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Sky Falconry, Southern California’s premiere federally licensed falconry school, invites you to experience flying a trained bird of prey to your glove and learn about one of the world’s oldest hunting traditions in the picturesque settings of San Diego and the mountains of Alpine.


A bucket list must!

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Basic Falconry Lesson

Put a glove on & free fly a bird of prey. Learn the basics of falconry & its history. Play field games and take photos with a raptor.
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Hawk Walk

Put a glove on & free fly a bird of prey. Take an exciting interactive walk with a hawk. Observe the raptor in its natural habitat. Amazing long flights & more.
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Private Hawk Walk

Due to the popularity of our Hawk Walk we are now offering Private Hawk Walks geared for 2+ participants.  Make this raptor adventure an intimate one with just you and yours.

hawk walk | san diego

Private Raptor Experience

Take a deep dive into falconry. Meet & fly our hawks, falcons and owl. Our most intimate encounter with the world of raptors in their natural habitat, reserved for your private group alone.

WE ARE SKY FALCONRY

We want to thank National Geographic & Photographer Sam Tippetts for their amazing work showcasing Sky Falconry. 

  •   An epic adventure in a wide open part of Alpine.  We did the full raptor and owl add on.   Pay attention to the directions you get or you will have trouble finding it.  

    Very highly recommended, wonderfully knowledgeable handlers, and the birds are in charge.  If they don't feel like doing anything, they don't force them or withhold rewards.

    If you have any curiosity or interest in the wildlife right over our heads, this is the place to go!

    thumb Robert M.
    5/21/2023

      Outstanding experience - a chance to do something so unusual, in stunning countryside with highly engaging hosts. When would you otherwise have the chance to see a falcon swooping right by at ground level at nearly 70 miles an hour? Or have a hawk or falcon land on your outstretched glove? This encounter is so interactive with majestic and beautiful birds. We also added the owl encounter and it was so worth it. Denise and Kirk are also passionate and engaging about educating visitors about the birds, which rounds out one of the most unusual and exhilarating experiences in the whole of California. You need to sign up online but it was a straightforward experience and the drive finishes down an unmade road (you are out in the wilderness even though only two miles away from the edge of town) but that means you get spectacular views as a bonus. Just go!

    thumb Jane B.
    3/27/2023

      We did the private hawk experience with Denise and Kirk and it did not disappoint. They were super fun, informative and made sure we had the best time and we did! We will definitely be coming back and would recommend this awesome experience to anyone else who wants to learn or experience these amazing animals up close.

    thumb Sam C.
    2/09/2023
  •   Best experience ever. Instead of holiday gifts we wanted a local experience. Living in San Diego my entire life and having explored almost everything, I wasn't expecting this. My husband heard an about Sky Falconry on KPBS and was sold.
    If you love San Diego's back country, raptors and a total hands on experience you'll love this. Great photos too!

    thumb Julie A.
    2/08/2023

      What a great experience!  Very interesting and learned a lot. Denise and Kirk were wonderful- very informative and incredibly personable. You can really tell they care and are passionate about falconry. Well worth the $. Highly recommend this adventure!

    thumb J H.
    1/29/2023

      My husband, son and I spent a fantastic morning with Sky Falconry!  The experience was informative, organized and one of a kind.  The site was beautiful and a very nice drive up the mountain.  I would recommend this lesson to anyone interested in doing something special!

    thumb Lloyd K.
    1/23/2023
  •   Such a great time!  Kirk and Denise were great hosts, super informative and fun. Highly recommend this to everyone!

    thumb Amy R.
    10/17/2022

      Really quite amazing experience. Denise and Kirk are excellent hosts. The whole experience was very well organized and structured, with lots of opportunity to interact and to learn. Guides are extremely knowledgeable and also clearly devoted to their birds. Great experience for both adults and a nature-interested 11-year-old.

    thumb Bruce M.
    10/15/2022

      Spending time with these amazing raptors, and learning from Denise and Kirk was a transcendent experience. No other way to describe it.   if you love wildlife and nature, you must do this !

    thumb Pam M.
    7/02/2022
  •   This was an AMAZING experience.   Our family decided to surprise the Dads on both sides for an early fathers day adventure.   Denise and Kirk made it so amazing, educational ,relaxed and fun for us to get to know the birds in a way that we would not otherwise experience.  When we initially planned this, I was unsure if I would be an observer or participant in flying the birds.  We are outdoors people but never this up close to a bird of prey.  Once on the property it was clear... the experience ROCKED. Not scary at all.

    These guys are experts at their passion and it shows.  Cannot recommend this more....you will not be disappointed and will make a memory that is so much better than dinner and a movie 🙂  This is REAL, natural and a must do bucket list activity!

    thumb Dana C.
    6/11/2022

      Exceptional!

    This is in one word how I would describe our recent experience at Sky Falconry.  I am an amateur photographer with a passion for capturing birds in flight.  Denise and Kirk met and exceeded our expectations.

    We booked the Private Raptor Experience.  After an informative discussion on raptors, we got down to watching and photographing a harris's hawk and lanner falcon perched and in flight.  Kirk and Denise listened!  Once I got a feel for how the birds were positioned and flown, they were very flexible on how to stage for maximum photo accomplishment.  They as well made suggestions on staging that expanded my opportunities for great shots.

    Finally, we have a family member confined to a wheelchair.  We were at first concerned that this experience might not be well suited to someone with disabilities.  We were assured that they could accommodate a wheelchair, and they delivered.  If you have a family member who is in some way disabled, you might clear it with Sky Falconry first.  Showing that family member some beautiful scenery on the way, and then having them enjoy the raptors, is a unique "off the beaten path" great way to spend a few hours!

    thumb James N.
    5/27/2022

      Sky Falconry experience was gifted to me by my children for my 75 birthday.  All 4 of us participated.  I've had many exciting adventures in my life; and this rates right at the top.  I encourage anyone to do the upgrade experience where you have the most interaction with the Raptors.  They don't just place a bird on your fist or have it do tricks.  They give you an experience of all the many natural talents and abilities these magnificent birds possess.  We flew a Harris's Hawk and a Lanner Falcon.  I can't describe well enough how special this was and how great the two Falconer guides were.  Do it!!!

    thumb Kay S.
    5/23/2022
  •   Absolutely a blast! I've been wanting to visit for a while and we decided to go finally. Honestly, the experience exceeded my expectations. The falcons whizzing past you while they fly is exhilarating. Walking with the hawks is such a unique experience that is hard to describe. Denise and Kirk are such a pleasure to be around and are so knowledgeable. I'm already planning another visit soon!

    thumb Mad B.
    5/17/2022

      AMAZING experience! We splurged and got the Private Raptor Experience. You start off by meeting all the birds, and getting a quick lesson about the Harris hawks and Lanner falcons. The trainers are so knowledgeable, and are clearly passionate about their birds. It is amazing to hear how much trust and dedication it takes to train each bird.

    After that, you get to take a walk around their beautiful property with one of the Harris hawks (we had Kwa Koi). There are tons of opportunities for photos and hands-on time with the birds. It was also so fun to see how each bird has its own unique personality, and how much that actually shows as you interact with them (especially finding out that Kwa Koi is definitely a mama's boy!).

    After plenty of time with the Harris hawk, we switched over to the Lanner falcons. We interacted with both Ali Baba and Habibi. They DEFINITELY are full of personality, and are absolutely stunning to see in action and up close. (Plus, they have to wear a gps tracker that looks like a tiny backpack and honestly, who doesn't want to see that?) You can hear facts about how fast these birds are, but it doesn't even come close to seeing them in action.

    The trainers are absolutely as friendly as they are knowledgeable, and made for a very engaging, entertaining and informative experience. Their love and respect for their animals is abundant, and the trust these birds have in "Mom and Dad" is incredible to see.

    thumb Sarah N.
    4/25/2022

      This was an amazing experience!!! These were my type of people and could see being friends with them. The owners were friendly, knowledgeable, and great at leading the group. The raptors appeared to be well cared for and the owners had an obvious care and compassion for the birds well-being. I high recommend visiting and doing a class / walk.

    thumb Chris S.
    4/15/2022

Gift Certificates

Give the unique gift of falconry!

Our enriching encounters with birds of prey create memories that will last a lifetime.

Preservation through education

Our mission at Sky Falconry is to educate the public through hands-on experiences free flying birds of prey. We aim to preserve the art of falconry, teach raptor biology and the need for conservation.

Located in San Diego, California, we are a satellite school of West Coast Falconry, located in Marysville, northeast of Sacramento, California.