What Will You See on a New Orleans Swamp Tour?
All Aboard Our Bayou Swamp Boat Safari!
Louisiana is perhaps best known for Mardi Gras and spicy Cajun cooking, but its exotic wildlife scene is also exceptional. For a front-row seat to the animal action in the Swamps and Bayous just west of New Orleans, Bayou Barataria, book a spot on our Wild Louisiana Tours. We’re a short drive from downtown New Orleans, and we also offer shuttle transportation from and back to downtown or the French Quarter.
A Bit About the Bayou
An ecological staple of the American south, bayous are a mix of saltwater and freshwater bodies in flat, low-lying areas. Aesthetically gothic and symbolic of southern life, bayous are steamy, mysterious, droopy, and beautiful. They are also home to many interesting forms of wildlife and generations of families and traditions are deep rooted here.
Swamp Tour Animals
The Bayou Boat Tour consisting of Airboat and Bay Boats is North America’s version of an African safari, but instead of driving a four-wheeler through the bush, guests board swamp boats. It’s an exhilarating experience, but don’t worry; you’ll always be at a safe distance from the jaws of the gators as you come along and discover how animals live in the New Orleans’ swamps.
Swamp Species of Birds in New Orleans
What kind of birds live in swamps? This is a question we frequently field because bayou avifauna (bird wildlife) is unique. With their elegant necks and long beaks, the majestic great blue herons and great egrets are always a treat to see. Black vultures, brown and white pelicans, loons, owls, hawks, cuckoos, warblers, ducks, and bald eagles also fly the friendly skies above New Orleans and the surrounding area.
Terrestrial Swamp Animals of New Orleans
New Orleans’ bayous are ground zero for alligators. The largest reptiles in America, gators are the most sought-after sighting on the Wild Louisiana Boat Tour, and they can live to the ripe old age of 80!
Wild boars, an invasive species, are also plentiful. They feed on the wetlands, travel in packs, and have quickly become a regional delicacy because of their rapid population growth. Nutria — also known as river rats — are another intrusive animal that’s invaded the bayou. Unfortunately, due to their erosion-accelerating eating habits, nutria have reached nuisance status. Even still, they still elicit oohs and ahhs — or maybe ewws and ahhs — on our Louisiana airboat bayour swamp tours.
Book a New Orleans swamp bayou tour today! General Public and private tours are available. Join us and meet exotic wildlife from a safe distance! Book Online is secure and fast!