New Orleans: Swamp Boat Ride & Whitney Plantation Tour
Orleans Parish, New Orleans
This tour combines the private Manchac Swamp with Whitney Plantation.
This guided tour in Louisiana combines a visit to Whitney Plantation with a pontoon boat cruise through the private Manchac Swamp, suitable for history and nature enthusiasts.
Highlights
- Combined tour of Whitney Plantation and Manchac Swamp
- Narrated round-trip transportation
- Self-paced audio tour focusing on first-person slave narratives at Whitney Plantation
- Guided swamp boat tour with local Cajun captains discussing fishing, hunting, and trapping
- Opportunity to see large alligators leap for food
Description
Whitney Plantation, established around 1752, is the only Louisiana plantation museum fully dedicated to the history of slavery. Visitors explore exhibits, memorial artwork, restored outbuildings, and hundreds of first-person narratives through a self-guided audio tour.
After the plantation visit, the tour continues with a short trip to Manchac Swamp, a privately owned wildlife refuge. Local Cajun captains pilot a covered pontoon boat through the cypress swamp, sharing knowledge of the area's wildlife and Cajun culture including fishing, hunting, and trapping. Wildlife sightings include American alligators, known for leaping up to catch snacks.
Includes
- Narrated round-trip transportation
- Whitney Plantation admission and audio tour
- Pontoon boat cruise through Manchac Swamp
Excludes
- Tips or gratuities
- Food and drinks (available for purchase at the swamp, including snacks and beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
Guests may bring dry snacks and beverages with secure tops to consume during the ride.
Important Information
- Tour vehicles have wheelchair storage. Foldable wheelchairs can be stored in the bus compartment. For scooter-type wheelchairs, arrange an accessible bus with the local partner at least 48 hours before the tour. Contact details will appear on your voucher.
- The Whitney Plantation tour is self-guided. Please download the Whitney Plantation app on your mobile device for the audio tour before arrival.
- Wheelchair users have access to the gift shop, restrooms, and museum. Plantation grounds are accessible but have uneven gravel paths. Viewing the slave quarters is possible but entering is restricted.
- Swamp tours operate rain or shine.
Easy Cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
For the best experience, wear comfortable shoes for walking the plantation grounds, bring insect repellent, and schedule the tour in the cooler months for more pleasant swamp conditions.
