I am going to New Orleans in a couple of months and would like advice on the swamp tours. Are they worth the time and has anyone seen any alligators on these tours?

We took the Honey Island swamp tour, which is more ecological than spooky (some of the other tours focus on haunted spots, etc.). I thought it was worth it--we had never seen a swamp before and the ecology with the mangroves was very interesting. You will definitely see alligators--unfortunately all of the tours feed them marshmallows (hardly eco-friendly) so they swim right up to the boats.

Hi, Evelyn!
If you are going to look at alligators that swim right up to the boat to be fed, you might just as well go to the zoo. For a look at the alligators that DON'T swim up to the boat, try Mr Denny's Swamp Tours. This is Dennis Holmberg, and he doesn't use a power boat which scares off anything with ears so that by the time you round the bend, they're all safely at the bottom... he goes in, with only four or five people at a time, by canoe. And he gets away from the main routes and explores the little-known areas where the power boats can't go.
You will have to put in a bit of effort to go with Mr denny, as his canoe starts from Slidell, not New Orleans. The Greyhound Bus will take you there in forty-five minutes, or, if you prefer, Mr Denny will arrange transport from your base in New Orleans. We have taken this tour twice now (over a ten-year period), and each time it's been one of the highlights of our US holiday. There is a tour office at the side of the church, about half a block up (away from the water) from the Cafe Du Monde, which carries his leaflets. He also has a website, but fax him in preference to emailing him, as he is usually too busy out on the swamps to open his emails.

Thank Alan, that's exactly what I'm looking for. A simi private tour. I took a plantation tour with abou 100 people it was vey disappointing. Thanks for the info.

Alan, can you give us a ballpark price on these tours and the length of time? Thanks.

When we were in New Orleans, we took a tour with Capt Nick's Wildlife Safaris our of Lafite. It was a private tour on a small motor boat, and Capt Nick picked us up at the hotel. We had a great time, very relaxing and we saw some alligators. I liked that he did not feed tha alligators anything because feeding the alligators isn't exactly healthy for them.

I've heard about Mr Denny's Swamp Tours which sound really interesting. I think we will check them out on our next trip.

capt nick seems to get the most highest rating.

"most highest," huh? What an endorsement!

Sis, I honestly can't remember the price we paid, although I do remember that the first time we saved a lot of money by making our own way to Slidell via Greyhound... Dennis picked us up at the local diner. Second time, with two kids, we decided to let his colleague pick us up near the NO tourist office I spoke about, so that cost us more. The tour cost itself is, I think, comparable to the "ordinary" swamp tours, and the price for children was heavily discounted... I know he charged considerably less than half for our two girls, but maybe that was because we had faxed him from Australia and begged him to keep a morning free for us. Even an environmentalist living in the middle of a Louisiana swamp knows that the Aussie dollar is only worth half of the US dollar, and so for Aussies on tour, every cent counts!

I wasn't endorsing Nick's. Haven't been on a swamp tour to endorse one, but I seem to hear alot about his from the forum and other forums. I also have found him in all of the tour guide books. He sounds like a good one to take.(or was this just a crack about my use of words?)

I'm a 5th generation New Orleanian and have to recommnend the Honey Island Swamp tour by Dr. Paul Wagner, wetlands ecologist. He takes you on a private tour, he is quiet, it's out of Slidell.. and it's the very best in my opinion and the opinion of many. It's one place we take everyone when they come to town. He travels through the part of the swamps that is protected ... and he does not scare the animals away. It is not "touristy" and they come to pick you up at your hotel. The trip over there is even a tour..