New Orleans has been a city I’ve been putting off going to since it always seemed like a city that would be more fun to visit with friends. For my boyfriend’s birthday, I decided that it would be fun to surprise him with a birthday weekend in New Orleans. Fortunately, I have some amazing friends who also decided to meet up there.

Though we decided not to make a strict schedule and just decide on a day to day basis what we felt like doing, we had read that you should book your swamp tour in advance in case it does fill up.

Things to consider when booking a swamp tour

Which boat to get

We decided to go with a regular boat instead of an airboat. The main reason is that airboats although go faster, are typically quite loud. We were worried about scaring off the wildlife so we opted for the quieter regular swamp boats. As an added bonus, the regular boats tend to also be a bit cheaper.

Which swamp

There are 3 different swamps around New orleans. Some are little closer than others so you may want to consider that if you have your own car and want to drive there.

• Honey Island Swamp: 45 minute drive northeast of the French Quarter
• Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve: 30 minute drive south of the French Quarter
• Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area: 30 minute drive west of the Quarter

I didn’t find too much of a significance between the swamps so that really didn’t factor into our decision

Transportation

If you’re not renting a car, you’ll either need to book with a company that offers transportation, or book transportation separately. If you opt for a company that doesn’t include transportation, you can email them and ask them if they have any recommendations. Most companies have regular drivers that they work with and have pre-negotiated rates for you.

Interaction and respect towards alligators and wildlife 

I’m a little uneasy about activities involving animals for entertainment. I wanted to find a company that disrupted the wildlife as little as possible. I know some companies will feed the alligators marshmallows and hotdogs to encourage them to come near the boats. There are also companies that will tape a baby alligators mouth closed so that you could hold and pet it. Just something to consider when booking.

Time of day

We opted for an early morning trip as we wanted to be able to get back and still be able to enjoy most of the day. If you’re planning on drinking heavily the night before though, an 8am pick up and long bus and boat ride may not be the best experience while hung over. Our bus picked us up at 8am to get there for the 9:30am tour. This dropped us back in the french quarter around 12:30 which was perfect for lunch.

Some companies offer night tours but I’ve heard that you won’t be able to see as much as you would during the day time.

Additional activities

We opted to just do the swamp tour but some companies will have packages that include additional activities like visiting a plantation or a haunted voodoo tour. You’ll typically save money if you purchase activities together so if you’re planning on doing any other activities, you may want to see if you can get a package deal.

My experience

In the end, we chose to go to Cajun Encounters and we absolutely LOVED our experience. Full disclosure, after we had chosen to go with them, I was offered a discount when I told them that I’d be sharing my experiences on the blog. My opinions however are truly my own.

• Our pick up was in the french quarter. They do offer pick up from many of the major hotels in the French quarter.
• Once you get to the swamp, you have to go into the gift shop to check in and pay any remaining balance. You’ll be given a bracelet that is colour coded to your boat. Then just hang around until your colour is called. You may want to use the washroom now as the boat ride is over an hour and there won’t be any opportunities to go once you’re on it.
• If you want to buy a gift from the gift shop. Do it at the beginning when you’re checking in. There isn’t as much time after your tour.
• Our tour guide was great and taught us all about the plants and wildlife living around the river and swamps.
• I’d recommend bringing water and sunglasses as it can get SUPER hot. Our tour guide did have a cooler with free bottles of cold water.
• Wear sunscreen!! That New orleans sun is no joke. When you’re going fast on the boat, the breeze will cool you down so you won’t notice that your skin is burning.
• After the tour, make sure you get on the right bus or you may end up in another city. They have bus pick ups from all around the area so not all buses go back to downtown New orleans.

Check out my full video to see what a VIP boat tour is like with Cajun Encounters.

Cajun Encounters

Website: http://www.cajunencounters.com/

VIP boat tour price with pickup: 89USD

Phone: 504.834.1770
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