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Private Guided Ecotours
Experience a full day nature and wildlife adventure in Colorado's spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park with an expert naturalist guide.
Tour Overview
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(10-12 hours)
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Private Tour
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October
(with parent)
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Tour Description
If you have an entire day to escape Denver, nothing beats the scenic beauty and wildlife viewing opportunities at Rocky Mountain National Park. Forget about renting a car, driving mountain roads, and worrying about the best sights to see as I take you on this one-of-a-kind experience.
Situated just outside of historic Estes Park, Colorado (about a 1.5 hour drive from Denver), "Rocky" contains one of the world's most stunning mountain landscapes.
Throughout the tour you can expect to see alpine lakes, aspen groves, pristine forests, 14,259 foot tall Long's Peak, rivers, canyons, panoramic vistas of the Continental Divide, and potentially wildlife such as elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, eagles, chipmunks, and more.
What's Included
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Private Tours Only
The only people on the tour are you and your group. No cramming onto a packed van or bus with strangers.
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First Class Amenities
Only the best locally sourced lunches, snacks, and beverages are provided.
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Custom Itineraries
Never worry about having to rush or stick to another groups itinerary. We can go wherever you want, and stay as long as you want.
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Upscale Transportation
Travel safely and comfortably in a large, upscale 4x4 SUV.
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Expert Naturalist Guide
Learn about Colorado's natural history from an expert paleontologist. Meet your guide here.
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Premium Gear
Get close to the sights and wildlife with complimentary use of high-end binoculars and spotting scopes.
Itinerary
After picking you and your group up from your hotel around 7:00am, we will top off our coffee and head toward the mountains. The trip from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park takes about 1.5-2 hours one way, but the time will fly by as we travel the scenic backroads through stunning canyons and forests.
Our first stop will be in Nederland, CO, a charming mountain town with a hip, funky vibe that is a local favorite for outdoor recreation. Here we will get a short break to stretch our legs and check out the town before continuing our journey towards the park.
After our visit to Nederland, we will continue along the scenic route towards Estes Park, Colorado, the town which sits just outside the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. During this stretch of our drive, we will take a short stop to explore a beautiful alpine lake where you will take in your first close-up view of magnificent 13,000 foot peaks.
We will arrive in the park around lunchtime and have a picnic lunch (weather permitting) among the ponderosa pines. After lunch, we travel in our vehicle to the best parts of the park. Expect to stop frequently to take pictures of wildlife and spectacular mountain scenery. As we explore the park, we will be traveling at altitudes between 8,000-12,000 feet above sea level. Since your tour will be private, we can stay as long or as little at each stop as you want. Although I will guide you to the best places to see in the park, you ultimately get to customize the itinerary according to your preferences.
After a full day of adventure, we will head back to Denver filled with amazing memories. I will drop you off back at your hotel or preferred drop-off location.
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What is Ecotourism and Why Choose an Ecotour?
I strive to exceed international guidelines that qualify my tour as an "ecotour."
As an ecotour operator, my goal is to mitigate the negative environmental consequences that traditional tourism generates.
The popularity of our country's national parks and iconic natural landmarks has skyrocketed in recent years, and with record numbers of visitors comes unprecedented problems. Landscapes and trails are increasingly damaged by erosion, litter and vandalism. Traffic congestion on scenic mountain roads and overcrowded parking lots have become the norm, not to mention the increase in pollution and carbon emissions produced from transportation. Beautiful vistas and wildlife are too often valued only for their role in helping tourists get the perfect selfie, even if those selfies require risky behavior and carelessness to get them.
With these problems only getting worse, my goal is to be part of the solution by leading an initiative towards responsible ecotourism.
So, what does that mean? To start, it means that I want to set an example by demonstrating that a tour operator can can improve the health of the environment while enhancing visitor experiences at the same time.
According to the International Ecotourism Society (TIES), ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education."
In other words, ecotourism is at the intersection of nature, education, and sustainability. I am proud to abide by the following guidelines set forth by the TEIS. In doing so, my mission is to preserve the scenic beauty of Colorado and reclaim what we love most about our national parks and public lands.
- I provide locally sourced and sustainably produced food and other products whenever possible.
- I do not provide or encourage the use of plastic drinkware and eating utensils.
- I only provide compostable cups, lids, napkins and trash bags, and provide responsible composting disposal.
- I adhere to and advocate all Leave No Trace guidelines whenever and wherever possible.
- I limit my tour group sizes to 4 people or less.
- As an expert biologist, I focus on leading enriching discussions about environmental topics.
- I aim to interpret natural landmarks in a way that leads people to a deeper appreciation and respect for nature.
- I have the expertise and passion for educating guests about topics such as geology, ecology, evolution, biology, wildlife, paleontology, Native American history, and more.
- I purchase food, services, and other materials used for my tours from local small businesses.
- I only donate to Colorado-based nonprofits like the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.
- I donate 5% of my overall tour revenue to local environmental nonprofits.
- I purchase carbon offsets sufficient to neutralize the negative environmental impact caused by green house gasses produced by my tours and other business operations.
- My goal is to become Carbon Neutral Certified by the end of 2021.
Ready for Adventure?
