Is it suitable for me/children?
You must be fit/able/experienced enough to hike at least 5km on technical country park trails at night. At least 50% of the route may be on steep incline. There is also a short optional stream bed section. Children must be a minimum of 8 years old with some trail hiking experience and comfortable with bugs/insects etc that come out at night in the jungle. For Private Safaris, the minimum age can be discussed.
What do I need to bring/wear?
Good quality torch/headlamp that lasts for a minimum of 3-4 hours (phones are not appropriate) - this is critical to the experience. We rent Ferei headlamps with handheld torches sets ($50pp). We we can also provide the headlamp for purchase at (HK$700).
Proper hiking shoes that you don't mind getting wet and are grippy when wet. Insect repellent, and any medication that you are taking.
Normal hiking clothes but recommend long/light trousers for kids. Dry tee to change post-hike.
Weather/cancelation policy
We will cancel or postpone the hike if the weather is inappropriate (in most cases we will let you know 12-48 hours beforehand), however, dependent on weather conditions, we may make a final call 3 hours before the hike in consultation with the group. Rain before the hike is good. We will usually give a full refund (rather than rebooking) in case of cancelation. For private Safaris, we will try to offer the option to reschedule. You may cancel your place up to two weeks prior to the hike with a $100 admin fee per person, if less than two weeks, we will not issue a refund but you may find a substitute for your place.
How safe is the hike?
Hiking on country park trails at night has an inherent level of risk including (not limited to) slipping, falling down, animal/insect bites and exhaustion. This is especially so if you have limited trail hiking experience. The risk of snake bites is the same as any time you hike on country park trails (extremely low, but not impossible). Snake Safaris are led by William Sargent (founder of Hong Kong Snakes FB page) who is an outdoor corporate events/race organiser (for the last 13 years) with over 30 years snake handling experience and has been a snake catcher for the Hong Kong Police for the last 8 years.
Are we guaranteed to see a snake?
No. We are searching out wild animals in their natural habitat and do not make any guarantees. We will however, give you the best chance with very experienced spotters and the groups ability will also effect our luck (snake spotting is a team effort). We always see interesting wildlife and creatures. It is also worth noting most nocturnal snakes are smaller than diurnal snakes. We have spotted 25 different species of snake during our Safaris (in the last 4 years).
What is the difference between Public Group and Private Safari?
Public Safaris are open to any members of the public, and are on fixed dates. Private Safaris are your own group and we can arrange on a date that suits both parties. We offer small Private Safaris (1 guide with up to 6 pax) or larger group with 2 guides (up to 9 pax).
Transport
The nearest MTR to our meeting point is Kam Sheung Station (about 10-15 minutes by taxi) or Tai Wo Station (10 minutes by taxi). Exact details will be sent upon confirmation.
Handling policy
For most snakes we spot, we will leave in situ for taking photos however, we do sometimes briefly handle the snakes we see (if they are about to disappear out of view or are in a difficult position for guests to see). We will always keep the handling to a minimum, not disturb snakes that have recently eaten/are eating/gravid and return the snake to the same spot as it was found it after a few minutes. As a general policy it is better to observe wildlife, however we believe the benefit of guests getting to hold/see/feel snakes up close-up will significantly add to the educational aspect of the hikes and help build a community for advocacy. Often, this is the only time that guests have had the chance to feel snakes up close.
Viper Hunt - Hong Kong Island
Catered for groups of younger kids (7+). We start at Repulse Bay OR Clearwater Bay (7.30-9.30pm) and hike for around 1.5 hours (some hill). This is a more convenient/lighter version of our traditional Safaris, with significantly less snake variety (we are mainly looking for Vipers), but a good introduction for smaller legs! Maximum group size is 7 (adults+kids). Private groups only.
*Soko Islands Night Safari
A less regular safari, but we have the option to charter a sampan to Dai Au Chau from Shek Pik (here you can take a taxi back to Tung Chung or Mui Wo). We will have two guides and a maximum group size of 8. The timing will be leaving Shek Pik around 6.30pm returning around 11pm. The additional boat charge is approximately HK$2,200 - 2,500 for the group.