maurepas swamp tour

Maurepas Swamp Tour, Small-Group Ecotour

• Fuel surcharge
• Local guide
• Transportation to/from attractions
• 13099 Petite Dr, Maurepas, LA 70449, USA Note that our launch site may change depending on the weather and where we think we may have the best wildlife viewing on any given day. We will follow-up after you make your booking with the directions to the launch site for your tour.
• Pickup Locations Buffa's Bar (1001 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116) Pythian Market (234 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112) Note that our launch site may change depending on the weather and where we think we may have the best wildlife viewing on any given day. We will follow-up after you make your booking with the directions to the launch site for your tour.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Infants must sit on laps
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at 13099 Petite Dr Or, you can also get picked up See departure details
• 1 Maurepas Stop: 2 hours 2 Hour Swamp Tour Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• sarazui 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent eco-friendly tour for the whole family We had an excellent day trip with John, starting with the Whitney plantation tour followed by a fun Cajun lunch spot and ending with a two hour eco-friendly boat ride exploring a bayou. The tour was perfect for everyone in our group, including my senior parents and our 8 year old and infant children. We were able to see various birds, alligators, and our reptile-loving 8 year old is still thrilled that she got up close to a snake and crawfish. We booked the private tour and really enjoyed our time with John and all the extra knowledge he has about the region. Highly recommended! Read more Written February 28, 2024
• jenpO3951TF 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles totally worth doing, highly recommend it John is great. Whitney Plantation is beautifully done. The boat ride on the bayou was fabulous. Boat driver was lovely. Read more Written November 18, 2023
• missalg 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Truly wonderful day! This was such an amazing trip from start to finish. John, our driver/guide, is so informative and engaging and made sure everything went smoothly. Whitney Plantation is an absolute must: part immersion in a time and place that we all need to understand, part memorial to the strength of enslaved people. The app with audio is clear and easy to follow and very interesting, allowing you to be immersed in the narrative. The Atchafalaya Basin swamp tour was just awe-inspiring. We saw so much wildlife thanks to the keen eyes of our captain, and the learning was so easy to absorb in the beautiful waters and vegetation and wildlife of the water. We even had two bald eagles following the boat! Truly recommended and a great way to contrast New Orleans. Read more Written October 11, 2023
• 637artip 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Bayou and Plantation Tour Our Bayou tour guide was Dean Wilson, the Basin Keeper. His knowledge of the ecology and history was invaluable. We learnt a lot. Our overall tour guide was John, he was very knowledgeable of the area, history and answered so many questions. There was no sales pitch but a rooted culture of protecting the environment. It was drought so we got to see an over 500 year old Cypress on “ground”. This would be covered in water usually. The Whitney Plantation tour was invaluable. It was over 30 degrees Celsius so if you venturing outside, dress appropriately and hydrate! Read more Written September 27, 2023
• Brittany W 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Make your days matter with a Beyond the Bayou tou What makes a great day on vacation? For me, it’s when you get to see and do things that are so inspiring you won’t soon forget them! John, our tour guide just radiated kindness, especially around my nervousness with visiting the Whitney Plantation. We were a party of 5 so opted for the private tour of the Atchafalaya Basin and the Whitney plantation. This afforded us the ability to be picked up directly at our hotel. Also, we started earlier than the normal time so that we could see the bayou before it became oppressively hot. We saw the Whitney plantation in the afternoon. While driving, John provided some very interesting information about the conservation efforts in Louisiana, about the impact of unchecked industrialism on vulnerable habitats and about the human impact on the land as well as that land’s impact on humans. It’s an unforgettable day and worth every penny. Read more Written July 4, 2023
• Traveler06735870937 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A beautiful and fun day with Beyond the Bayou tours I booked a day trip with my family in hopes of gaining insight into the culture and history of the real New Orleans area. Our day with Beyond the Bayou more than exceeded our expectations! The morning started with our guide John picking us up in a very comfortable van and bringing us to a tasty breakfast and coffee shop. Afterwards, we headed to the bayou for the first part of our day. As we drove, he was so knowledgeable (and fun to chat with) about all of the questions we had for him. The bayou boat tour was led by Dean, founder of the Atchafalaya Basinkeepers, who took us for an in depth eco tour of the bayou's rich wildlife. While pointing out gators and herons and teaching us about cypresses, Dean was also gracious and conscious of keeping us out of the heat! We then headed for a Cajun lunch and the Whitney Plantation for a self guided tour. Throughout the entire day, John and Dean were patient and engaging, and made sure to attend to our groups needs. Their energy and passion was clear in everything they did. We can't recommend them enough! Read more Written July 1, 2023
• wasLHL 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing Plantation & Swamp Tour Absolutely incredible! Six of us, college friends, did the Whitney Plantation and Swamp Tour while visiting New Orleans, with Al as our guide during the swamp tour portion, and John as our amazing “host” during the rest of the day. Al has the eyes of a hawk and was a fantastic guide through the swamp; and John provided background information on the area and great conversation while driving us to and from the various locations, also seeing to it that we were all well taken care of the entire day. Our visit to the Whitney Plantation - consisting primarily of a self-guided audio tour - certainly left an indelible impression, and provided enough time to take in the majority of the exhibits. All in all, an incredible day from start to finish - one of the most memorable of our entire trip! Highly recommended! Read more Written May 27, 2023
• W6831PQbrianc 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great Trip What can I say about the experience provided by John ……… Absolutely fabulous. John picked us up outside our apartment, exactly at the arranged time. Immediately at ease in his company as he took time on the journey to chat and educate on numerous aspects of life in New Orleans and provided a lot of background history and insightful thoughts on a variety of NOLA topics. First stop at the Whitney Plantation, he make sure we were checked in ok , then left us plenty of time to explore this fascinating place before meeting us to continue on to lunch. A local affair. But extremely tasty and great fun. Last stop a 2 hour boat trip on a bayou at Atchafalaya Basin. Super trip seeing numerous gators , birds , frogs , a snake , etc. The journey back to New Orleans passed quickly with great conversation and he showed a genuine interest in helping us understand his region. Great guy. Great trip. Highly recommended Read more Written May 12, 2023
• AdrieneW_RDN 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Are you a cocktail nerd? Take this tour. The cocktail tour was well curated, and the drinks were perfect. We’re cocktail lovers and have a pretty high bar and Brian did an incredible job of ensuring we were able to try a few of the drinks that made this cocktail City what it is. He also shared the history of the stops, from a spooky ghost to literary giants. 10/10 would do this again, it’s worth the price. The cocktail tour isn’t listed on here, but you can find it on their site under “French Quarter Cocktail Concierge”. Read more Written December 22, 2022
• 74allans 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great Cajun Country Experience Definitely a unique and interesting tour. If you have an interest in Cajun Country this is a must. We went on the 1 Day Cajun Country Experience. We had an amazing boat tour of the swamp and bayou areas of Lake Martin. Our guide Sean, a true Cajun born and raised in the area was most interesting and has an extensive knowledge of the eco-system in the swamp and bayou. He has a great sense of humor and found a lot of interesting wildlife for us to view, even 3 gators and he also showed us his duck blind on Lake Martin. Our second stop was meeting Grammy award nominated Zydeco musician, Nathan Williams, and given a private concert in his home recording studio, a once in a lifetime thrill. Our tour guide Brian was most accommodating and engaging. He knows all there is to know about New Orleans and Cajun Country. He took us to two great places for breakfast and lunch. He also knows a lot about the cuisine in New Orleans, need a restaurant recommendation, Brian is the guy! Overall, a phenomenal experience! Give it a try you won't be disappointed. Read more Written November 28, 2022
• florentinas747 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing experience Loved our tour. Amazing experience! Excellent guide! Brian was fun and engaging, his knowledge and passion to share the rich history of New Orleans made our tour very special. We learned a lot from him and our visit at Whitney Planation: a history lesson on slavery in Louisiana. After a yummy cajun lunch we met Boat captain Al ( Last wilderness swamp) who took us on one of a kind adventure deep into the swamps on the Achafalaya basin to see local wildlife, birds and stunning cypres tree. One of our favorite tours we have ever been on. Thank you Beyond the Bayou :-) Maria and Normand Read more Written October 28, 2022
• B4205WUlindsays 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles So fun! We had a great and memorable day! Whitney Plantation was very interesting. Lunch was delicious, in my top 3 of the whole trip. The boat tour was amazing. Our guide was knowledgeable and fun. We saw probably twenty gators, many birds, frogs and an otter!! Highly recommend. Brian, thank you! Read more Written October 9, 2022
• buffykc 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Well worth the visit outside of NOLA! Great day starting with Brian picking us up and driving us out to Whitney Plantation - an eye opener in the slave history! We then went to the Cajun Village for lunch - great food! Last was a boat trip to see the amazing swamp and catch sight of an alligator Long day but good! Brian was amazing! Read more Written October 3, 2022
• Laura W 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Book this tour! Book this tour! It’s exactly what you’re looking for. All that driving is taken care of by Brian, who is a great tour guide. Just the right amount of chat and quiet time. Brian is super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The Whitney Plantation is the best one in terms of history and tour. (I’d heard others go on the other plantation tours and they were not as good) Brian takes you past and you can see them. Lunch was delicious. The Bayou tour is essential to do here. Once in a lifetime event. Your tour guide Dean will first talk for 45mins, but it’s super interesting chat. Then you get lots of time (I could have stayed forever) cruising the Bayou. We saw alligators, snakes, frogs (on the boat, so cute), red squirrel, hawk, spoonbills, kingfisher, egret, heron and more! Read more Written September 30, 2022
• joeygE3132SM 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A dream come true Thank you so much Brian and Dean, Atchafalaya was the highlight of our trip. We really appreciate the way you care about this ecosystem that is under threat from opportunists seeking to make a quick buck and wish other tour operators had your integrity. Joey and Stephen Read more Written September 3, 2022

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Maurepas Swamp Tour, Small-Group Ecotour provided by Beyond the Bayou

Maurepas Swamp Tour

Maurepas Swamp Tour is guided by nature loving locals excited to share with you their passion of ecology, nature, history and conservation. Maurepas Swamp WMA is mostly flooded cypress tupelo swamp.

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Kayak Swamp Tour

• Additional Info
• Bucket List

Kayak tour of the Maurepas Swamp with an expert guide

Explore the Maurepas Swamp by kayak from our private landing on the Petite Amite River. Our small group size average of six ensures that you get a chance to ask our local naturalist guide all the questions you want. The quiet kayaks don’t scare wildlife away and allow us to get deeper into the swamp than you would with the large-boat operators. In fact, there are no other boat or kayak tours in the area where we go, which allows for a really special experience. Learn more and see more! The Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area is located halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Kayak, paddle, life jacket, and dry box provided.

Why Choose our Kayak Swamp Ecotour?

We are one of the few swamp tours in Louisiana that doesn’t feed alligators. We are a true eco-tour company, and we believe in respecting the environment and being aware of the threats that face this valuable wetland region.

Our unique kayak tour navigates through shallow waters, penetrating further into the swamp than most excursions. Visit quiet and isolated areas and spot more wildlife that hasn’t been scared off by other tour companies.

Peacefully glide around the river bends while looking for gators and other creatures. Paddle slowly through narrow passageways surrounded by cypress and tupelo trees draped with Spanish moss.

Our kayaks are 2020 model Jackson Rivieras, which is a huge upgrade from the uncomfortable older models. Our maximum group size of twelve ensures that you can properly relax, avoid the crowds, and interact fully with your guide. We provide an authentic, educational tour that leaves you with a deeper understanding of what makes the ecosystems here so unique.

The Maurepas Swamp is a biodiverse 110,000-acre federally protected Wildlife Management Area. Keep your eyes peeled for gators, great blue herons, bald eagles, owls, deer, wild pigs, and turtles. Birdwatchers love this tour; there are tons of woodpeckers, fishing birds, and migratory songbirds that live or pass through here.

Our kayak tour takes you through hardwood forests and swamps with towering cypress trees and Spanish moss. Learn about the wildlife, the local lifestyle and culture, and even the legend of the Rougarou, the Cajun swamp monster.

This adventure is operated by Beyond the Bayou Tours

Tours & Activities in Nola

• BUCKET LIST
• Cemetery Tour
• Cocktail Cruise
• Cooking Class
• Family Friendly
• Fishing Tours
• Food & Drink Tours
• Ghost Tours
• Kayaking Tours
• Nature Tours
• Photography Tours
• Photo Shoot
• Plantation Tours
• Walking Tours

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Swamp and Plantation Tour New Orleans

Enjoy a Rich Cultural and Ecological Experience of Louisiana!

Quick Details

• Clock Duration: 8 hours

Explore Maurepas Swamp and Whitney Plantation

Immerse yourself in New Orleans’ natural landscapes and culture on this full-day tour. Paddle down the Maurepas swamp on a guided kayak tour, enjoy delicious Cajun food, and visit the historic Whitney Plantation.

What to Expect

• Roundtrip transportation to and from New Orleans
• Beginner New Orleans kayak swamp tour and paddle through Maurepas Swamp
• Ecosystem narration from your guide about the swamp
• View wildlife and a picturesque landscape
• Stop at B&C Seafood Restaurant for authentic Cajun cuisine (option to purchase food)
• Whitney Plantation guided tour
• Visit the museum, Baptist church, and gift shop
• Take photos of the Live Oak corridor that leads up to the “Big House”
• Head back to Nola

At times, the Whitney Plantation becomes too busy to make week-of bookings. In the occasion that the Whitney Plantation tour is not available, we go to the Oak Alley Plantation. We highly regard both of these tours and the narratives and perspectives they share concerning Louisiana’s plantation history.

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