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Pontoon Swamp Tour & Whitney Plantation with N’awlins Luxury Tours - New Orleans

Pontoon Swamp Tour & Whitney Plantation with N’awlins Luxury Tours

New Orleanseasy

Difficulty

easy

Duration

8–9 hours

Fitness Level

Suitable for most fitness levels; involves 90 minutes of walking and moderate boat seating.

Overview

Discover Louisiana’s deep history and wild swamps with N’awlins Luxury Tours. Experience the Whitney Plantation’s powerful narratives before cruising the bayou on a pontoon boat.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Pontoon Boat Swamp Tour & Self - Guided Whitney Museum Plantation

8.5 hours • All Ages Welcome • Most Popular!

Boat Tour
Museum
Walking Tour

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Adventure Photos

Pontoon Boat Swamp Tour & Self - Guided Whitney Museum Plantation photo 1

About This Adventure

Come explore the Whitney Plantation, which is America's first Slavery Museum and also used as a backdrop in the film Django Unchained, then go for a boat ride on the enchanting swamp in Louisiana.

Duration

8.5 Hours (Transportation time included.)

About

  • Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana dedicated to understanding the facts of slavery.
  • As a site of memory, with the focus on lives of the slaves and their legacies, visitors can experience the world of an 1830’s sugar plantation through the eyes of the enslaved people who lived and worked here.
  • During the 90-minute walking tour, visitors will gain a unique perspective on the lives of the enslaved people on a Louisiana sugar plantation, learning their stories through the real oral histories recorded by the Federal Writers Project during the Depression.
  • On the National Register of Historic Places, the site includes the last surviving example of a true French Creole Barn, what is believed to be the oldest detached kitchen in Louisiana, and the Big House, considered the earliest and best preserved raised Creole cottage in Louisiana, all built by slaves.
  • With the original structures nestled in a working sugar cane field, visitors are sure to marvel at the authentic representation presented at Whitney.
  • Through these restored buildings, museum exhibits, memorial artwork and thousands of first-person slave narratives, Whitney Plantation gives a voice and respect to the slaves, who lived, worked, and died here.
  • Enjoy a boat ride on the enchanting swamp in Louisiana.

What to Bring

Please dress for weather conditions.

Adventure Tips

Dress for variable weather

Wear lightweight, moisture-wicking layers and waterproof footwear to stay comfortable on both swamp and plantation grounds.

Bring insect repellent

Mosquitoes can be persistent, especially during warmer months—prepare with effective bug spray for the boat tour.

Comfortable walking shoes

The plantation tour covers uneven historic grounds; sturdy, comfortable shoes are recommended for easy navigation.

Camera with zoom lens

To capture swamp wildlife safely from the boat, a zoom lens will help get striking shots without disturbing animals.

Local Insights

Wildlife

  • American alligator
  • Great blue heron

History

Whitney Plantation offers a uniquely focused narrative on enslaved peoples' lives, a perspective often missing from traditional plantation tours.

Conservation

The swamp tour emphasizes respecting fragile ecosystems and practices low-impact boating to protect local wildlife and wetland health.

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Adventure Hotspots in New Orleans

Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended Gear

Waterproof walking shoes

Essential

Protect your feet from wet, uneven terrain during the plantation walk and swamp boat embarkation.

Lightweight rain jacket

Essential

Keeps you dry during sudden showers common in Louisiana’s climate.

spring|fall|summer specific

Insect repellent

Essential

Essential to ward off mosquitoes and biting insects, especially on the swamp tour.

spring|summer|fall specific

Binoculars

Enhances wildlife viewing during the quiet stretches of the swamp boat ride.