Thank you for your interest! This journey is either underway or complete, but we do have many other tour options for you to choose from.

Join us for an active birding trip timed for the fall raptor migration in North Carolina’s scenic Blue Ridge Parkway region. The vast forests of the Southern Appalachians and Blue Ridge Escarpment cover nearly 9.4-million acres of ancient mountains, stretching across five states.

We enjoy walks that highlight vistas of parallel ridges, made abstract by the signature blue haze that frames miles and miles of lush vegetation.

Watch the skies for migrating raptors as they pour through the region, as we explore Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock, and Craggy Dome looking for signs of Black Bear, Bobcat, birds, unusual plants, and salamanders. We also make time to enjoy plucky bluegrass music, local brew pubs, and the folk and modern art scene.

It won't be long before you understand why this region has inspired artists and naturalists for centuries. See it for yourself with our expert guides on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Bald, Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Naturalist Journeys Stock Northern Harrier, Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Naturalist Journeys

Tour Highlights

  • Spend four nights on the Parkway at the Pisgah Inn with stunning views out over the mountains
  • Travel the Blue Ridge Parkway at cloud level as you learn the history of the region
  • Hike to knobs, peaks, and outcrops on the prowl for signs of local wildlife and keeping an eye to the sky for migrating raptors on the wing
  • Make time for music in this epicenter of traditional American music
  • Ready your camera for Linville Falls, a spectacular, three-tiered waterfall that plunges into a deep gorge
  • Interact with experts, eager to share their understanding of the mountains’ vital ecosystems
  • Immerse yourself in the local arts scene, staying two nights in the artists’ village of Blowing Rock
View Printable Itinerary
Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Naturalist Journeys Green-winged Teal, Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Naturalist Journeys Catalooche Cabin, Blue Ridge Parkway, Blue Ridge Mountains, Naturalist Journeys

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

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Pace & Protocols +

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of Read more

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect

You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of hotels (our eContact List) a few weeks before your departure. This will serve as an outline for each day and alert you to any recent changes made in the schedule or to our hotels, if needed.

Our journeys are set up to follow the rhythm of nature. Our focus is on birding and nature; we offer full, well-planned field days and often get up early for that magical time around dawn. We generally follow the published itinerary, but we stay flexible to the weather, wildlife opportunities and the interests of the group. Your guide will keep you apprised of the next day’s schedule at each evening meal, noting what to bring and what to prepare for. Questions and/or concerns are welcome.

The pace of our Naturalist Journeys tours is moderate; to fully participate you should be able to get in and out of vehicles several times a day, and walk 1-3 miles over uneven terrain. It is important to participate with a flexible attitude as adjustments may be made in our schedule to make the most of our time in the field or for other purposes at your guide's discretion. We are not a “listing” bird company that drills down on target species, but at times we do wait for those special species unique to the places we visit. During the day, we take time to stop for photos and for educational opportunities to learn about conservation projects, landscapes, and geology. We appreciate other taxa as well as birds, with mammals often the biggest draw but plants and butterflies are also very popular. Our clients often lend their own expertise to the mix.

We like to make meals a fun and memorable part of the experience, too. Breakfasts are often at hotels, and we carry snacks, fruit, and water in the vans each day. Lunches are a mix of picnics in the field (weather dependent) and a chance to dine with locals at small cafes and restaurants. For dinner, we pride ourselves in our homework to keep up with the best choices for dining, choosing restaurants with atmosphere that specialize in local foods. On occasion we keep dinner simple to go back out in the field for sunset wildlife viewing or night walks. In some remote locations, our choices are limited. If you are tired, room service for dinner may be an option you can choose.

Naturalist Journeys International Trips: Guide Role

Naturalist Journeys supports ecotourism and the development of excellent local guides. Once we know our international partners and guides well, we can send out small groups working directly with these trusted partners, adding a Naturalist Journeys guide to assist the local expert when we have a group of 6-7 or more. This helps us keep your costs down while retaining tour quality. The local guide is your main guide. You can expect your Naturalist Journeys guide to be well-researched and often they are experienced in the destination, but their role is not to be primary, it is to help to organize logistics, help you find birds, mammals, and interesting other species in the field, keep reports, help facilitate group interactions, and to keep the trip within Naturalist Journeys' style. Local guides live in the countries we travel to, know the destinations intimately, and are often the strongest force for conservation in their countries. They open many doors for us to have a rich experience.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any vehicle or in any situation where the group is participating in an activity together, such as a vehicle excursion or a guided walk. Please respect all designated smoking areas at hotels and restaurants.

Transportation

As a courtesy to each other, we ask that all travelers please rotate seating. On international trips we may all be in one small bus, on some trips we are in vans, particularly the roomy Sprinter Vans when available. Some areas require us to be in smaller 4-wheel drive or safari vehicles. Rotation allows you to sit with different drivers and alternate front and back seating.

Photo Release & Sharing

We take many group photos and will share photos with the group. And after your tour, we will organize a chance to share photos via Dropbox or Google Photos. Please note that this is our policy and if you prefer to be excluded, we need to know ahead of your tour.

By registering for this tour, you agree to grant to Naturalist Journeys and its authorized representatives’ permission to record on photography film and/or video, pictures of my participation in the tour. You further agree that any or all of the material photographed may be used, in any form, as part of any future publications, brochure, or other printed materials used to promote Naturalist Journeys, and further that such use shall be without payment of fees, royalties, special credit or other compensation.

Travel Insurance

You are traveling in remote areas. Naturalist Journeys strongly recommends you have full medical and evacuation insurance from a company such as Allianz, for all international travel. If you do not have medical coverage or evacuation coverage on your existing travel insurance policy or for some reason elected not to take that out, we advise getting an evacuation plan with Global Rescue, World Nomads, Medjet, Allianz (they can do evacuation only) or a similar company. These plans are typically $300-$400 for a year for multiple destinations. This coverage may be a part of a larger Travel Insurance policy but can also be purchased on its own.

Questions?

Please contact Naturalist Journeys by email at clientservices@naturalistjourneys.com or telephone our office: (520) 558-1146 or toll free: (866) 900-1146 if you have any questions. Many thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy your journey.

 


Photo credits: Banner: Blue Ridge Scenic, Naturalist Journeys Stock; Hikers on Bald, Naturalist Journeys Stock; Hikers, Naturalist Journeys Stock; Blue Ridge Scenic, Naturalist Journeys Stock; Northern Harrier by Greg Smith; Blue Ridge Scenic, Naturalist Journeys Stock; Pileated Woodpecker by Tom Dove; Green-winged Teal by Tom Dove; Catalooche Cabin, Naturalist Journeys Stock.

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