’ll be able to see broken down houseboats, rope swings and the infamous Honey Island Swamp Monster. 😉
Book your kayak swamp tour online in advance of your visit. Tour prices range from $55 to $195 depending on which tour you select. The longer the tour, the higher the price. Pay attention to whether transportation from New Orleans is included in the tour. The Manchac Swamp Kayak Tour doesn’t include transportation, but it’s a $20 add-on fee. I recommend using the transportation option, unless you have your own vehicle.
What to Bring and NOT Bring With You on the Tour
Bringing a lot of unnecessary items with you on the kayak swamp tour can make your experience less enjoyable. It’s no fun to worry about dropping something into the water, especially if it was something you didn’t even need with you in the first place. But it’s also important to ensure you have the right gear with you so you’re prepared for the adventure.
You can bring a backpack with you to keep all of your items in while you’re on the tour. We left our bags in the locked van, which was great to keep our stuff out of the water and allow me to switch out my shoes and have some snacks for the ride to and from the launch point.
What clothes should I wear?
Having the right clothes is important. You can choose to wear a swimsuit if you’re comfortable in that. As you can see from the photos, the attire varied in our group. I wore KUHL pants that converted to shorts, and a t-shirt. You can base your attire off of the weather, noting that you may get a little wet on the tour – though it’s unlikely that you’ll end up fully submerged in the water unless you choose to do so.
What should I wear on my feet?
I recommend water shoes or sandals for your feet. I discourage you to plan on flip flops or other shoes that can easily come off your feet. You can go barefoot on the kayak, if you’d like. Our guide was shoeless and he does this all the time. If you go with tennis shoes and socks, just keep in mind that they will likely get wet – and that isn’t the way I want to sit for two hours.
What about sun protection?
I’m not very good about remembering sunscreen. I did bring a ball cap, but I think my wide-brimmed hat may have been a better choice. You make the call for you, but I recommend a hat and sunscreen (SPF 30+). After sitting in the kayak for two hours, I spent the next few days feeling the effects of a sunburn on my arms and legs.
What’s the best camera to bring?
I’m all about having the right camera for my travel adventures. I didn’t want to carry my Canon 6D ($4,000) camera because it’s bulky and I didn’t want to risk losing it. I settled for my iPhone camera, along with my Olympus TG-6 waterproof camera, which I let another member of our tour borrow. The other camera I brought with me was my Insta360 X3 and the monopod so I could capture 360-degrees of video and photos during the tour.
Should I bring snacks, water or food with me on the tour?
You definitely want to minimize the number of items you bring with you on the tour. But water or some hydration is not something you should leave behind. If you want to bring a few snacks, that’s okay. You can munch on them to and from the launch point, but if you want to leave them in the van for the actual guided kayak swamp tour, you can. Again, bring some water on the kayak with you to keep hydrated.
Transportation for Your Guided Kayak Swamp Tour
When you book your tour, make sure you know whether transportation from the city to the launch point is included… or not. We booked the Mystic Swamp Kayak Tour, and for a ride from the city to the launch point we paid $20 extra. But it was totally worth it, as I didn’t want to take an UBER 30 miles out of town, let alone wait around after the fact for the ride back home.
For us, the shuttle picked us up 1 hour and 45 minutes before the start of our 9 a.m. tour. So we were waiting at the specified address in the French Quarter (pick up spot varies, so pay attention to the email from NOLA Kayak Swamp Tours) around 7:30 a.m. Make sure you’re on time – if not early – so you aren’t the one holding up the group.
If you have your own vehicle, plan to arrive at the launch site about 15 minutes before the start of your tour. Again, you don’t want to be the one the group’s waiting for before they launch.
Before everyone puts on their life jacket and sits in their kayak, the guide will give you a rundown on how to move and direct your kayak. If you’re riding solo, you’re in complete control. If you’re riding tandem, you’ll need to work with your partner to direct the boat through the swamp. Each one is important – because when I stopped paddling to take photos, we often ran into something.
What to Expect on the Tour… lots of Wildlife
After everyone sits in the kayak and shoves off into the swamp, the real fun begins. As we made our way through the pathway, our guide shared with us a lot of information about the ecosystem. He talked about the differences between a bayou, swamp and marsh. He spoke about some of the plants and trees and how they grow in the swamp.
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But the real highlight of the kayak swamp tour was the wildlife we saw along the way. Within the first 15 minutes of our tour, we saw some eyes and a mouth sticking out of the water near the shoreline. Sure enough, there was a small alligator staring at our group of kayakers. We kept our distance and they kept theirs. If someone ventured too close to the alligator, the animal would head underwater and since they can stay underwater for a while, we didn’t hang around.
We saw several types of birds along our journey into and out of the swamp. Barr Owls were a pretty common occurrence. The guide was even surprised with how many of those we saw. But the largest bird we saw as a Bald Eagle, perched in the top of a tree, roughly 50 yards away from its nest. In the nest, we watched as a young Bald Eagle stretched its wings and even relieved itself over the edge of the nest.
That was roughly 1.5 miles into the swamp, meaning it was the turning point for our group. On the way out, we saw a large alligator sitting on the shore as we paddled by. I definitely didn’t want to get too close to that one.
When the Tour Ends
After returning to the launch site, help the guide stack the kayaks back onto the trailer and load up in the van. If needed, the guide can make a stop at the same gas station you likely stopped at on the way out. There are no restrooms at the launch site, so the restrooms at the gas station make for a great spot to stop after a long kayak tour.
The guide will drop you off at the same spot you were picked up, and from there, you can make your way to your next adventure in the Big Easy. Don’t forget to tip your guide!
The Details
Address: 740 North Rampart Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
Cost: The price is per kayaker and varies by tour, ranging from $55 to $195.
How Long: The tour itself is about 2 hours long, but you’ll want to allocate about 5-6 hours to account for the travel time to and from the launch site.
Hours: Tour times vary, based on the desired tour. The mystic swamp tours launch at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The extended Manchac swamp tour starts at 11 a.m.
Phone: (504) 571-9975
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