Savannah: Ghosts, Asylums, Voodoo, and Horror Walking Tour

Savannah’s ghost stories are not tucked away in a dark museum. They are attached to old houses, public squares, parks, and ground that once served as burial sites. This two-hour walk brings that darker side of the city into focus, with tales of murder, decapitation, spirits, voodoo, and unexplained activity.

I like the way the tour joins Savannah history with paranormal lore, rather than offering only campfire scares. I also like the practical route: you start and finish at Monterey Square, pass through the Historic District, and stop at Forsyth Park for photographs. Guides such as Nathan, Jess, Jacob, Pam, Wendy, and Kate have been praised for clear storytelling and a good sense of humor.

The main caution is simple: this is not gentle, family bedtime material. Graphic murder stories and frightening accounts can upset younger children or anyone with a queasy stomach. One family found the material too intense for a 10-year-old, while another specifically advised against bringing children under 12.

Key points to know before you go

• Meet at Monterey Square: Find the American Tour Company guide in front of the Pulaski Monument.
• Expect psychic-led guiding: The tour states that its guides are practicing psychics, not actors in costume.
• Walk over old burial ground: The tour discusses the thousands of bodies believed to lie only a few feet below parts of Savannah.
• The stories can be graphic: Murder, medical mistreatment, asylums, and violence are described in full.
• Forsyth Park provides a photo stop: Bring a camera or charged phone for possible orbs and apparitions.
• $25 buys two hours: That is fair value if you want a focused ghost walk with history, local superstition, and a return to the starting point.

Why Savannah makes such a strong ghost-tour setting

Savannah gives a ghost tour a useful advantage: the streets already feel theatrical after dark. Historic squares, old homes, shadowed trees, and narrow stretches of pavement create a setting where stories can attach themselves to real places instead of floating in a generic haunted-house script.

The tour focuses on the city’s darker past. You hear about murders, decapitations, brutal deaths, disturbed spirits, asylums, root magic, voodoo, and local beliefs about the supernatural. The point is not just to make you jump. It is to show how Savannah’s past has been remembered, reshaped, and kept alive through stories.

One detail gives the walk extra weight: the route covers ground associated with more than 46,000 corpses, lying only a few feet below the surface. That figure changes the way you look at the streets. A pretty square is no longer just a pretty square. It may also be a place layered over forgotten graves and painful stories.

I appreciate that the tour can work for both believers and skeptics. You can listen to the paranormal claims, ask questions, and still pay attention to the documented events behind them. Several guides have been praised for grounding the stories in Savannah’s past rather than treating the whole evening as a costume performance.

Starting at Monterey Square and the Pulaski Monument

Your meeting point is in front of the Pulaski Monument in Monterey Square. This gives you a clear place to gather, and the tour returns here at the end, which is useful after two hours of walking in the dark.

The opening section sets the tone. You meet your English-speaking guide and begin with stories tied to the surrounding buildings and streets. The guide’s role matters a great deal here. Nathan has been praised for his mix of history, jokes, and easy conversation. Jess has been described as warm and enthusiastic, while Jacob has drawn praise for presenting the actual events behind each story instead of relying only on campfire-style drama.

The guides are presented as actual psychics rather than actors playing a part. That means the tone may feel more personal and less theatrical than a tour built around costumes and staged scares. Kate, for example, has been praised for a careful delivery when discussing painful events. Another guide, Pam, was noted for making stories feel vivid without losing control of the subject.

Do not expect a polished stage show with props at every stop. This is a walking talk led by a person who may use personal impressions, paranormal tools, or stories connected to the site. The appeal is the direct contact with the guide and the setting itself.

Through Savannah’s Historic District after dark

The main walking portion lasts about 20 minutes as the group passes through Savannah’s Historic District, but the broader two-hour experience is built around stories and stops along the route. The provided plan does not list every address, so you should think of this as a guided route through the district rather than a fixed checklist of named buildings.

The stories cover several kinds of darkness. Some concern violent deaths and spirits said to remain because they cannot leave the place where they died. Others deal with asylums, the treatment of people who were ill or considered different, and the grim ways society once dealt with those who did not conform.

That material can give the tour more substance than a standard haunted-house walk. One guide was praised for making the history of Savannah’s upper-class families part of the evening. Another made clear how badly people were treated in medical settings, institutions, and during slavery. You are still getting a ghost tour, but the best parts appear to use ghost stories as a way to discuss real suffering.

This is also where the tour’s limits become clear. The descriptions are intentionally graphic, and the guide may not soften the worst details. If you want spooky atmosphere without disturbing subject matter, this probably is not the right pick. If you like difficult history presented alongside supernatural claims, the direct approach may suit you.

The city itself supplies much of the visual interest. At night, old facades and dim squares make good backdrops for photographs. Some people bring a smartphone and look for orbs or unusual shapes in their images. Keep your expectations sensible: the tour encourages paranormal photography, but it cannot promise that your camera will capture anything unusual.

Forsyth Park and the photo stop

Forsyth Park is listed as a 10-minute photo stop. It gives you a chance to pause, take pictures, and absorb the setting instead of walking continuously while listening.

Bring a camera or a fully charged smartphone. The tour specifically highlights the chance to photograph apparitions and orbs around Savannah. You may also want cash, since tips are not included in the $25 price. A face mask is required, and masks can be purchased on site for $2 if you do not bring one.

The park stop is short, so do not treat it as a long sightseeing visit. It is there to support the supernatural theme and give the group a visual break. One useful benefit is that you can take your own photos and decide later what you think you saw. That leaves room for curiosity without requiring you to accept every paranormal claim on the spot.

Rain does not necessarily ruin the mood. One participant found that walking in light rain made the evening feel even creepier, though you should still dress for the weather. The tour is outdoors, and the experience depends on walking from place to place, so comfortable shoes and a weather-appropriate layer make sense. Those basic clothing tips are practical rather than official requirements, but they will make two hours outside easier.

The supernatural themes: voodoo, root magic, and local belief

The tour does more than tell haunted-house stories. It also touches on voodoo, root magic, occult practices, and Savannah superstition. These subjects are important because they show how the city’s supernatural identity comes from more than European ghost traditions.

You hear about rituals said to call spirits from the other side, beliefs about restless souls, and customs intended to protect people from harm. The tour frames these practices as part of Savannah’s cultural story, though you should listen carefully and keep the difference between historical evidence, local tradition, and paranormal interpretation in mind.

This is one reason I would choose this walk over a purely sensational ghost show. It gives you more to think about after the tour ends. You may find yourself researching the families, houses, and local customs mentioned during the evening, especially if your guide provides a strong historical foundation.

The paranormal side can become interactive, too. Some accounts describe the use of an EMF meter and dowsing rods for yes-or-no questions. These tools will appeal to people who want an active investigation rather than a lecture. Skeptics may see them as part of the performance, while believers may treat the responses as evidence. The tour leaves room for both reactions.

What the guides do well

The guide is the heart of this experience. The route and stories matter, but delivery decides if two hours feels gripping or repetitive.

Nathan has received repeated praise for being personable, funny, punctual, and well prepared. He has also been credited with making the walk work for mixed-age groups by joking with teenagers while keeping the ghost stories strong enough for adults. That balance is useful if your party includes older children or reluctant companions.

Jess has been praised for taking time with the group and bringing enthusiasm to stories about Savannah families and buildings. Jacob has been noted for his clear presentation of historical events. Pam and Wendy have also been remembered for strong storytelling and personal engagement. Kate’s more careful handling of grim material may suit you if you want a serious tone rather than a campy one.

The guide may also adjust to the group. One small party had extra time for questions, and another group received a tarot card reading after the formal two-hour tour ended. Do not assume that every guide will offer the same extras, but it is worth asking questions during the walk if the pace allows.

Is $25 good value for two hours?

At $25 per person, this is a reasonably priced evening activity in Savannah. You get a live guide, a two-hour walking route, a stop at Forsyth Park, paranormal themes, and stories linked to local history. The return to Monterey Square also keeps the experience tidy and easy to fit into a night out.

The value depends on what you want. If you enjoy ghost stories, the price is modest for a focused tour. If you are hoping to visit the interiors of haunted buildings or receive proof of the supernatural, this may feel limited because the experience is an outdoor walking tour.

Tips are not included, so carry cash if you want to thank your guide. The tour also offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and a reserve-now, pay-later option. Those policies make it easier to fit the walk into a changing Savannah schedule, especially when you are planning around weather.

Who should book this walk?

I would choose this tour if you want Savannah’s darker side presented through both storytelling and local history. It suits adults, older teenagers, paranormal fans, and curious skeptics who enjoy discussing what they hear rather than simply being startled.

Families should read the warning carefully. The material includes gruesome murder stories and disturbing accounts involving children, medical treatment, mental illness, and violence. One 10-year-old became thoroughly frightened midway through the tour, and another family advised against bringing children under 12. The tour may work for mature teenagers, but the final call depends on your child’s comfort with graphic subjects.

This is also a good option if you have already taken a standard Savannah history tour and want a different angle. You get familiar places viewed through stories of death, belief, and haunting. It can also be a useful evening activity during a short stay because it lasts two hours and ends where it began.

Practical tips for a smoother evening

Meet at the Pulaski Monument in Monterey Square and allow enough time to find the guide. The location is listed at 32.0715023, -81.09495319999999 if you use a phone map.

Bring a charged phone or camera, cash for a possible tip, and a face mask. Masks are required and can be bought on site for $2. Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably, and check the forecast before you go, since the experience takes place outdoors.

Keep your mind open but your judgment active. You can enjoy a story about a ghost, ask how a historical detail is known, and decide for yourself what an unusual photograph means. That balance makes the evening more interesting than simply accepting every claim or dismissing every story.

Should you book the 13 Ghosts tour?

Book it if you want an affordable, story-led walk through Savannah’s unsettling past, especially if you enjoy voodoo lore, local superstition, murder cases, and paranormal investigation. The strongest reason to go is the guide-led storytelling, with Nathan, Jess, Jacob, Pam, Wendy, Kate, and others earning praise for humor, warmth, and clear delivery.

Skip it if you dislike graphic material, want a calm family outing, or prefer a tour that focuses only on verified history. For the right audience, the mix of old streets, burial-ground stories, haunted buildings, and psychic-led interpretation offers a memorable way to see Savannah after dark.

FAQ

How long does the Savannah ghost tour last?

The tour lasts two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $25 per person.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet the American Tour Company guide in front of the Pulaski Monument in Monterey Square, Savannah.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour returns to Monterey Square.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The live guide conducts the tour in English.

Does the tour include Forsyth Park?

Yes. Forsyth Park is included as a 10-minute photo stop.

Are masks required?

Yes. Guests are required to wear a mask. Masks can be purchased on site for $2.

Is this tour suitable for young children?

The tour is described as gory and gruesome, with detailed murder stories. It is not recommended for people with a queasy stomach, and the material may be too frightening for young children.

Are tips included in the ticket price?

No. Tips are not included, so bring cash if you plan to tip your guide.