Tours by Request
In addition to our regularly scheduled tours and activities, our education and interpretive staff specialize in customizing tour programs for individuals, groups or corporate outings by request. Our private tours offer you, your colleagues and friends the opportunity to explore the Deering Estate at Cutler and surrounding area in the company of experienced naturalists and guides. Because of the specialized nature of these tours, we suggest reserving your activity at least three weeks in advance. For more information, or to book a private tour, please call 305-235-1668 ext. 242.
WALKING TOURS:
Walking Tours range in duration from 2 – 3 hours depending on the territory covered and the wildlife we experience. We require a minimum of 10 individuals for a single tour, and several tours can be offered simultaneously for larger groups. Each Walking Tour listed below is $15 per person. All Walking Tours are an easy to moderate difficulty level.
Tekesta Trail Tour
Walk an ancient Tekesta path to the Cutler Burial Mound, handle fossils such as a 40,000 year old wooly mammoth tooth and tools, pottery and other artifacts left behind by the Tekesta people. Explore the rich cultural history of a people and way of life that vanished long ago.
Pine Rockland Tour
Hike through a globally endangered ecosystem and experience the unique habitat of South Florida’s pine forest, home to threatened species such as the gopher tortoise, rim rock crowned snake, and white crowned pigeon.
Bird Walk
Explore mangrove, hammock, and pineland habitats with an experienced guide, identifying some of the 170 species of birds recorded at the Deering Estate. Spring and Fall seasons always afford birders an opportunity to spot migrants like warblers and hawks, and rarities like mangrove cuckoos, peregrine falcons and limpkins are occasional visitors. An early morning start time is recommended for this tour.
Butterfly Walk
The Deering Estate is home to several rarely seen species of butterfly. Walk with a naturalist through various habitats in search of Dina yellow, Dingy purplewing, and Atala butterflies, as well as others of the nearly forty species recorded here.
Night Hike
Explore the Tropical Hardwood Hammock and Pine Rocklands by night. Listen to great horned and Eastern screech owls as well as other night creatures as you walk the ancient Tekesta path to the Cutler Burial Mound.
SPECIALTY PROGRAMS:
Bike Hike
Ride through Hammock and Pineland habitats and venture down a boardwalk through a mangrove tunnel with skilled Deering naturalists. Stop at a Tekesta Indian burial mound and learn about early inhabitants of this area. Use our bikes or bring your own.
Duration: 2 hours
Minimum tour size: 10/Maximum tour size: 25
Price: $35.00 per person with our bike, $30.00 per person with your bike
Ancestral Voices: Paranormal Investigation
Spend an evening with the League of Paranormal Investigators as they explore our two historic homes in search of evidence of ghostly inhabitants. An explanation of the equipment used to detect spectral presences and an analysis of their findings are included.
Duration: 2 hours
Minimum tour size: 20/Maximum tour size: 30
Price: $35.00 per person
Nature Photography Workshop
Hike through the Deering Hammock and Pinelands with a professional photographer and receive personalized instruction in the art of nature photography.
Duration: 2 hours
Minimum tour size: 10/Maximum tour size: 30
Price: $35.00 per person
Underwater Photography Workshop
This workshop is designed to show you how to use your digital camera and get the best shots possible when shooting underwater. No camera is too big or too small. Includes instruction in the use of Adobe Photoshop. Kayak rental is included. Photographers must bring their own snorkeling gear and camera equipment.
Duration: 6 Hours
Minimum Tour size: 4/Maximum Tour Size: 24
Price: $175 per person
WATER ACTIVITIES:
Prices vary according to activity.
Moonlight Canoe Tour
Paddle a canoe under tropical stars to an offshore island, guided by naturalists who will explain the unique natural history of the area as you roast marshmallows by the campfire.
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum tour size: 10/Maximum tour size: 14
Price: $60.00 per person
Daylight Canoe/Kayak Tour
Depart from Charles Deering’s boat turning basin on a guided tour of Biscayne Bay. You will paddle to Chicken Key, a seven-acre island preserve, which lies one mile off shore. The island contains sand dunes, mangrove forests and restored bird rookery, surrounded by sand bars, tidal flats, seagrass beds, and rocky debris. While paddling, you can observe marine life such as manatees and sea turtles, as well as various species of wading birds such as egrets, herons and ibis. The program is designed for beginners and experts alike.
Duration: 3 hours
Minimum tour size: 6/Maximum tour size: 12
Price: $50.00 per person
Biscayne Bay Cruise
Explore Biscayne Bay aboard the 45 foot catamaran Pelican Island Skipper, as a Deering naturalist discusses the wildlife and history of this richly diverse aquatic habitat.
Duration: 2 hours
Minimum tour size: 10/Maximum tour size: 40
Price: $50.00 per person
BOX LUNCHES:
Box Lunches Gourmet boxed lunches are available for any of our activities. Through a partnership with the Mango Café at Fruit & Spice Park, we have a varied menu that can accommodate the discerning palate. Prices available upon request.