Went on an airboat with Capt. Rodney Dufrene. What a great morning. Not only saw quite a few alligators but learned SO much about the species. Capt. Dufrene is a wealth of knowledge and can spot alligators that we had trouble seeing when he pointed to them! We were fortunate to have a picture perfect day.
We went on the air boat tour as part of our Tours by Isabelle Plantation tour. It was certainly great fun and I would definitely do this again. I was a little shocked when our guide encouraged a large gator to climb on board while he fed it chicken legs and marshmellows but it did make for an excellent photo. We spotted lots of alligators during the 1 1/2 hour venture and the boat was very smooth (but noisy) ear protection was provided by the owners. We did spot poisonous snakes and when another tourist asked 'do you suck the poison out if bitten' the guide replied yes (incorrect) Probably should investigate current first aid practices when taking tourist into areas with dangerous creatures. Great fun though! Bathroom facilities were not in operation during our visit but you could purchase a drink and Tshirt from their little gift shop/office.
This is a great tour. The location is 30 min away from down town New Orleans. They have shuttle service from the hotels to the tour. When you are at the tour location they have large snapping turtles in a cage to see. TIP: ask to have Rodney as your guide. He is very genuine knowledgeable and funny. He will help you interact with the animals and see a lot.
Three families with six kids from 11 to 14 rode into the swamp with Captain Gary. We were warned that alligators would not be out but the ride and the scenery were awesome. The kids and the adults had an amazing time with Captain Gary, who was funny and informative. Worth the price of admission.
We went to Swamp Adventures as part of the Tours by Isabelle before going to see the plantations. Dr. Gary Snead was a wealth of information regarding the swamp and bayou. I highly recommend going in the afternoon, because it was little cool in the morning, but see got to see a verity of wild life.
Even though it wasn't Gator season, Captain Gary spotted a four year old female gator and snagged her right out of the swamp. Then he helped everyone in the airboat hold her. It was so much fun! You have to ride with Captain Gary!
Tour guide Gary is the best. Swamp tour and comedy all in one. Great experience! Bus trip from hotel was informative as well.
Our guide Gary took us out for a 2 hour drive around the swamps. We saw gators, king fishers, herons and lots of other wildlife. And while all of the wildlife was awesome, what made the trip even better for me, was Gary's knowledge. He took the time to answer every question we had and his passion for his job and the area he took us on was evident. When I first stepped into the boat, I thought we'd have a good time, but we came back with knowledge on the history of the area, the flora and fauna and an understanding of what makes the bayou so special. Gary was truly an awesome guide and recommend this experience wholeheartedly.
This my second time on a swamp tour, and it was great to take the small boat. It was basically a private tour for our group of 6. Captain Gary was amazing, friendly, informative and a great driver (the teens lived the speed!). We got to go deep into small inlets I had never seen before. Beautiful weather, but my experience was Spring is definitely better for seeing large gators. Captain Gary was tenacious tho and spotted several younger gators, including one he pulled into the boat for photo ops. A fun time (ages 19 - 73) was had by all. Only suggestion would be the shuttle could have provided more commentary on our 30-40 minute drive, as il had previously with another outfit.
The woman who booked the tour was completely unprofessional, but I said maybe she is just having a bad day, then after being picked up 45 minuets late at the hotel, my tour guide acted drunk. For paying $95 per person I have never be so disappointed. I would never book with this Company.