Falconry and Birds of Prey: the 11 Best Experiences Worldwide

1.Colorado Springs Hands-On Falconry Class and Demonstration

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 293 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $217Our pick

Spend 90 minutes with licensed falconers Deanna, Roger, or Nicole learning how eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons hunt. You’ll watch hawks fly free, walk with one through the woods, visit the owl room, and wear a leather glove to hold a trained Saker Falcon. Morning and afternoon sessions meet at Broadmoor Outfitters.

“I loved this experience. The guide was so knowledgeable and she had a fun personality. Our van driver was also so friendly and fun to be around.”

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2.Morning Falconry & Nature Desert Safari with Transfers from Dubai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 254 reviews · from $166

Start before sunrise with hotel pickup, then watch and join a falconry display at a desert retreat. Enjoy Emirati breakfast, a short camel ride, and a wildlife drive through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in a vintage Land Rover. Guides such as Riaz, Jaco, and Jay are praised for bringing the desert and its wildlife to life.

“Learning more about the culture, the falconry, camel ride and breakfast, driving around the beautiful reserve. Our two daughters had an excellent time and our guide was fantastic. A really great experience and would highly recommend.”

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3.Interactive Educational Course on Birds of Prey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 230 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $42

At Setteventi del Pollino near Civita, Roberto leads you through a gentle three-part lesson on falconry and local birds of prey. You will walk about 300 to 400 meters, learn how the birds are cared for, and may meet several raptors, including Abel the golden eagle. The experience is private, in English, and suitable for most people.

“Roberto ci ha spiegato moltissime cose che ci hanno fatto entrare con rispetto nel mondo dei rapaci. Il posto è incantevole”

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4.Dubai Hot Air Balloon Ride with Breakfast, Falconry & Camel Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 220 reviews · from $313

Start before dawn with hotel pickup and a sunrise balloon flight over the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. You’ll rise to about 4,000 feet, then enjoy a Bedouin-style breakfast, camel ride, and falconry photographs. Captains such as Bashir and Mohammad have earned praise for clear briefings and calm landings. The full outing lasts about five hours.

“The hot air balloon was great fun and the pillots were clearly very experienced. Breakfast/camel ride/falcon hding were approx. 40 moms in total. The early pick up was worth it!”

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5.Dubai Falconry Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 171 reviews · 5 hours · from $183

Meet your guide, often Khan, Mohammed, or Mubarak, before sunrise for a five-hour desert outing. You’ll spot Arabian oryx and gazelles, enjoy Arabic coffee and dates beneath a ghaf tree, then fly several birds of prey from your gloved fist. The tour also includes Dubai’s Falcon Souq and Falconry Museum.

“It was a great family experience. The kids loved it. It's worth waking up at dawn. The birds were magnificent. Especially the Siberian falcon. We had lots of interaction with the birds (Owl, hawk, falcon and eagle). Plan to bring a snack and you'll be back before the hotel breakfast closes (ours closed at 11am). Many thanks to our guide and master falconer Khan for this experience.”

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6.Falcon 1—Private Dubai Falconry Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 112 reviews · from $274

Start around 5 am with private 4x4 pickup from Dubai and head to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. With a professional falconer such as Khan, Rahim, or Ali, you can fly several birds from a gloved hand, watch feeding and training methods, and look for Arabian oryx. Add breakfast at Al Maha Desert Resort for a polished finish.

“Very pleased to have chosen this tour. A very well organised operator and excellent value for money. We chose the additional breakfast option and this added to the quality of the product. Interesting, amusing, relaxed timings, very knowledgable staff along with spectacular birds made this tour the highlight of our 5 days in Dubai. Highly recommended.”

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7.Experience Raptors and Falconry in Reno

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $125

At Raptor Adventures near Reno, licensed falconer Kathleen introduces you to hawks, falcons, and owls through hands-on handling and flight work. In a group of six or fewer, you will learn about raptor biology, conservation, and falconry before walking with a Harris’ Hawk as it flies between perches and returns to your gloved hand.

“Got to do something I had always wanted to do. Kathleen was so knowledgeable, I felt like I learned so much.”

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8.Margaret River: Birds of Prey Encounter and Forest Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 72 reviews · 1h 30m · from $17Cheapest here

Spend 90 minutes at Capes Raptor Centre, 5 kilometres south of Margaret River, meeting rescued birds of prey. The twice-daily encounter includes close views, flying demonstrations, bird care stories, and a photo opportunity. Guides such as Rob, Rachel, and Robert have made the presentation lively and clear, followed by a self-guided 1km forest walk.

“Wonderful centre for raptors with a great flight show and lovely staff who obviously care. The 1km walk where we got to see all their other residents was truly lovely too!”

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9.Small-Group Tour: Falcon 2—Dubai Falconry Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $199

Start with a 5 a.m. hotel pickup and ride into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Learn Emirati falconry, handle several birds, and fly one from a gloved hand to a lure. The experience includes a wildlife drive and hotel return, with an optional buffet breakfast at Al Maha Desert Resort.

“This is a FANTASTIC experience that MUST NOT be missed and is highly recommended. Werner and Rahim are experts in falconry who willingly shared their wisdom and enhanced our experience of flying 5 species of birds of pray. This was followed by a delicious breakfast in a luxury resort and a game drive through the desert. Thanks for a wonderful experience.”

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10.Private Falconry Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · 5 hours · from $288

Spend five hours in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve with an English-speaking guide and professional falconer. Search for oryx, gazelles, and houbara bustards, then train and fly eagles, owls, hawks, and a peregrine falcon. The group is limited to four, with hotel pickup, refreshments, and optional breakfast at Al Maha.

“Un’esperienza fantastica! La nostra guida Khan è stato pazzesco ci ha davvero coinvolti e fatti sentire a nostro agio!”

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11.Colorado’s Birds of Prey Full-Day with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 9 hours (approx.)

Join Ryan of Birding Man Wildlife Tours for a private, nine-hour search for birds of prey around Denver. You’ll visit several natural areas, learn about raptor behavior and ecology, and enjoy a picnic lunch, snacks, bottled water, and private transport. The day may also include nearby towns and a beautiful church.

“Ryan was professional and fun! He is enthusiastic about birding and shared a lot of interesting information with me. We also toured a few towns and a beautiful church . Very well planned tour and I’m guessing custom designed for me. Thanks Ryan!!”

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