New Orleans: Airboat Swamp Tour with Alligators & Small Group

Fast, loud, and closer to alligators than you expected

You ride an airboat at high speed through Louisiana marshlands with a professional guide and small group, wearing a safety jacket. The tour includes frequent stops to spot alligators and other wildlife up close. It's a 35-minute drive from New Orleans, lasts a couple of hours, and you're back at the departure point in Marrero before heading back to the city.

Step-by-step itinerary

Airboat swamp tour near New Orleans

• Drive 35 minutes to Marrero
• Meet captain and get briefing
• Board airboat and start engine
• Explore swamp with wildlife stops
• Observe alligators near boat
• Return to departure location

The experience

You're probably picturing a slow bayou cruise with Spanish moss and jazz playing somewhere in the distance. This isn't that. The airboat leaves Marrero, about 35 minutes outside New Orleans, and within minutes you're moving at 35 miles per hour with a 454 Chevy engine roaring behind you and a fan pushing wind speeds over 200 miles per hour. It's fast and loud, which is exactly why the alligators show up. They're not shy about swimming right up to the side of the boat to see what's making all that noise.

Your captain briefs everyone on safety and procedure before you leave the dock, and you'll wear a flotation jacket the whole time. The group stays small (six or nine passengers maximum), so you're not crammed in with thirty other people all trying to get the same shot. The tour itself is straightforward: you head out into the Louisiana marshlands, the captain cuts the engine at spots where wildlife hangs around, and you watch. Alligators in spring, summer, and fall are pretty reliable. Winter is quieter on that front, since they're hibernating. Either way, you're seeing the swamp from angles you can't get from a dock or a traditional boat.

The whole thing takes a couple of hours from the time you arrive in Marrero until you're back at the departure point, ready to head back into the city. Plan to show up about 20 minutes early so there's no rush with the safety briefing. If you're booking with other people, make sure you're all on one reservation. That's the only way the company guarantees you'll be on the same boat.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a professional captain, safety flotation jacket, and the small-group airboat experience itself.
• The captain briefs you on safety and procedure before departure, makes frequent stops in the marshlands for wildlife viewing, and returns you to the Marrero departure point when the tour is complete.
• Transport to and from New Orleans is your responsibility.

Options for this experience

4 options

9:40am TourGuide in English · 09:409-passenger airboat tour departing at 9:40am; hotel pickup is not included

12:10pm TourGuide in English · 12:109-passenger airboat tour departing at 12:10pm; hotel pickup is not included

2:10pm TourGuide in English · 14:109-passenger airboat tour departing at 2:10pm; hotel pickup is not included

4:15pm TourGuide in English · Available from 25 Jan 20279-passenger airboat tour departing at 4:15pm; hotel pickup is not included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h 40m, runs every day at 09:40, 12:10 and 14:10, from US$ 89 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 9 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:40, 12:10 and 14:10Another time? ›

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.8 with pickup ›

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Louisiana Tour company

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see Louisiana swamp wildlife up close and don't mind speed and noise. The engine and fan are loud, which is what draws the alligators to the boat. Plan for a couple of hours total, plus 35 minutes' drive each way from New Orleans.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How fast does the airboat go?

The boat reaches speeds up to 35 miles per hour. The fan behind it produces wind speeds over 200 miles per hour.

Will I definitely see alligators?

Not guaranteed, but they're easily spotted in spring, summer, and fall. They hibernate in winter, so sightings are rare then.

How many people are on the tour?

Small groups of six or nine passengers maximum, depending on the boat.

What's included?

Professional guide, safety flotation jacket, and the airboat tour itself. You need to arrange your own transport to Marrero, 35 minutes from New Orleans.

Is it loud?

Yes. The engine and fan are very loud, which is why service animals aren't recommended.

Can I bring my child?

Children must be at least 48 inches tall to ride.

What should I know before booking?

Arrive 20 minutes early. If traveling with others, book together to ensure you're on the same boat. The tour isn't recommended for people with spinal injuries, cardiovascular issues, or pregnancy. Airboats aren't wheelchair accessible.