FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

 

Is this session suitable for me or my children?

• Physical Fitness: You must be physically fit and capable of walking 5km on technical country park trails at night. At least 50% of the route may consist of steep inclines. There is also a short, optional stream-observation section.

• Age Requirements: For public group sessions, children must be a minimum of 8 years old, possess prior trail walking experience, and be reasonably comfortable with the insects and nocturnal creatures found in the wild at night.

• Private Groups: For private bookings, the minimum age requirement can be adjusted based on a your group's experience level.

 

What equipment and clothing do I need to bring?

• Critical Gear: You must bring a high-quality torch or headlamp that operates continuously for a minimum of 3–4 hours. Mobile phone flashlights are not appropriate or sufficient for our safety requirements.

• Rental & Purchase Options: We offer professional Ferei headlamp and handheld torch sets for rent at HK$50 per person. 

• Footwear: You must wear proper hiking or trail shoes. They should have good grip on wet surfaces, and you must not mind them getting wet.

• Clothing & Extras: We recommend standard outdoor clothing, with long, lightweight trousers for children. Please bring insect repellent, any personal daily medications.

 

What is your weather and cancellation policy?

• Weather Postponements: We will postpone or cancel the session if field conditions become unsafe or inappropriate. We aim to notify you 12–24 hours in advance. However, depending on rapid weather shifts, we may make a final call up to 3 hours before the session start time. (Please note: Rain before a session is excellent for wildlife activity!)

• Refunds: If a public session is cancelled by us due to weather, we will usually issue a full refund rather than a rebooking.

• For private group sessions, we will make every effort to offer a mutually agreeable reschedule date.

• Participant Cancellations: You may cancel your slot up to two weeks prior to the scheduled date for a HK$100 administrative fee per person. Cancellations made less than two weeks before the session are strictly non-refundable, though you are welcome to find a substitute person to take your place.

 

How safe is the field hike?

• Inherent Risks: Navigating natural country park trails at night carries inherent outdoor risks, including but not limited to slips, trips, falls, animal or insect bites, and physical exhaustion. Risks also include environmental and force majeure events including landslides, flashfloods, falling trees, strong winds, sudden severe weather. 

• Snake Bite Risk: The statistical risk of a snake bite is the same as any nighttime walk in Hong Kong's country parks—extremely low, but not impossible.

• Your Instructor's Credentials: Our field sessions are led by William Sargent (founder of the Hong Kong Snakes community), an outdoor corporate events and race organizer with 15 years of experience. He possesses over 30 years of herpetological handling experience and has served as a registered snake catcher for the Hong Kong Police for the last 11 years.

 

Are we guaranteed to see a snake?

• Natural Wild Habitats: No. We are tracking wild animals in their natural, uncontrolled habitats and do not offer any guarantees.

• Team Effort: Our highly experienced field spotters will give your group the absolute best chance of finding wildlife. Success is a team effort, and we consistently observe fascinating nocturnal creatures. Most nocturnal snake species are significantly smaller than daytime species. To date, we have successfully recorded 25 different species of snakes during our seasonal field sessions over the past 4 years.

 

What is the difference between a Public Group and a Private Session?

• Public Sessions: These are open to individual registrations from the general public and are held on fixed, pre-scheduled calendar dates.

• Private Sessions: These are reserved exclusively for your own closed group, and we can coordinate a custom date that suits both parties. Private sessions are structured around 1 Field Expert for groups up to 6 participants, or 2 Field Experts for larger groups up to 9 participants.

 

What are the transport and arrival arrangements?

• Independent Arrival: Participants are completely responsible for arranging their own transit to the field location.

• Nearest Transit Hubs: The closest public transport hubs to our field meeting points are Kam Sheung Road MTR Station (approximately 10–15 minutes away via local taxi) or Tai Wo MTR Station (approximately 10 minutes away via local taxi). Exact details will be sent upon registration confirmation.

 

What is your wildlife handling policy?

• Observation First: For the vast majority of wildlife encounters, animals are left completely in situ (in their exact resting positions) for observation and nature photography.

• Educational Advocacy: While our general policy prioritizes passive observation, we firmly believe that the rare opportunity to see, study, and understand these animals up close dramatically enhances the educational impact of the session, builds environmental empathy, and fosters long-term ecological advocacy.

 

'Viper Hunt' Field Sessions (Hong Kong Island OR Clearwater Bay)

• The Course: Specifically curated for groups with younger children (Ages 7+). We meet directly at our designated trailheads in Repulse Bay or Clearwater Bay from 7:30pm to 9:30pm for an educational walk lasting approximately 1.5 hours.

• The Focus: This is a highly accessible, convenient, and lighter version of our traditional field courses. While biodiversity is lower (primarily White Lipped Pit Vipers), it serves as a perfect introduction for smaller legs.

• Booking Details: Private groups only. Maximum group size is 7 participants total (adults and children combined).

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