Quick Details
Firefly viewings guaranteed all nights, at $145/ticket during the following evenings: May 30, May 31, June 1, (not June 2), June 3, June 4, June 5
Tour location and time: Tours depart at 8:30 pm from a grocery store located 40 minutes from downtown Asheville. Location will be provided once booking. We drive individually (not as a group) an additional 25 minutes to the secret viewing location.
How to Book: Each guest may book only 1 Firefly Tour ticket, so that each person can answer a series of questions required before joining this special tour.
Best viewing: Firefly viewings are similar each night, which is reflected by the price being the same across all nights.
Transportation: Transportation to the Firefly Tour location is not included.
Restrooms: Restrooms are available at the meeting location.
Ages: 14+ years old age requirement. We are not permitted to take younger kids on this tour due to safety and conservation issues.
Difficulty: “Easy” night hike in dark woods, 1 mile long with numerous stumps, roots and stairs we carefully navigate with red flashlights. We cannot accommodate guests with vertigo issues, injuries, or other health issues for this remote, nighttime tour. A moderate level of fitness is required. For those with vertigo: Dramamine may be recommended, but please consult your physician.
Should I bring a chair? No, please do not bring a chair. We do not sit in chairs for this tour but rather appreciate the fireflies while quietly standing on the trail.
What to wear: Please do not wear sandals, permeable shoes or white shoes. The trail often has mud and mud puddles difficult to see at night. Dress for a true hike deep into the forest. Pants and close-toed shoes required for safety! Jacket and raincoat recommended.
What’s provided: Red flashlights.
Cameras: Photography and videography is not allowed on these tours. Any small light or flash disturbs the fireflies.
Cancellation policy: Guests must cancel a tour at least two weeks BEFORE the tour date, in order to receive a full refund. Firefly Tours may be cancelled by the operator the morning of the tour in case of a high percent chance of rain, unusually cold weather or several days of storms leading up to the tour. In case a Firefly Tour is cancelled due to inclement weather, tickets will be fully refunded.
Please note that 50% of the proceeds from our Firefly Experiences goes back to Pisgah National Forest, to cover our yearly permitting costs. Your ecotourism dollars help the management of our National Forests.
“A truly magical tour with an outstanding guide! We saw an incredible number of fireflies in a dazzling display of nature. Our guide, Jenny, was a naturalist rock star – she taught us to appreciate our surroundings and to strive to preserve the fragile natural world. The hike was thoughtfully conducted for access in the dark. My husband said the tour made him feel like a kid again. I recommend this tour company to all ages and all skill levels. We will definitely use them again.” – TripAdvisor Review from Previous Firefly Tour Guest
“This tour is a must if you’re here during the two weeks the magic happens, and Asheville Hiking [Tours] is the one to make it happen. Their knowledge is so deep you have the highest chance of seeing the Blue Ghosts and learning the most, too.” – TripAdvisor Review from Previous Firefly Tour Guest
“This amazing ecotour to see the elusive Blue Ghost Fireflies far surpassed my expectations. [Our guides] truly care so much about protecting these precious creatures…they gave us special red flashlights that don’t interfere with the delicate fireflies mating rituals. We were introduced to the special world these fantastic beetles inhabit. We heard several species of frogs, Chuck will’s widow, and of course the fireflies. As an added bonus we also saw the synchronous variety of fireflies. I cannot recommend this tour enough.” – TripAdvisor Review from Previous Firefly Tour Guest