An airboat is not a typical boat found just anywhere – An airboat is useful for the New Orleans swamps because tree roots and shallow waters make navigating a typical boat very difficult. The shell of an airboat is more flat and shallow than a standard boat shell. This construction allows the boat to graze just the surface of the water. Airboats are generally made of a welded aluminum and fiberglass hull and fan-like motor.
The airboat’s motor is much different than the partially submerged motor of a typical boat. The motor of the airboat is actually above water, and resembles a giant airplane propellor. This giant fan works to push air backward, causing the boat to move forward. The fan is enclosed by a cage or metal grating that prevents things from falling between the high-speed fan blades during motion.
Airboat tours allow you to get closer to the wildlife of the swamp by going places most boats cannot. The Louisiana wetlands provide a natural habitat for all types of wildlife, from turtles and alligators to owls and egrets. Native plants include marsh grass, tupelo-gum trees, and bald cypress trees. Our airboat tours cover over 20,000 acres of swampland and allow you to ride through the tree canopies and skim across the open water for an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours.
Airboat Adventures’ airboat tours can be taken on two different size airboats. The first is the smaller airboat tour, which is on a six-to-eight passenger airboat. The second is the larger airboat, which can bring up to twenty-seven passengers into the swamp. Both adults and children will enjoy this airboat tour of Louisiana’s swamplands. Our animated, knowledgeable tour guides will share insider experiences, funny swamp stories, and interesting facts about local wildlife and swamp history. Every single one of our airboat tour captains is U.S. Coast Guard certified.
Taking an airboat tour is easy with Airboat Adventures. If you are staying at any downtown New Orleans hotel, our complimentary shuttle will pick you up for your desired airboat tour and promptly drop you back off once your tour is complete. Discover what makes Louisiana’s swamp so different from any other place when you experience it first hand with one of our airboat tours! Our airboat tours In New Orleans happen three to five times a day, seven days a week.