Sonoran Desert- Wild Foods and Traditional Skills

Overview

2 hours

Mobile ticket

Have a whole bunch of fun, and come home with awesome memories on this evening venture into the Sonoran Desert!

Enjoy sampling delicious wild edibles, learn about our unique desert animals, and even learn some traditional survival skills- like making fire using a friction set!

Want to customize your adventure? No problem! Contact me and we'll create your ideal adventure!

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Sample delicious wild foods, and learn traditional desert survival skills during this exciting evening 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.

What‘s Included

Activity Guide

Options

Sonoran Desert- Wild Foods and Traditional Skills

Reviews

5.00

31 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Desert Survival -Dining off the land
Michael L,,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
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
Desert Survival Skills with Jon
748debv,,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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.
Beyond expectations and worthwhile
k2cats01,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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.
Fun and easy field trip for all.
T8519MEroberts,,Jan 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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.
Experience counts and Jon has plenty to share.
Dawn W,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
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.
Knowledgeable and engaging
89reneec,,Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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.
Love Tucson
bww649,,Aug 10, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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...
Tom M,,Mar 21, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Nice experience for myself and 8 year old granddaughter. Jon was enthusiastic and communicated in a manner that was suitable for both of us.
Desert foods
Escape00094066029,,Mar 19, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
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.
Dessert foods
DeVere B,,Mar 19, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
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.