Sky Island Adventures Booking

Description

We may open some fall, winter and spring months if there is demand. Can you see bugs in Arizona outside of the summer months? Yes. They are fewer but they are findable. And the weather is very pleasant and nature provides plenty to look at. Contact us if you’d like to be kept in the loop about our evolving offseason offerings.

Instructions for Sky Island Adventures Booking:

Scroll through the calendar above to see the currently available weeks in July and August. These weeks are also written below. Don’t forget to enter the number of persons in your party (above the calendar). After you click “check availability,” if your slot of 3 days/nights and number of people requested are available, it will be added to your shopping cart (upper right of screen). After you go through checkout and click “request confirmation,” I will review your request and contact you via email for payment (as described below). During checkout, the shopping cart will reflect your check-in date for a period of 3 days/3 nights with check-in (always) on a Thursday and check-out on a Sunday morning. Please read on, but do not hesitate to email me with any questions. I only opened this up on 1/27 and so I’m just crossing my fingers I set it up correctly (I’m just a bug guy, not a techie), but don’t worry, you won’t be charged during checkout. This is just a reservation request process, but I will be contacting you back same-day to make sure you’re fully ready to move forward! Also, “if” you get to this page and the four weeks outlined below are all taken, rest assured I will be opening up more weeks for these wonderful months. Please email me if you think I need to open up more weeks. I sleep sometimes and crazy things happen with inventory overnight. 😉

Sky Island Adventures, Bed Bug & Breakfast- We’ll guide you through the Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands biodiversity hotspots & desert valleys between. You’ll have the option to be picked up at the airport in Tucson, about 45 minutes away, and we’ll whisk you away for 3 days and 3 nights to the bug adventure of a lifetime! No worries, no planning, no guesswork. We’ll cater to your level of comfort and rarely stray too far from the car. Bugs, reptiles, birds, plants, desert mammals, multiple life zones as we travel from desert floor to mountain tops, a whole lotta sunshine and perhaps some monsoon rain are to be expected! Even the weather here is adventurous!

These best dates for seeing insects fall around the new moon due to there being less light competition with the moon for black lighting.

The Basics:

What: A 3 day/3 night adventure during bug season in the best places to see bugs in the United States. Weather permitting (and it usually is) we will set up the black lights at night, each night.
When: Your booking will be for exactly 3 nights (and 3 days). It will begin on a Thursday and end on a Sunday (Thur, Fri and Sat nights)
Where: Our guest houses are located in SE Arizona in the middle of the famous Sky Islands, in a town called Sonoita at 5000 ft of elevation where our hottest month of June averages a mere 91 degrees. Expect to see some rain as monsoon season = bug season!
How: Most people will fly into Tucson and either rent a car or coordinate with us for an extra pick up/drop off fee at the airport. We charge $100 for each person, or if you are booking as a group of 2 or more that’s still just $100 once, prepaid. ($50 each way for our gas and 45 min drive each direction twice, plus wait time). We will make one trip to the airport to pick you up and work with the group to plan what time that trip happens. Some people may arrive at the airport considerably earlier than others. Renting a car may be your most comfortable option, with that in mind.

Booking Cost: $750 per person for 3 nights. After you place your order I will email you to confirm your booking and to arrange payment. 50% will be due at that time and then 1 month before your arrival date the other 50% will be due, plus the $50 airport pick up fee, if applicable. This is also the cutoff date for a full refund. If you request cancellation within the last 30 days we will only refund 50% of the fee (unless we can fill your spot with a back up person which we will work to do).
Food: Included/Provided. 3 meals per day plus snacks and drinks. A daily opportunity to stop at the local general store for your own food items, toiletries, medicine, etc. Communicate with us in advance of arriving about any dietary preferences you may have and we’ll work to make you comfortable.
Supplies: We’ll be emailing you a list of recommended items to bring (backpack, reusable water bottle). We work to provide everything that you might need so that you can travel light and worry free.

This year we are offering alternating weeks for groups with “children” (11 and under) and “adults” (12 and up), as reflected below.

The six (initially) available weeks here in 2023 are. If you’d like to come in the fall (Sept or later) please shoot us an email for more info.

̶N̶i̶g̶h̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶J̶u̶l̶y̶ ̶1̶3̶,̶ ̶1̶4̶,̶ ̶1̶5̶ (Ages 12 and up only) [No spots left]
̶N̶i̶g̶h̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶J̶u̶l̶y̶ ̶2̶0̶,̶ ̶2̶1̶,̶ ̶2̶2̶ (All ages welcome) [No spots left]
̶N̶̶̶i̶̶̶g̶̶̶h̶̶̶t̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶f̶̶̶ ̶̶̶J̶̶̶u̶̶̶l̶̶̶y̶̶̶ ̶2̶7̶,̶ ̶2̶8̶,̶ ̶2̶9̶  (Ages 12 and up only) [No spots left]

August
̶̶̶N̶̶̶i̶̶̶g̶̶̶h̶̶̶t̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶f̶̶̶ ̶̶̶A̶̶̶u̶̶̶g̶̶̶ ̶̶̶3̶,̶ ̶4̶,̶ ̶5̶ (All ages welcome) [No spots left]
̶N̶i̶g̶h̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶A̶̶̶u̶g̶ ̶1̶0̶,̶ ̶1̶1̶,̶ ̶1̶2̶ (All ages welcome) [No spots left]
̶̶̶N̶̶̶i̶̶̶g̶̶̶h̶̶̶t̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶f̶̶̶ ̶̶̶A̶̶̶u̶̶̶g̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶7̶,̶ ̶1̶8̶,̶ ̶1̶9̶ (All Ages Welcome) [No spots left]

Daily Schedule:

We will rarely be away from the property for more than about 6.5 hours at the most. When possible we will stop at bathrooms. When not possible, we always have a generous supply of toilet paper. We do request that you let the group know if you attract any dung beetles during your private adventures.;)

Thursday: Arrival of all guests. Late arrivals may miss part or all of the day adventures. Return to property late afternoon for dinner, and then back out to black light in a nearby (epic) field location (guests are often a little travel weary this first day/night). Return to property at 10:30 to 11 PM.
Friday: Continental breakfast available in breakfast nook. Leave the property in the big van for day touring adventures in nature with Jesse at around 9:30 AM. Lunch in the field (coolers with cold sandwiches or similar). Return to property in the late afternoon for dinner, and then back out to black light. Return to property at 10:30 to 11 PM.
Saturday (last night): same as Friday, above
Sunday: Checkout by 11 AM. We will make one trip to the airport to drop you off and work with the group to plan what time that trip happens. Some people may need to get to the airport considerably earlier than others. Renting a car may be your most comfortable option, with that in mind.

Rooms: We have three rooms available and each of them have triple bunk beds. A triple bunk bed in this case is a stack of 3 bunk beds and each mattress in this stack of 3 is a “full” sized mattress, sometimes called a “double.” (they are wider than twins but smaller than queens). If you come as a group of 2 or more people, you are assured of having your own room. This year we are also able to accommodate solo visitors but they will likely need to share a room with another person.

Bathrooms on property are shared for some rooms since only one of the three available rooms has an in-unit bathroom. The shared bathroom (with toilet, shower and sink) is in a separate building from the guest quarters and so some measure of privacy is assured, but it is necessary to make a short 40 foot walk to this space from your room. You are welcome to write in advance to find out if the remaining rooms have an in-unit bathroom, or not. I will additionally notify you about this detail after you book because it is one detail we plan to iron out in 2024, but couldn’t quite bring together for 2023.

Each room has air conditioning.

All guests will have access to a separate kitchen nook with refrigerator, coffee pot and microwave, and outdoor seating area. Or you may eat in your rooms if it is raining sideways.

You are welcome to ask questions via email at any point. Upon booking I’ll be sending you a bunch of information as we work to make your stay with us as comfortably adventurous as possible!