Swamp Tours and Wildlife Encounters

Quick answer: Manchac Swamp is a 1,000-acre cypress-tupelo wetland 45 minutes northwest of New Orleans, between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. It’s where most of the iconic “Louisiana swamp” footage you’ve seen on TV was filmed. You can visit it by kayak (most authentic), by pontoon (family-friendly), or by airboat (loud, fast). Best months are April-May and September-October. We’ve been guiding paddlers through Manchac since 2014. Where is Manchac Swamp? Manchac Swamp sits in St. John the Baptist and Tangipahoa Parishes, between the towns of LaPlace and Ponchatoula, hugging Pass Manchac which connects Lake Pontchartrain to Lake Maurepas. It’s about 45 miles from downtown New Orleans on I-55 — roughly a 45-50 minute drive depending on traffic. The full Manchac Wildlife Management Area covers about 8,300 acres of cypress-tupelo swamp, freshwater marsh, and bayou. It’s one of the largest contiguous…

Quick answer: If you want the most authentic Louisiana swamp experience and you can paddle, book a small-group kayak swamp tour through Manchac or Honey Island. If you have small kids or mobility limits, a covered pontoon out of the Honey Island area is the best fit. Skip the airboats unless thrill-ride speed is the whole point of your trip — you’ll see less wildlife and pay more for it. I’ve been operating tours in the Louisiana wetlands since 2014. We run kayak swamp tours through Manchac and Honey Island under the New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours brand. Yes, that means I have a horse in this race. I’m telling you up front so you can read the rest with that in mind. Where another operator does something better than us, I’ll say so. The four kinds of swamp tours…

New Orleans is renowned for its captivating swamps, and the allure of experiencing them at sunset is unparalleled. In this guide, we unveil one of the most exciting options for swamp tours in the city—the New Orleans Pedal Barge. Pedaling into Sunset Splendor The New Orleans Pedal Barge offers a distinctive adventure, allowing you to…

In the dynamic confluence of the Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana’s coastal marshes, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) stands as a steadfast steward, actively engaged long before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in revitalizing the health of this critical ecosystem. Oyster reefs, once vibrant and teeming with life, encountered myriad challenges—fishing practices, dredging, habitat loss, water…

When it comes to kayaking in the great outdoors, there are few experiences that can rival the sense of adventure and connection with nature it provides. Paddling through serene waters, taking in the beauty of the surrounding landscape, and encountering wildlife can be truly exhilarating. However, if you’re considering kayaking in areas where alligators are…

Experience the ultimate angler’s paradise with our Hooked on the Bayou: New Orleans Kayak Fishing charter Nestled in the heart of the Big Easy, this adventure takes you deep into the picturesque bayous, swamps, and waterways that define Louisiana’s unique landscape. As you embark on your kayak fishing journey, you’ll be guided by experienced and…

Best of the Season!    By Jeffrey Chitek   New Orleans in February is one of the social marvels of the world.  Carnival leads into Mardi Gras and there is virtually no stoppage time in between.  The city is made of color during this period. It is a pure celebration of life, love and vice.  People wear their insides on the outside in the form of intricate homemade costumes and provocative fashion.  The parties and debauchery go all night to meet the next days sun. If you were to continually participate in all of the action, you would surely perish due to bliss or exhaustion, whichever comes first.  The key to surviving carnival season is careful selection and moderation of said activity. Following is a summary of things to do in the month of February considering a healthy balance of…

  The Cajun Clams of Louisiana Can you eat clams from Lake Pontchartrain?   This is the question my friend and I were asking each other as we dug up dozens of small Rangia clams while swimming at a North Shore beach.  A quick internet search revealed that they are edible, with caveats. Although Native Americans relied on the Rangia as a principle food source, discarding the shells in numerous middens, more recent efforts to commercialize these ‘Cajun Clams’ for food never really caught on. You probably know Louisiana for it’s famous oysters. The truth is that Rangia clams are even more plentiful in many of our waterways.  The hardy Rangia is the only species of clam that thrives in lower salinity water environments such as the brackish zones common throughout coastal Louisiana.  Ideal conditions for the clam are soft,…

I’m no stranger to the outdoors, however, the most amazing wildlife viewing of my life has occurred the last few weeks while guiding with Nola Swamp Tours. Some notable moments that touched my soul include seeing a hummingbird feeding on a Louisiana iris, Earth Day. Paddling behind a barred owl crossing the channel directly in…