Sample delicious wild foods, and learn traditional desert survival skills during this exciting hike into the Sonoran Desert! I'll share traditional native survival skills with you, such as how to find water, make a fire by friction, as well as showing you wild foods and useful items made from the plants around us. This a fantastic introduction into the splendor of the Sonoran Desert! You'll come home with great memories of this special wilderness.
Thank you so much Jon for an amazing tour of the desert! My boys and I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up all the incredible information you had to share. We were vacationing in Arizona and did many tours, but your experience was by far our favorite! Thank you for doing what you do!
We had a fantastic experience with Jon! He is a wealth of knowledge about edible and useful desert plants, fire building and cord making. We were so lucky to have booked in the middle of our trip to the Southwest so we could identify the plants he highlighted on subsequent hikes. We would definitely spend more time in the desert with Jon, learning more of the things he has spent a lifetime mastering!
Jon is awesome and has A TON of useful information for survival. I would highly recommend this class to anyone wanting to learn about desert survival and the benefits of plan life in the southwest. Wonderful class!!
It was fantastic. John is extremely knowledgeable. We learned about what was edible in the desert- almost everything - and were able to try many different plants. The entire walk in the desert was probably much under 1 mile round trip but there were edible plants it seemed like every 20 feet. It was incredible. He taught us how to make a friction fire using a bow and got to try it out- it took a little practice but we were able to do it. We also wove using the fibers from a yucca plant. It was a fantastic tour and fantastic guide. It exceeded our expectations and would definitely do it again or one his other survival tours
This was a very unique experience and loved the small group option. Jon was great at showing us the desert foods and dangers - very knowledgeable and experienced. Highly recommend.
1-22-2026: This activity was amazing. It was surprisingly different than what I had envisioned- in an extremely positive way. Jon, owner & guide, is a wealth of knowledge, engaging, and passionate about biology/plants/nature. It was fascinating to learn the edible plants of the desert & taste them. This easily could be a 3 hr activity because Jon has so much to share. It is a definite must do when in Tucson. We were a party of 5 & we all loved it & will do it again.
Just a fun and easy way to learn something about the plants in the area that most people just walk by. Jon was great, very knowledgeable, and just fun to listen to. We tried at least 6 different plants and most were darn good.
Jon taylors the evening to your interests. I am a pharmacist so not only did he point out tasty plants (and give us a taste), he also filled me in on the medicinal uses of multiple plants. He was full of knowledge and happy to share.
Our group was three adults; all of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The guide, Jon, was enthusiastic and knowledgeable - he had detailed answers for all our questions. It was impressive to learn how much food is available from a seemingly barren landscape. We also enjoyed the skills that were taught - how to use your hand to estimate remaining minutes of daylight, making rope and starting a fire with sticks. This would be enjoyable for anyone, even if you're not a particularly outdoorsy person. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Tucson.
Been to tucson multiple times- favorite trip I may go again in October Visited the Desert Museum for the 8th time , a couple of new restaurants (for me). So much to see - mt lemon, San Javier mission Best time ( to me ) is march and October- much cooler, but still warm to me ( east coast/phila area. Native)
Nice experience for myself and 8 year old granddaughter. Jon was enthusiastic and communicated in a manner that was suitable for both of us.
Very knowledgeable instructor that taught us edible foods in the desert, allowed us to taste some, learning medicinal plants, and learning rope making from a Yucca plant.
Learning about various plants that are edible in the desert, tasting them, as well as those plants that are medicinal. We also learned rope making from a Yucca plant.
Wow, Jon is an amazing guide and instructor. We all learned so much from him and had a really wonderful experience. I highly recommend this trip for anyone who visits Tucson.
Highly recommend Jon’s desert tour! Very knowledgeable. Answered all of our questions about the desert.
Jon was very informative and a great conversation! It was very interesting hearing all the different foods that are all around when no one would thing the desert had anything. I recommend this for anyone any age as it is very useful and mind blowing!
What a great tour! When I initially proposed it to my girlfriend and her stepdad they were both skeptical but willing to go because I wanted to. Both of them are city people that don't have much interest in this kind of thing and let me tell you, THEY LOVED IT. We all had so much fun and learned so much. Jon is so knowledgable and funny, there was not a boring moment (which was something that I was worried about for a nature tour). I will say that I did expect to make more things because of what is listed in the description. We didn't make container boxes or the cactus cup in the picture. It could relate to the time of year and what is available.
High recommend! Jon is a fantastic tour guide and is very nice. Learned a lot about the biodiversity in the desert, different foods, and how to start a fire.
John was a remarkable guide—teacher. His knowledge of the Sonoran desert ecosystem was amazing! His method of teaching is quiet and effective. He had so much to show us, and gave us a read grounding in desert botany and how it would save us should we ever get lost on a desert hike.
Excellent ! Alot of activities and good food Alot of history beautiful areas to see and visit. Not overwhelming like other cities I lived in or visited
My husband accompanied our 11 year old grandson on this desert survival tour. I asked our grandson to rate the experience on a scale of 1 to 5 and his answer was SIX. That says it all. My husband said that Jon has a great low key, patient style that connects well with children and the content of the experience was really interesting.
Wonderful enjoyable morning learning about the desert and plants. Jon is super nice and very knowledgeable. This is truly a unique experience. Very fun for all ages, highly recommended!
My husband and I had a fun adventure on Saturday morning conducted by Jon Helleson, commencing from the Sabino Canyon Visitors Center. Jon, who is a dedicated teacher, botanist, and author, shared his passion of plants and survival skills with our small group. During this Covid time, I felt totally safe with everyone wearing masks and keeping their distance. We learned about the various edible plants, their various life-saving uses, and some basic skills to utilize while in the desert. He was very patient in teaching us how to make rope, gather water, and how to make fire with the upmost regard to safety. I would sincerely recommend this adventure to all - solos, couples, family groups.
Well worth your time. Jon is a great instructor, and host. He is very knowledgeable on the plants & techie, that can help you stay a live in the desert. We would recommend to anyone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion with Jon. I'm looking forward to doing this tour with him again in the spring with the change in flora.
What a fantastic time with Jon. We learned about desert edible plants & more. We highly recommend. thanks for the wonderful time.
I learned soo much! Jon made it fun and interesting! There is lots to learn about the desert and Jon is a wealth of knowledge. The walk is very very easy.
I really enjoyed this event! Jon was such a great teacher and so informed. I am so glad I did it. I also enjoyed meeting the others in the class! It’s the perfect way to ‘meet the locals’ when traveling and hope to do another class next time.
I really enjoyed my tour with Jon to the desert. I learned a lot of new skills and the most important how to get water in the desert and what food to eat. The trip was easy, interesting and you have a totally new experience, you practice new skills of survival in the desert. I am very thankful to Jon for that amazing and exciting trip. I would recommend it to any age group.
I am very thankful to Jon for a great time spent in the desert on his tour. I learned a lot and the most important was I learned how to get water and food in the desert. To try new skills: get fire, make a rope, hunt for rabbits was an amazing experience after an easy but interesting walk on a trail in the desert. Jon was very helpful and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend this trip to any age group. You will have a great time in the company of Jon and learn and practice new skills.
We had a ball! My Eskimo wife and two kids (who have all grown up in remote Alaska) loved Jon and the day. It was fascinating to hear his knowledge of the plants and his history. Loved the fact that he’s not an a— kisser and doesn’t attempt to to fawn all over u. You’re there to listen and learn... not to be entertained or complimented. Would love to go spend a week with him ... even my 8-year old keeps asking if we can go back and hike around the desert with Jon (and keep in mind it was raining most of the day and we were soaked)! He’s very patient, soft spoken and an absolute delight to visit. Thanks for the day!
This was a present for our son and his wife who had recently moved from the UK to Tucson. They loved the experience and learnt lots. A great experience for them both
I was there in 2006 & 2008 and plan to return here Sept 2020. This will be a possible place for volunteering or a part time job in retirement.
We met Jon at the trailhead of the hike at the Sonoran Desert. The trail was not too difficult. The desert scenery was beautiful even though it was summer and very hot. Jon is an excellent guide, with desert knowledge that is incredible. We would do this hike again just to listen and learn from him. This was the best part of our vacation.
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