Hop on board a Carolina Skiff boat for a guided tour of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge with Okefenokee Adventures. Since most of their seasoned tour guides have family roots in Okefenokee, you’ll get a true insider’s perspective as you explore the swamp. Tours begin by traveling along the historic Suwannee Canal, passing through a forest before heading out into the Chesser Prairie. Along the route, guides will identify plants and wildlife while sharing stories about the swamp. If you opt for the sunset tour, you’ll get the unique opportunity to watch a prairie sunset and travel back to the landing with stars overhead and red alligator eyes twinkling in the dark. Other wildlife you’re likely to spot in Okefenokee includes egrets, ibis, herons, sandhill cranes and red-shouldered hawks.
Proving that wildlife tours don’t need to be serious, Captain Ron “Black” Guidry serves up his swamp knowledge alongside a healthy does of entertainment and fun. A former Green Beret and Louisiana State Trouper, Black will happily play a selection of Cajun tunes on his accordion while piloting passengers through a scenic part of Bayou Black. Visitors will spot wildlife like alligators and eagles and soak up Black’s extensive knowledge of the local flora and fauna, all while relaxing on board the “party barge.”
“Big Al,” the largest alligator in captivity in Texas, weighs in at 1,000 pounds and steals the show at Gator Country Adventure Park located in Beaumont, Texas. With over 350 alligators and four species of crocodiles on site, this theme park is the perfect location to experience swamp reptiles, including Caimans, snapping turtles, snakes and more. Guests can even hold and feed baby gators. The backdrop for CMT’s Gator 911 show, the park also serves up traditional Southern fare at its full-service restaurant. On the menu…American Alligator.
Look out for turtles, alligators and birds as you cruise Louisiana’s Outback on an airboat during this tour, which takes passengers through southwestern Louisiana’s marshland. The excursion also explores parts of the Creole Nature Trail, which is known as one of the top birdwatching destinations in the country with over 400 species. If you visit during the right time of year, you might even have the chance to spot an alligator nest or see hundreds of thousands of birds migrating as the seasons change.
There are several places you can take a wetland tour in Arkansas, a state known for its beautiful lakes. At Lake Chicot, a birding hotspot, you’ll find Arkansas’ largest natural lake along with the cypress habitat of herons, eagles, ibis, egrets and the endangered wood stork. Lake Ouachita is known for their relaxing cruises and tours that offer a look at the exposed results of the severe folding and faulting that created the surrounding mountains. Head to DeGray Lake for party barge excursions led by park interpreters, who will take visitors through the lake to enjoy crystal-clear waters, natural beauty, and plenty of wildlife.
A stay in the Florida Everglades would not be complete without interaction with Alligators, Crocodiles and the host of endangered species that call this environment home. For an intimate experience with the wildlife of South Florida, book a Gator Getaway at the Lemon Tree Inn, a boutique hotel in Naples, Florida. As part of your stay, guests kayak through the Everglades on a four-hour tour led by professional guides from Everglades Area Tours.
In Mississippi, South Coast Paddling Company takes kayakers of all experience levels on waterway tours that include Deer Island, Old Fort Bayou and the Pascagoula River. Choose from several tour lengths to find the right bayou excursion for your trip, including half day, full day or overnight. If you have the chance, don’t miss the Full moon Maddle, a two-hour tour that is offered monthly in the evening, offering a unique chance to get up close and personal with wildlife after dark.
Located just outside New Orleans, Cajun Encounters leads passenger boats for tours of Honey Island Swamp, one of the only remaining preserved wetlands in Louisiana. The tour passes through an authentic Cajun village that can only be seen by boat, and offers visitors the opportunity to see owls, alligators, raccoons, wild boars, bald eagles, snakes black bears, turtles, and many bird species. Nighttime tours are also available, complete with old folk tales shared on the boat.
Explore the Crescent B (Babcock) Ranch, a 90,000 acre working cattle farm, and Telegraph Cypress Swamp by buggy with Babcock Wilderness Adventures. Once a tree farm, the ranch is now a cattle business and wildlife preserve. Here, visitors can experience the local ecosystems and the heritage of the Babcock Family Lodge. After viewing hundreds of alligators on the 90-minute tour, take to the extensive hiking trails, for additional wildlife viewing. Inhabiting the Preserve, cougar and whitetail deer among other abundant wildlife can be found.
Located just 90 minutes from New Orleans, this 2.5-hour swamp tour offers an authentic adventure in the heart of Cajun county and, of course, plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities. Traverse the twisting maze of bayous, lakes and channels where few people have ventured, exploring the natural untouched beauty of the Atchafalaya Basin. Visitors will meet Cajuns who live off the land and learn about the unique culture of the swamplands. There’s even a chance to see the area where the first Tarzan movie was filmed.
