Experience the full story of the wetlands in a eco-friendly low impact way. Kayak through a true swamp surrounded by large cypress tree covered in Spanish Moss . Our top rated kayak guides will stop along the way to tell you all about the diverse ecosystems in south Louisiana.
Follow our guide down a natural bayou through a natural Louisiana swamp. Along the way your guide will pause to give detailed info about the bayous, swamps, and Louisiana’s wetland eco systems. At the mid way point, we will enjoy stop and enjoy the surroundings. Depending on the season wildlife consists of ibises, egrets, herons, eagles, alligators, turtles, and more. Woodpeckers and assorted song birds are seasonal visitors to the living and dead cypress trees visible from the bayou.
Reservations are required, if you do not use our transportation detailed driving directions will be emailed in the confirmation email. We currently use a public launch near Laplace, La.
Posted By : samuells1604
We enjoyed this tour a lot. Brandon (or Brendon?), our main guide, is an absolute class act. He was friendly, funny, available, clearly loved the outdoors (and animals) and knew a whole bunch about the flora and fauna. He is also an all-around legend - 190 pounds of long-haired, well-muscled, blue-eyed, swamp-dwelling ruggedness. He showed us a video of him coolly manhandling and releasing a pretty big gator that had caught itself on his fishing line - a savvy marketing move, but also a super fun moment.
Our secondary guide, Matt (he was with us at the bayou, but Brandon is the one who drove us there and back and took us out to lunch) was also very competent and lots of fun to be around. We talked about our kids, wildlife, conservation - I really valued these seemingly genuine interactions.
My only gripe is that I wish the paddling part had been longer. By signing up for the longer, more expensive tour (supposed to be 5-6 hours), we figured we'd get to spend almost a full day in the bayou and cover lots of ground. In reality, the tour was closer to four hours, including a long, leisurly meal at a snack bar near the trail head. The stretch of river we paddled was about a mile (so two miles there and back) and we gathered by talking with our guides that it was exactly the same itinerary as the 'shorter', more economical tours. The extra money is basically for the privilege of a lunch-date with Brandon - worth every penny, in this case, because Brandon is a real prince. Still, if I go again, I'd go for the more affordable 3-hour evening tour (paddle one way by daylight, come back by twilight, with all the nocturnal animal activity and sounds).
All in all, though, I would warmly recommend this outfit to anyone, particularly beginners.
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Posted On : 2023-06-18 16:07:46 
Posted By : dhruvw2017
We enjoyed our time on the water with Matt. His knowledge made the scenery twice as interesting. His genuine love for the outdoors made you appreciate the rich wildlife and history that New Orleans has to offer beyond music and food. We highly recommend spending time with him outdoors.
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Posted On : 2023-05-22 10:11:54
Posted By : ameliasplackta
Really wonderful trip. It ended up just being me and my husband so we appreciated having a private tour. Matt and Byron were so knowledgeable and passionate which really made the trip special. We saw tons of wildlife and lucked out with beautiful weather. Lunch was tasty too! Would highly recommend.
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Posted On : 2023-05-03 15:54:05
Posted By : 207jr
Great trip! I cannot really express how great a guide Matt was. He was experienced, knowledgeable and friendly.
I highly recommend this trip
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Posted On : 2023-03-28 13:16:43
Posted By : 879norah
Amazing swamp trip with Matt! It was everything we wanted: paddling quietly through the trees and undergrowth with unique sights and sounds everywhere. We saw gators, birds, snakes, unique insects and plants, and even turtles. Couldn't have been better. Matt was very knowledgable and helped us have a great experience. The kayak was the most comfortable I've been in yet.
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Posted On : 2021-05-01 13:06:47
Posted By : trystando
We ae semi-experienced kayakers - in that we own our own kayaks at home and kayak several times per year in lakes and rivers (not white water at all). With that in mind, this was a fantastic tour. We met Matt right at the put in spot along the road. He had everything ready for us and even helped us with maps to understand where we were going and what we'd likely see. Matt was a wealth of knowledge and helped point out trees understory, gators, birds . . . he knew the environmental risks facing the area we were in . . . so we learned, had fun, and got to see some wonderful bayou nature and creatures. Matt, you were AMAZING!! Thank you so much!
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Posted On : 2021-04-11 15:12:37
Posted By : runlikehal
I went on a trip with guide Matt and had a great time. He started off with a review of the area on a large color map and explained how the river and swamp lands are connected and changing. Then we paddled into it. It was a really good trip, and as a bonus Matt even spotted an alligator laying in the weeds on the way back.
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Posted On : 2021-01-04 20:00:43
Posted By : Ellenmbettis
We had a wonderful time with Canoe and Trail Adventure Tours during our trip to New Orleans. It was the perfect way to get out of the city and learn more about the natural features that make Louisiana unique.
We booked a private guided kayak tour of Manchac Swamp and the owners and our guide Matt were very flexible and responsive when we needed to change the logistics of our visit at the last minute. Matt took the time to point out the plants and animals that made the swamp unique, and provided history and context around the ecological issues the area currently faces. He also answered all of our questions and was very personable and easy to talk to.
I didn't see this noted on the website, but they also took photos of us and the animals we saw, (including two alligators!) and provided them after the trip. That was a really a nice touch and will help us remember our experience for a long time.
Overall, the standout part of the experience was the professionalism and friendliness of the staff, followed by the wildlife sightings and breathtaking sights of Manchac Swamp. I hope we'll be back!
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Posted On : 2021-01-03 11:31:02
Posted By : thekatsmeow113
The guides Hannah and Matt were both friendly and knowledgeable about the swamp ecosystem. We went in early March, and were able to see all types of birds and reptiles, including turtles, snakes, and alligators. I especially appreciated how much time it felt like we had, we never felt like we had to rush or do a lot of paddling to keep up.
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Posted On : 2020-03-16 13:04:18
Posted By : christinerC9817AQ
Hannah took us through the Manchac Swamp. We were in a group that totalled 11, which was a good size and made for a quiet and intimate experience. Hannah was amazing at spotting alligators and we saw 16 in 2 hours! Really a unique experience. She also helped identify the plants and talked about the ecosystem of the swamp. Some of this is a tragic story, as the old growth cypress were all clear cut and some of the waterways are clogged by invasive species, but it was still beautiful. We went on a tour with Byron (the founder of the company) in 2007 and this company remains a stand out. With a particular focus on ecology and conservation, this tour is fun and educational in equal parts!
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Posted On : 2020-03-14 07:29:04
