New Orleans Swamp Tours
Prices & schedules checked October 18, 2026
The swamps are outside the city, so every swamp tour is really two decisions: what kind of boat and whether you need a ride. Pontoon boats are slower, quieter and roomier; airboats are fast and loud. Many tours include or offer pickup from French Quarter and downtown hotels.
Pontoon: Cajun Pride Swamp Tours
- About a 1.5-hour swamp tour on custom pontoon-style, flat-bottom boats with Cajun captains.
- Tour times listed: 9:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., plus 4:15 p.m. seasonally.
- Transportation from New Orleans is available as part of the Viator listing below.
We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Details
Airboats
Airboat operators near New Orleans sell small-boat (fewer seats, more spray) and large-boat rides, usually with optional hotel pickup. Gators & Ghosts, for example, lists a small-airboat ride of about 1 hour 45 minutes, a combination with Oak Alley Plantation, and an add-on shuttle from French Quarter or downtown hotels.
Viator prices change often, so we don’t quote them: the Viator buttons open the live listing, where you’ll see today’s price, times and cancellation terms. Facts on this page come from the operators’ own sites.
Free option: Jean Lafitte’s Barataria Preserve
If you have a car, the National Park Service’s Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve protects swamp, marsh and bayou habitat with alligators and birds. There’s no boat ride; check the park site for trail and visitor-center status before you go.
Our take
- Families and first-timers: a pontoon tour — calmer, with room to move and easier for photos.
- Thrill and speed: a small airboat. Expect noise, wind and some spray; dress warmly in winter.
- Wildlife: it’s a wild swamp, so sightings vary with the weather and are never guaranteed.
Sources
- Cajun Pride Swamp Tours — tour length, boats, tour times
- Gators & Ghosts — airboat tours, durations, hotel shuttle
- National Park Service — Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
- Viator — Cajun Pride Swamp Tour with Transportation
- Viator — Small-Group Swamp Tour by Airboat with Downtown Pickup
- Viator — Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Hotel Pickup