Point Reyes
SAFARIS
The Safari
We provide everyone on safari with quality binoculars and have spotting scopes to help us scan for, find, watch and photograph the park's wildlife. We visit known wildlife hotspots and stop frequently to scan fields that we know to be most active with wildlife.
If you are a photographer, we will tailor your safari to the exact goals you have for your time here. If your goal is to photograph a bobcat, we'll dedicate the time to that goal. If your goal is to photograph as wide a variety of wildlife as possible, we'll do that. The day is yours.
All safaris start with pickup at your local accommodation. If you are staying outside of the area, we will meet at the entrance to Point Reyes National Seashore.
Photography safaris where guests are using DSLR or mirrorless cameras are limited to 3 persons.
HALF DAY SAFARIS - A half day safari consists of 5 hours in the National Seashore. This can be any 5 hours during the day. Starting near sunrise or ending near sunset is most common, but of course not required. This is our most popular safari and will give you a great variety of animals to view and photograph.
FULL DAY SAFARIS - A full day safari consist of 10 hours in the National Seashore. Typically beginning at sunrise or ending at sunset is recommended but certainly not required. Full day safaris are more popular with serious wildlife watchers or photographers who are targeting a specific species to find or photograph. This gives us more time to focus on your specific goals.
SAFARIS WITH KIDS - We love kids! We have taken out many families with kids of all ages. It is wonderful to see their faces light up when they see their first owl or coyote. Helping create the next generation of wildlife lovers and protectors is very important to us.
Check out Conservation Kids (www.conservationkids.org) if your child is interested in photography and conservation.
HIKING/WALKING SAFARIS - The many hiking trails within this National Park offer great opportunities to view and photograph wildlife on foot. Groups of up to 8 can join our guides on these safaris.
BIRDERS - Point Reyes National Seashore has documented over 50% of North America's bird species. It is the number one bird park in the country. We can guide you to the best birding locations tailored to what you hope to view or photograph.
What Can We See On Safari?
The park holds incredible opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography. Our favorite animal to watch and photograph is the bobcat. We have spent years learning their patterns and behavior and see them often. They can be seen at any time during the day despite being known for their nocturnal behavior.
Tule Elk are plentiful in the park and can be seen on any trip. Native to the park and endemic to California, this is the best place in the state to view and photograph these incredible animals.
Coyote are seen throughout the park at any time during the day. Our favorite scene to witness is their hunting rodents, where they spring off all four feet and crash nose first into the rodent hole. It is brilliant to watch.
Raptors are abundant in the park and include hawks, osprey, harrier, kestrel, peregrine falcons, kites, the occasional eagle and others.
Owls are our favorite birds to find. Barn owls, great horned owls and burrowing owls (in the winter months) can all be seen and photographed, great horned owls being our most successful species to find. 10 species of owls have been documented in the park.
Tons of shorebirds and song birds reside here, as well as many migrating species.
If you love marine mammals, elephant seals, sea lions, harbor seals, stellar sea lions, whales and orcas patrol the coast. Point Reyes has one of the only breeding locations for elephant seals on the planet.
Badgers and long tailed weasels also live in the park and are much harder to find. A few lucky visitors to the park have seen a mountain lion. They live here but they are very rarely seen.
And of course there is a beautiful vista around every curve.
