Cypress Hills Birding Tours
Private Tours
Available April – December
Email birdtours [at] sasktel [dot] net with your proposed dates and ask for a quote.
Public Group Tours
2024 Public Group Tours
- June 9 – 16, 2024 Option A
This 8-day tour will visit all of the best birding hotspots in SW Saskatchewan including Great Sand Hills, Cypress Hills Center and West Blocks, Govenlock Sage Flats, Old Man on His Back Nature Conservancy Canada Site, Eastend East Block and Grasslands National Park.
This tour begins in Saskatoon at 8 am on June 9 and ends at Mankota, SK at noon on June 16.
Participants may then choose to continue with the leader on the Best Birding Hotspots of SE Saskatchewan Tour.
- July 10 – 13, 2024 Option B
This 4-day tour will visit Cypress Hills Center and East Blocks, Govenlock Sage Flats, Old Man on His Back Nature Conservancy of Canada Site plus Eastend East Block district.
This tour begins at 9 am in Maple Creek, SK on July 10 and ends at 11 am on July 13 at Shaunavon, SK.
Participants may then choose to join the July 13 – 15, Grasslands Park Birding Tour.
- August 22 – 23, 2024 Option C
This 2-day tour will visit the Centre Block of Cypress Hills park on day 1 and the Fort Walsh and switchback areas in the West Block on Day 2.
This tour begins at 9 am in Maple Creek, SK on August 22 and ends at Maple Creek about 3 pm on August 23.
Questions
- Email birdtours [at] sasktel [dot] net
- Phone landline at 306 [then] 652 [then] 5975
Tour Options
We offer 3 options for guided self-driving tours to the Cypress Hills region of SW Saskatchewan, Canada.
OPTION A. 8-day /7-night guided group birding tour to Cypress Hills PLUS the surrounding prairie regions including Grasslands National Park where additional bird species occur.
Estimated return driving distance from Saskatoon: 2400 km.
BEST OPTION.
Group Tour Dates: June 9 – 16, 2024
OPTION B. 4-Day / 3-night public guided group birding tour to the centre and west blocks of Cypress Hills Provincial Park plus surrounding prairie regions.
Estimated driving distance from Saskatoon: 1500 km.
Group Tour Dates: July 10 – 13, 2024
OPTION C. 2-Day / 1-night group guided birding tour to the centre and west blocks of Cypress Hills Provincial Park. Estimated return driving distance from Saskatoon: 1100 km.
This tour starts and ends in Maple Creek, SK.
Group Tour Dates: August 22 – 23, 2024.
Where is best place to find prairie birds in Canada?
Join one of our 3 tour options for visiting Cypress Hills and surrounding prairies in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Both novice and experienced birdwatchers are welcome. We will visit the best birding hotspots in SW Saskatchewan. These habitats are the favourites of both local and visiting birders looking for prairie birds as well as sub-alpine birds.
All 3 tour options visit the Cypress Hills. Some of the special unique birds in this region include MacGillivray’s Warbler, Dusky Flycatcher, Red-naped Sapsucker, Common Poorwill, Pacific Wren, Violet-Green Swallow and Western Tanager. We also look for rare Western Flycatcher and Bullock’s Oriole found in the region in recent years. We plan to visit the west and central blocks of this birding hotspot.
In addition to the Cypress Hills region, some tour options will also visit the following birding hotspots.
- Saskatchewan’s famous Great Sandhills where Common Poorwill, Long-billed Curlew and Lark Sparrows plus other grassland birds may be found.
Option A
- Govenlock Sagebrush Flats – known for Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Baird’s Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared Longspurs.
Options A and B
- Old Man on His Back Nature Conservancy of Canada Grasslands – Bison and grassland songbirds. Chance for Burrowing Owl
Options A and B
- Jones’s Peak birding stop in the East Block of the Cypress Hills offers magnificent scenery plus great views of Rock Wrens and Violet-Green Swallows plus other rarities are sometimes seen in this area.
Option A and B
- Grasslands National Park where we will watch and listen for Burrowing Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, Long-billed Curlew, Loggerhead Shrike, Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Chestnut-collared Longspur and Thick-billed Longspur.
Option A plus extension to Option B
- See side panel for a list of potential species of interest.
- A checklist of Saskatchewan birds may be downloaded HERE.
The Cypress Hills – Grasslands Park group tour on June 9 – 16, 2024 is one of the tours in the Saskatchewan Birding Hotspots Series offered by Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours. This tour can easily be taken following our Duck Mountain Park Tour and before our Best Birding Hotspots of SE Saskatchewan Tour .
Transportation:
- All participants will travel in their own personal or rented car or truck.
- Carpooling may be possible during group tours.
- RVs and trucks pulling trailers are only feasible on private tours.
- Full electric vehicles are currently only feasible on the Option C private tour. There is a charging station in Maple Creek.
Accommodation Options. Both camping and hotel accommodation options are available.
Option A Cypress Hills – Grasslands Park Itinerary
Sunday, June 9 – Sunday, June 16, 2024
Weather conditions may result in changes to this planned itinerary.
Day 1
Tour departs Saskatoon after breakfast about 8 am. Participants may choose to join the tour at Rosetown, Kindersley or Leader.
Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.
- Pack your own Lunch to eat at Kindersley Regional Park – wetland birds and songbirds
- South Saskatchewan River Valley downstream of Leader
- Check in to hotel in Leader
- Afternoon and Evening Visit to the Great Sandhills – Western Kingbird, Common Nighthawk plus possible Long-billed Curlew, Prairie Falcon
- Pack your own Supper to eat at the Sandhills
- Optional late night drive for Common Poorwill,
- Overnight at a Leader hotel. Campers may wish to stay in town campground.
Day 2
Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.
- Breakfast at Leader cafe
- South Saskatchewan River near Estuary
- Pack you lunch to eat on the road.
- Mason Lake
- Supper at Maple Creek restaurant
- Evening visit to Junction Reservoir
- Overnight at a Maple Creek hotel. Campers may wish to stay in center block or town campground.
Day 3
Tour departs Maple Creek about 9 am.
Today we will hike several easy trails within the centre block of Cypress Hills provincial park.
We plan the following activities.
- Eat breakfast on your own in Maple Creek restaurant.
- Hike Highlands Nature Trail in morning
- Eat lunch at park restaurant
- Hike Valley of the Windfalls Nature Trail
- Short visit to Park Nature Interpretive Centre
- Hike Whispering Pines Nature Trail
- Supper in park resort’s dining room
- Evening drive to scenic Look-out Point and Bald Butte
- Optional late night drive from 10:30 pm – 11:30 pm to look and listen for Common Poorwill.
- Overnight at Maple Creek hotel. Campers may wish to stay in a center block campground.
Day 4
We plan to spend the day birding in the best hotspots in the west block of Cypress Hills.
Some sites (*) may be inaccessible if roads are very muddy.
- Breakfast in Maple Creek on your own
- Depart Maple Creek at 9 am
- Cypress Hills Switchbacks – Dusky Flycatcher, Western Wood Pewee and chance for Black-headed Grosbeak
- Fort Walsh hiking trails – Violet-Green Swallow and possible Say’s Phoebe and Western Tanager
- Bring your packed lunch to eat in the park.
- Cordilleran Flycatcher subspecies nesting site *
- Conglomerate Cliffs in Cypress Hills *
- Cypress Lake Recreation Site *
- Supper at Consul restaurant
- Overnight at a motel in Consul SK.
Campers may stay at Cypress Lake recreation site.
- Optional evening drive near Consul.
Day 5
We plan to drive around the pastures south of Cypress Hills making stops to watch and listen for grassland birds. Some planned stops include:
- Govenlock area – Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared Longspurs and chance for a Golden Eagle
- Old Man on His Back Nature Conservancy of Canada grasslands – Bison and chance for a Burrowing Owl or Prairie Falcon
- Supper at Eastend Restaurant
- Overnight accommodation at Eastend motel.
Campers may stay at a town campground.
- Jones’ Peak Lookout visit in evening – Rock Wren, Mountain Bluebirds and Violet-Green Swallows
- Optional late evening drive to listen for poorwills.
Day 6
Today we will spend the morning near Eastend and then drive to Grasslands National Park.
- Eastend Riverbank Park
- Eastend Reservoir
- Pine Cree Coulee Regional Park
- Shaunavon wetlands – American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt
- Pack a lunch to eat on the road
- Val Marie Reservoir Bird Sanctuary
- Check in to overnight accommodation in Val Marie
- Evening visit to Prairie Dog colony to look for Burrowing Owls.
Day 7
We plan to bird in Grasslands Park for much of the day. Some planned stops include:
- Val Marie town
- Top Dogtown trail
- Frenchman River Valley
- Larson Interpretive Trail
- Little Breed Creek Prairie Dog town
- North Gillespie Road (if dry)
- Rosefield Ecotour route
Day 8
- We will spend most of the morning in Grasslands National Park.
- Lunch in Mankota restaurant.
In the afternoon you may return home or continue with me to the SE Saskatchewan Birding Tour.
Option A Tour Fee
Cypress Hills – Grasslands Park Public Group Tour Fee: $3990 (about US $2950, £2325) for a party of 1 – 4 persons travelling in a single vehicle. Note fee is for your entire party (not a per person fee). Fee includes guiding services. Meals and accommodation and transportation are NOT included.
Group Tour Dates: June 9 – 16, 2024
Trip begins in Saskatoon about 8 am on June 9 and ends at Mankota, Saskatchewan about noon on June 16.
Please book your tour as soon as possible.
Accommodation options are very limited in the remote areas visited on this tour.
Tax Receipt. You will receipt a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds less a $100 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 60 days before date of tour.
No refunds if cancellation notice received less than 60 days before date of tour unless another client takes your place.
Option B Cypress Hills – Eastend Itinerary
Wednesday, July 10 – Saturday, July 13, 2024
The itinerary for this tour follows the Option A itinerary for days 3 – 6 above. It ends about 11 am at Shaunavon on the last day. Participants may then return home or follow leader to Grasslands National Park tour.
Option B Tour Fee
Cypress Hills – Eastend Public Group Tour Fee: $2990 (about US $2950, £2325) for a party of 1 – 4 persons travelling in a single vehicle. Note fee is for your entire party (not a per person fee). Fee includes guiding services. Meals and accommodation and transportation are NOT included.
Group Tour Dates: July 10 – 13, 2024
Trip begins in Maple Creek about 9 am on July 10 and ends at Shaunavon Saskatchewan about 11 am on July 13. Participants may return home or continue with leader to Grasslands Park tour.
Please book your tour as soon as possible. Accommodation options are very limited in the remote areas visited on this tour.
Tax Receipt. You will receipt a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds less a $100 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 60 days before date of tour.
No refunds if cancellation notice received less than 60 days before date of tour unless another client takes your place.
Option C Cypress Hills Park Itinerary
Weather conditions may result in changes to this planned itinerary.
Day 1
Tour departs Maple Creek, SK about 9 am.
Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.
- Explore Cypress Hills Centre Block looking for summer and early fall birds.
- Loch Leven
- Whispering Pine trail
- Bald Butte
- Supper at Cypress Hills Resort
- Overnight at a Maple Creek hotel. Campers may wish to stay in a west block campground.
Day 2
Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.
- Junction Reservoir
- Cypress Hills west block switchbacks
- Fort Walsh hiking trails (moderate hill climb)
- Conglomerate Cliffs
- Leave for home in mid-afternoon or stay longer on your own.
Option C Group Tour Fee
2-day / 1-night Cypress Hills Group Tour Fee: CAD $1490 per vehicle (about US $1125, £880) for a party of 1 – 4 persons . Note fee is for your entire party (not a per person fee). Additional persons in your vehicle are $200 each.
Fee includes guiding services. Meals and accommodation and transportation are NOT included.
Trip begins in Maple Creek about 9 am on day 1 and ends at Maple Creek about 3 pm on day 2.
Date: August 22 – 23, 2024
Tax Receipt. You will receipt a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds less a $100 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 60 days before date of tour.
No refunds if cancellation notice received less than 60 days before date of tour unless another client takes your place.
Carpooling
If you would like to share the costs of a group tour with other interested birders, then complete the Carpooling Section of the Registration Request Form below or email the tour name, your name, phone number and email address to birdtours@sasktel.net
Multiple Tours Discount
Check out our multiple tours discount described here.
Reservation Request Form
Reservations: Complete the form below or email: birdtours@sasktel.net and provide names of clients, their addresses and requested type of tour and tour date.
Full payment due at time of booking. Payment instruction will be emailed to you after registration form is received. You may also phone Stan Shadick at 306-652-5975.
The number of participants accepted on this Cypress Hills – Grasslands Park group tour is limited. Because accommodation choices are limited in the remote areas visited on this tour, please reserve your spot as early as possible.
Questions: please email birdtours@sasktel.net or phone 306-652-5975 during evenings.
If you do not hear back from us within 24 hours, then please email: birdtours@sasktel.net or phone 306-652-5975.
