Adults-Only Voodoo History Guided Walking Tour in New Orleans
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
New Orleans, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Discover the history of voodoo that you won't find in guidebooks with this adults-only guided walking tour in New Orleans. Learn about this intriguing aspect of local culture during a city stroll that includes top landmarks such as Basin St. Station, the St. Louis Cemetery, and Congo Square. Learn about the difference between several types of voodoo and see the sites where ceremonies and rituals were performed by figures like Marie Laveau.
- Explore the haunted city of New Orleans
- Learn about voodoo rituals and ceremonies
- See popular landmarks like St. Louis Cemetery
- Go for a guided city stroll for adults only
What's Included
- Walking tour with in-person guide
- Licensed, insured, and bonded tour operator
- Please arrive 30 minutes early for check in
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1201 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
We meet near the corner of St. Louis Street and Basin Street.
End point
- Jackson SquareNew Orleans, LA 70116, USA
Our tour ends at Jackson Square
Operating hours.11:00 am
Itinerary
1
Basin St. Station
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Congo Square
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Dauphine Street
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Conjure New Orleans
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Jackson Square
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- 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
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Frequently Asked Questions (14)
Q:How early should I arrive for the Adults Only Voodoo History Guided Walking Tour in New Orleans?
A:It is recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes before your start time so that you have time to locate the guide and check in.
Oct 2023
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 107 reviews
Florencia_I, Dec 2025
This was a great tour! Doug is absolutely amazing. So committed to the tour and knowledgeable of the information he shared. Thank you!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
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!
CassandraM_P, Feb 2025
Had the best time learning about Voo Doo’s rich history in New Orleans. Doug the guide was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. He really gave an accurate tour with many famous stops built in.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review! We're so glad you had a great time learning about the rich history of Voodoo in New Orleans. Doug truly is an amazing guide, and it's wonderful to hear that his knowledge and storytelling made the tour that much more entertaining. Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell and hope to see you on another tour soon!
Jennifer_B, Dec 2024
Doug is awesome! There isn't much to "see" on this tour but he does a great job of painting a picture to help you envision things. Doug welcomed questions and by the end of the tour had me loving Marie Laveau too! I highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you Jennifer!! That was our "Gates of Guinee" Voodoo tour, which Doug actually wrote and developed himself out of a desire to share the often overlooked and misrepresented history of the practice in New Orleans. We're glad he was able to bring it all to life so well for you, and your review and personal recommendation are greatly appreciated! Be sure to check out our other tours when you're ready to dive in the same way to all the other fascinating history here!
Micaela_L, Oct 2024
This is the only voodoo tour you should take in New Orleans. It was informative about the actual history and concepts of voodoo and we learned a lot while also gaining an appreciation of Marie Laveau - a truly amazing historical figure. Our tour guide was interesting and kept things fun and light, a great story teller.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you Micaela!! While there are a lot of tours in New Orleans that will talk about Voodoo, you're absolutely right that our 11am "Gates of Guniee" tour that you are on is by far the best choice for those people like you who want to learn the full truth about its rich history in New Orleans and the often-misrepresented figures who practice it. Your guide (Doug) actually wrote and developed that tour himself to speak truth to the many myths and misconceptions that surround it, so we're thrilled to hear that's exactly what you got out of it. Thanks for choosing Hottest Hell (and the perfect tour for you!) and for sharing this amazing review! Please be sure to check out our other tours too the next time you're here!
Doreen_R, May 2024
Informative and fun. Doug (man in kilt) was very knowledgeable and made the experience very enjoyable. Knew quite a bit about Marie Laveau and her life. I really enjoyed the tour.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Doreen! Thank you for the 4-stars! We love that you enjoyed your time with Doug! (our kilted bard!) We are thrilled to see you really enjoyed the tour and LOVE hearing about what our guests learned--Doug is definitely a Marie Laveau expert and we're so happy that shone through! Thank you for choosing Hottest Hell Tours!
Jennifer_M, Dec 2023
We had our voodoo tour with the 'crazy guy in the fur coat,' Doug, who was entertaining, energetic, knowledgeable and educational. He was so respectful of what New Orleans Voodoo is that we told our friends about it and they booked for a tour that very evening. We loved it!! Thank you.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you Jennifer!! That's Doug's winter form which morphs in to "crazy guy in the kilt" the rest of the year, so be sure to come see us again when the weather is warmer! You've done a great job of describing what makes him such an amazing guide, and we truly appreciate you recommending us to your friends in addition to sharing this fantastic review!
Andres_P, Dec 2023
We did a lovely walk across the hallmarks for Voodo where either ceremonies took place (Congo square) or the the key players lived, died or got into trouble.
This tour is the result of the guide setting the record of Voodo straight, especially of all the myths of Marie Laveau! The tour went by flying.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Hi Andres! Thank you for the 5-star review! We are thrilled you enjoyed your time with Doug and we know that he is THRILLED to hear your labeling of "a tour to set the record straight" as that is the Company's life mission and Doug's mission when he wrote this tour. We love hearing that the time flew by and hope you'll come check out another one of our myth-busting tours (with Doug!) in the future!
Angelica_S, Oct 2023
First giving thanks to Papa Legba, Met Kalfou, and Baron Samedi, this was a very respectable and nice introduction to Voodoo history! Claire was a commendable tour guide on the subject and covered the fundamentals of the religion very well. I can tell she has done in depth study and research and more importantly I feel she's been granted the spiritual approval to deliver such information. I've been on the Haitian Vodou, Santeria, Palo Macombe path for years and her tour gave a crash course without being overwhelming or underwhelming. She was even aware and receptive of hidden knowledge not easily known in the spiritual community. As a bonus and thanks to Claire, I was able to landmark important locations for my own awareness, like one of the seven Gates to Guinee, a hidden gate located on St. Peter's and Burgundy St, which was an old underground cemetery. I also discovered the cities oldest Catholic church building, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church & International Shrine of St. Jude, which I will be visiting in the near future to view the voodoo style saints that she mentioned are inside. (This will be extra special for me since I'm just returning from a trip to Vatican City in Rome). I also appreciated her genuine interest in getting to know the individuals on the group and extended care to ensure our well being, as well as the locals, as we crossed paths. Thank you Claire for bringing healing light to dispel fears and negativity of Voodoo. Ase! Thank you (again) Hottest Hell for another great tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Hello Angelica, Welcome back! And thank you again for such an amazingly informative and helpful review! We are truly honored that you have chosen to make so many return visits to our Company and with our tour guides. And it thrills us to hear you've enjoyed both Ric and Claire and that they inspired you to leave such amazing reviews. We love our return visitors and even more so, love all the guests that "get" us. And you definitely get us. Do us a favor, although you've taken quite a few (ok, "all") the tours we currently offer, we will be adding more and if you decide to come visit us again, please reach out to manager@hottesthell.com in advance and let us give you a "thank you" gift for your next visit.
As for the content of your review, we are grateful that you enjoyed Claire's presentation and her personality and compassion for others. I am quite blessed with an amazing team of guides and staff and it makes me so proud when I read reviews like this. Thank you (again) and we will hope to see you again in the future!
Hussein_A, Oct 2023
Had a fantastic time on this tour - actually this was my second tour with this company (went on their gangsters and murder night tour a couple months ago with the same guide). Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you Hussein!! We're honored that you were impressed enough with the first tour to come back and try one of our others and it's great to hear that Doug knocked it out of the park again for you with our 'Gates of Guinee' Voodoo tour this time. Thanks for choosing Hottest Hell (twice!) and still have more stories to share whenever you're ready!
Paige_F, Oct 2023
Tour guide was antisemitic and a racist. He had an extremely distorted and biased view of the voodoo religion.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Hi Paige F, We are extremely disappointed to read about your experience. Particularly since we have received feedback from guests of the same group as yours about how wonderful it was. You had me a little worried when I first saw your review. But then I spoke with you on the phone and discovered the "racism" you speak of was that the tour guide implicated hillbilly music culture in the appropriation of Black music and Black musical instruments, which, as much as you believe is "racist" flies not only against the definition of that but is actually in line with historical record and understanding. Of course, you hung up on me as I tried to explain that to you as well as the fact that I am a credentialed historian and history professor. As for the "antisemitic" issue you speak of, again, you were simply personally offended, claiming to be Jewish, that our guide connected the Jewish mysticism of the Qabalah to other forms of mysticism. The statement that you made to me of the tour guide claiming, "Qabalah infiltrated Voodoo," was not only outlandish but is far from what our guide discussed. The guide himself is not only Jewish but highly educated in the Jewish religion and mysticism, as well as other religious practices and doctrines. Perhaps it would have worked better for you if you had paid attention instead of being busy on your phone. We take these sorts of allegations extremely seriously, but in your case, it turned out to be maliciously slanderous, libelous, and defamatory, rather than the truth. Lastly, if by "distorted and biased view of Voodoo Religion" you mean we don't buy into nor propagate the pop culture renditions of Voodoo as "evil" or "magic" then yes, that is correct. We discuss Voodoo in New Orleans, which is not only specific to New Orleans but different than other regional Voodoo practices. Seems like you were one of those who could have truly benefitted from taking a historical tour but instead decided to create your own incorrect definitions of "racism" (hint: white people can't be racist towards other white people) and "antisemitic" (hint: a Jewish person can't be antisemitic because they discuss Jewish mysticism). We hope you enjoyed your time in New Orleans but think you're better suited to visit other cities in the future and would discourage you from making further outlandish, defamatory, slanderous, or libelous statements about us or other companies in the future.
HOWARD_A, Sep 2023
We weren't entirely certain where the group would gather, so we circled the building at the address given. We noticed a guy wearing a kilt, but there was no sign or official t-shirt or anything indicating he was our guy. But the second time we saw him he asked if we were there for the tour and everything was smooth after that. Very engaging guide. His fascinating stories and walking tour made the city seem more vibrant where historical places and people lived again in our minds. I would definitely recommend this tour to others.
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thanks Howard! We really appreciate your 5-star review of Doug and his Voodoo tour! We are working on getting more t-shirts for our crew, so we appreciate that feedback. We love that Doug brought the city to life and its historical past and people. We hope you will come check out another tour with us (or Doug!) and sincerely appreciate your recommendation!
Jennifer_H, Jul 2023
Mac was a wonderful tour guide. He provided a fun and spooky history of the dark and spooky past of The French Quarter. He made sure everyone could hear all the stories and he gave great advice and answered all questions.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Hi Jennifer, thank you!! Our Voodoo history tour had become quite popular due to the way it strips the myths and legends away and delivers the truth about it's history and deep connections to our great city. We're glad to hear you had such a great time on the tour and please check out one of our other tours when you have the chance!
Rozanna_B, Jun 2023
Great information and entertaining! Guide was knowledgeable and polite. We saw where interesting legends started, but mostly the got some very interesting facts.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thank you Rozanna!! We know there's a lot of options for Voodoo tours in this city so that's why developed ours to stand out from the crowd by dispelling all the myths and misconceptions you'll find elsewhere. Thanks for taking a walk with us and for posting this fantastic review!
Samantha_M, Jun 2023
Tour guide is fantastic! Super fun guy with great stories. He comes off really fun and easy going too. I did this for my bachelorette party because one of my friends really wanted to go on a ghost or voodoo tour. We all loved the tour and the tour guide! :)
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thank you Samantha!! It seems like bachelorette parties are one of the most popular reasons to take our tours and we really love helping groups like yours have the best possible time during the celebrations. Thanks for bringing everyone out with us and please come see us again when you can!
NICOLE_A, Jun 2023
Our guide was a blast and super informative! Doug had personality and theatrics that added a bit of extra fun!
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thank you, Nicole! We are grateful for the 5-star compliments to Doug's *sparkling* personality and theatrical tour experience, so glad your group felt that he added that extra little bit and thank you again for choosing Hottest Hell!
David_O, May 2023
Doug was very engaging and a fountain of knowledge. Well worth the experience. He always made sure we were sheltered from the sun whenever it was time to stop and look at a site and get insight into it.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you David!! We really enjoyed having you join us on Thursday, and the route for this tour was designed specifically to provide plenty of shelter from the New Orleans daytime sun. We're quite proud of our "Gates of Guinee" Voodoo tour that Doug wrote himself, and it's great to hear that his deep love for the subject matter really came through for you. Thanks for taking the time to post this awesome review and please check out one of our other tours the next time you visit!
Hannah_P, May 2023
Meeting location unclear and claimed they called and left a message to assist but they did not, and then did not issue a refund. There are tours in the city that also let you tour the beautiful above ground cemeteries- I would suggest those over this cheap knock off. Interesting information but not worth the hassle of a small company- definitely recommend a cemetery tour though! Beautiful!
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Hannah, we're disappointed that you chose to post a negative review calling us a "cheap knock off" for a tour you did not even attend and we want to address the inaccuracies in your statements above. The meeting spot for that tour, 1201 St Louis St, is at the exact location shown on both Apple Maps and Google Maps, and has the address clearly marked on a 6ft wide sign above the door we meet in front of. None of the other guests had any difficulty finding our guide there. As mentioned in the multiple responses we provided to your requests, including a screenshot from our phone log, we attempted to call you at the number on your booking (ending in 1564) at 10:55AM where we left a voicemail to see if you were still coming or needed any assistance, as we always do with any guests who have not arrived by 5 minutes before the tour. Your statements in your requests noted that you did not even start looking for us until 10:57 although we ask all guests to be there earlier than that to help avoid mishaps like this. Although we hadn't heard back from you our guide still waited at the meeting point until 11:05AM, delaying the tour for our other guests, in case you might show up. You also indicated in those requests that you entered a building at a different location, which also had its address (on a different street than our meeting location) in large lettering above the door. We would have been happy to work with you on this had you contacted or replied to us before deciding to report to our partner (TripAdvisor/Viator) that we failed to show up and abandoned you there. Lastly, while you are correct that there are some spectacular cemetery tours in this city, the one you booked with us was specifically advertised as being about the history of Voodoo, not cemeteries.
Jean_P, May 2023
Asking questions & Doug answering…
The walk was enjoyable.
We went from one park to another, excellent
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Jean! Thank you SO much for the 5-star review of Doug's Voodoo tour! We are so pleased to hear a good time was had by all and that you enjoyed the walk through history with Doug answering all the things! We hope to see you on a tour in the future and thank you again for choosing Hottest Hell!
Sheila_K, Apr 2023
The company was fabulous in helping us ! Rebooking us when we were unable to get there in time for the first tour. Thanks Chris reaching out and working with us .
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Sheila! Thank you for your 4-star review of your experience with our Company. We do our best to accommodate whatever needs our guests require and Chris plays a vital role in ensuring the best "behind the scenes" experiences! We hope you'll come check out another one of our tours!
Rhonda_S, Apr 2023
The right mix of theater and facts, I also appreciate the tour guides attention to history and story.
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Rhonda, Thank you so much for your 5-star review of our tour! We love that it was the right mix of theater and facts and that you noticed our attention to history and storytelling! We hope you'll come check out another one of our tours in the future!
Kerry_I, Apr 2023
Doug was an amazing guide. Not only was he knowledgeable, but his passion for the city and its history shined through clearly.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Hi Kerry! Thank you so much for your 5-star review of Doug and his voodoo history tour! We are thrilled his love of New Orleans and New Orleans history shone through his guiding and storytelling! We hope you'll come check out Doug on another one of our tours in the future!
Kathi_G, Apr 2023
Excellent and informative tour. Our guide Doug is a great storyteller and kept us entertained. We highly recommend.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you Kathi!! Doug has many amazing talents and we're lucky that storytelling just happens to be one of them. We're glad you enjoyed your time with him so much and your review and recommendation are greatly appreciated!
Jessica_M, Apr 2023
This walking tour was great. Our tour guide, Doug, gave us all the info we were looking for to understand New Orleans and more. Our group was quiet but Doug kept the energy up and was very engaging and theatrical. We bought an owl statue at the voodoo shop he recommended and will always remember we got it after our Hottest Hell Tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you Jessica!! We know it can be challenging for visitors to New Orleans to be operating at full steam that early in the day but as you saw that's never a problem because Doug always has enough of his infectious energy to go around! We're glad you got so much out of our 'Gates of Guinee' Voodoo tour and we'd hope you'll check out our other tours the next time you're here!
LisaMarie_M, Apr 2023
The tour covered a wide range of topics related to voodoo, including its origins, its role in New Orleans history, and its modern-day practice. Our guide took us to several important sites, including voodoo temples and cemeteries, and provided us with detailed information and insights about each location.
What really set this tour apart was its academic approach. It was clear that the tour was designed for adults who wanted to learn more about the history and culture of voodoo, rather than just being a spooky attraction. The tour was well-researched and well-structured, and the information presented was both enlightening and fascinating.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you Lisa Marie!! Comments like yours truly make our day and it's very rewarding when our guests notice and appreciate the effort we put in to historical accuracy and respectful storytelling. Our 'Gates of Guinee' tour you were on in particular was designed and developed specifically to combat the many myths and misconceptions that exist about Voodoo. We're thrilled that you were able to get so much out of it and your awesome review is greatly appreciated!
JulieAnn_W, Apr 2023
Doug was fantastic! A well-paced walking tour with good information about NOLA and Voodoo history and practice. Had a great time!
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Hi JulieAnn! Thank you for your *fantastic* review of Doug's tour! We appreciate your 5-star recommendation and for pointing out that it's well-paced as well as fun and full of great information!
Jennifer_F, Mar 2023
The stories were awesome and Doug was incredible!! Definitely would recommend him and the tour! This was one of my favorite parts of NOLA
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hiya Jennifer! We are honored that Doug's tour was one of your favorite parts of your visit to NOLA, thank you so much for including that detail in your 5-star review! We agree that Doug's voodoo tour is definitely awesome & we hope you come take another tour with us when you come back to town!
MaryLou_T, Mar 2023
Doug was a great storyteller- he really brought the city’s ancestors to life. We learned about voodoo and hoodoo and Marie. Laveau. It was interesting and lots of fun.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Mary! Thank you so much for your 5-star review of Doug and his Voodoo Tour! We are thrilled to hear you learned so much from a fantastic storyteller (we live for this!) We hope you'll come check out another tour if you get back our way again!
Daniel_O, Mar 2023
The tour guide was excellent at keeping the stories engaging. I appreciated that he seemed to keep it reasonably believable with the tales he told.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thank you Daniel!! We're glad you found the stories Doug shared with you believable as we put a lot of effort in to making sure they're all thoroughly vetted and 100% authentic. Thanks for the awesome review and please check out our other tours whenever you're ready for more!
Vanessa_V, Mar 2023
Highly recommended tour! I liked that our group size was intimate enough so we could always hear the info & ask lots of questions if needed. Our tour guide Doug was knowledgeable and hilarious and extremely engaging. He kept our attention the whole time. We learned so much about the truth behind Voodoo which made us appreciate the spiritual practice that much more!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Vanessa! Thank you so much for your 5-star review of Doug! And wow...what a great compliment! We definitely strive to be one of the best things to do, especially since there's so much to do here. Doug developed this tour, so you can't go wrong having him as your guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable about Voodoo and its spiritual practices and love that it shone through! Please come visit us again if you can!
Amy_S, Jan 2023
Doug was super fun and engaging. He doesn’t just tell you a story, you experience it with him. A thrilling wild ride with a dash of drama. Make sure you ask for the guy in the fur.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Thank you Amy!! Just know that if you visit us when it's warmer out you'll have to ask for "the guy in the Kilt" if you want Doug...he's just as famous for that! We're glad you had such an awesome time with him, and we really appreciate the awesome review!
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