Adults-Only Voodoo History Guided Walking Tour in New Orleans
Description
Shrouded in mystery, driven by beating drums, and populated by some of the most fascinating—and virile—deities in modern theology, voodoo has been intriguing outsiders since it first arrived in New Orleans. Your tour begins on Basin Street, just steps away from the famous tomb which allegedly holds the remains of Marie Laveau herself. After a brief lesson on the differences between Haitian Voodoo, New Orleans Voodoo, Santeria, and Hoodoo, guests are led to Congo Square, site of Laveau’s countless ceremonies and rituals. From this sacred ground you’ll make your way to Laveau’s old home, the place she raised her children by day and practiced spiritual workings with a bigass snake around her neck by night. Zombie lore, pandemic history, and some old timey propaganda await you on Dauphine Street, where your guide will reveal the truth about voodoo dolls and traditional Afro-Caribbean medicine, all through the lens of ancestor worship and “magic” in America’s Most Haunted City.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The meeting point for our tour.
Though we do not enter the cemetery, our tour begins just outside of its walls. Here, we discuss the interment site of our Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, and the Gates of Guinee (An entry point to the spirit realm).
One of the most important sites in New Orleans for African-American and Voodoo history.
Here, we take you to a location known for contributing to the spread of negative Voodoo propaganda, and share insights surrounding the purpose and history of Voodoo dolls.
Our mid-point break.
Our end point.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Adults only
- Please arrive 30 minutes prior for check-in. Tours depart at their scheduled time, sharp
- Please plan in advance for Ubers, taxis, Lyfts, and travel mishaps. We cannot accommodate late arrivals
- Intoxicated travelers will not be permitted
Reviews(108)
Doug was awesome. Full of energy and humor, but very knowledgeable. Highly recommended. Loved have a small group.
Hi Tammy! Thank you for the 5-stars! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your time with Doug! His high energy, funny, and knowledgeable tour guide skills make him one of the favorites in the city! We LOVE that you enjoyed the smaller group size! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell Tours!
Our tour guide, Doug Presley, was extremely charismatic and knowledgeable. His enthusiasm about the history of voodoo and Marie Laveau was infectious and has peaked my interest in the subjects. I've since bought a few books to learn more because he made it all sound so interesting and mysterious. Even though the day was hot he tried to ensure we were standing in the shade during our stops. I highly recommend this tour with Doug as your guide.
Thank you so much Matthew! It's the highest compliment to Doug that his enthusiasm about Voodoo inspired you to learn more, and we're thrilled you had a great time exploring the city with him! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell!
The guide was more of a performer. I would have liked to learn more about the religion and how it is practiced in New Orleans without all the flourishes.
Hi Sheila, Thank you for your feedback on the Voodoo History tour. Doug (your guide) wrote, developed, and designed that tour himself. The religion's practices are something that only full practitioners would know and since it is an African-based ancestral religion, there are not many people who can (or would) give that information up. However, we can assure you that the information Doug provided is not filled with "flourishes" nor is it just a performance. We are not sure how you missed all of that but we have passed the information on to Doug regarding the tour you took a month ago. Thanks for choosing Hottest Hell Tours and good luck on your search for information that would be sacreligious to share with outsiders!
Enthusiastic guide! We heard some great stories about the Voodoo Queen. He was able to answer all our questions, and knew lots about the city.
Thank you so much for this review! Marie Laveau is just one of the many fascinating figures our guests get to meet on our tours, and we're thrilled your guide could bring you on a history deep-dive while having a blast! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell!
This was a great tour! Doug is absolutely amazing. So committed to the tour and knowledgeable of the information he shared. Thank you!
Thank you so much Florencia! Doug designed the Gates of Guinee tour himself, and he takes pride in sharing our rich spiritual history with guests like yourself who love to dig deeper into our cultural traditions. Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell!
A very in depth account of voodoo and it’s history in NOLA. Doug was very knowledgeable. Would recommend this tour if you think you know what voodoo is.
Thank you so much Kelly! Doug designed our Voodoo tour himself and his in-depth knowledge is only matched by his passion and respect for our city's Voodoo culture and traditions. We're thrilled your tour with him was fun and informative and we thank you for choosing Hottest Hell!
Doug was amazing. I learned a lot and had a blast. Very interesting. I highly recommend the Voodoo Tour and I will definitely do it again when I return to New Orleans.
Hello! Thank you for the 5-stars! We think Doug is pretty amazing too and we love when our guests get the chance to take the tour Doug wrote with Doug. :-) We would love to see you again in the future! Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Hottest Hell Tours!
I can’t say enough good things about our ghost tour experience with Jeremy. Not only was he engaging and knowledgeable, but he truly went above and beyond even when there were distractions like outside noise or interruptions. He kept everything flowing smoothly and stayed completely professional the entire time. He really made the tour unforgettable. Huge kudos to Jeremy for his fantastic storytelling and top-notch professionalism—definitely a five-star guide!
Hello! Thank you for the 5-stars! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your time with Jeremy and can't say enough good things!! That's exactly the level we strive for every day! We might be biased, but we agree that Jeremy is definitely a 5-star guide!! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell Tours!
Doug gave us the lowdown on the early history of voodoo and hoodoo in New Orleans, and the major individuals who made it so. Tours like his are so colorful and vivid, they’ll make you feel like you’re walking through the past!
Thank you so much! Doug is a wealth of knowledge on the spiritual side of New Orleans and he's dedicated to honoring our city's mystical traditions. It means the world to us that he was able to bring our history and local legends to life! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell!
This tour was a great experience. Doug was an excellent guide, and I appreciated both the facts versus possible fiction aspects of the tour.
Thank you Julia!! We appreciate you bringing your whole group to spend some with us while you were in town. You may not be surprised to hear that Doug wrote and developed that tour for us himself, to help speak truth to the many misconceptions about Voodoo and its deep roots in New Orleans. We appreciate the 5-star review and would love to have any or all of you back again for any of our other tours!
