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Olympic Peninsula and Eastern Washington
On the far western shores of Washington State the land rises up from the ocean floor and ascends to the top of the highest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range: Mount Rainier at 14,411 feet. Washington is located on the edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to eleven volcanoes. The last volcano to erupt in Washington was Mount St. Helen in 2008 which was a small eruption compared to the massive 1980 eruption. Of the eleven volcanoes, only four are considered extinct and many have been active within the last 150 years.

For thousands of years the land of the Pacific Northwest lay dormant under massive ice sheets that flowed down from the north; pressing and scraping the land, these ice sheets sculpted and created the terrain we know today. In most areas the ice was 3,000 feet thick, but in some areas it was twice as thick. As the glaciers melted and exposed the earth, life quickly moved in, colonized and created habitats that evolved and followed the receding edge of the ice. The flora and fauna learned to adapt and survive as life slowly moved up to higher elevations. Today you can find amazing life of all kinds from seashore to mountain top.

Does it rain in Washington? Ah, well, yes and no. If you focus on eastern Washington you would say no, there are many parts of Washington that average less than 10 inches of rain a year and some only 7.5 inches (even Tucson, Arizona gets 12 inches of rain a year!). Western Washington is famous for rain, especially the Olympic Peninsula. Towns like Forks and south to Lake Quinault and Aberdeen average 12 - 13 feet a year, with records up to 15 feet and even more at higher elevations in the wilderness.

Because of such great variations of elevation and rainfall, Washington has numerous life zones and an abundance of habitats with micro habitats: Alpine, Sub-Alpine, Montane, Temperate Rainforest, Oceanic and Riparian in the west and Eastern Washington habitats include arid and desert zones, wetlands, lakes, scrub lands and the massive Columbia River Valley.

And what does this all mean? Bio-Diversity! Here are the stats: 515 species of birds, 140 mammals, 25 amphibians, 28 reptiles, more than 2,000 moths and butterflies, nearly 500 freshwater and marine fishes and 3,100 plant species (not including mosses, lichens, liverworts and fungi) and over 20,000 invertebrates.

Now is the time to to visit beautiful and diverse Washington and see what you can find!
Glaciers, Volcanoes and the Alpine
Arid and Desert Habitats
Pacific Coast and Marine Life
Temperate Rainforest
The Olympic Peninsula Tour
Next Tour: June 6 - 10, 2022, 3 spots left
5-Day Tour with Hotels
The 5-day tour starts with pick-up at the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, which is easily accessible from the Seattle. From there the tour will travel the entire 350 mile loop of the Olympic Peninsula Highway stopping at all significant wildlife sites including Olympic National Park.

To view a Photo Album from a photographer who was on the Eastern Washington Tour, 
Click here: Ersten Imaoka’s Photo Album (opens new page)
Eastern Washington Diversity Tour
8-Day Tour with Cabins
Tour starts in the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula and down the Pacific Coast. From the coast we travel east along the Columbia River and cross the Cascades just south of Mount Rainier. In eastern Washington, visiting sites along the Columbia River Basin. From the rainforest to arid eastern Washington, on this tour you will experience the bio-diversity of Washington state and visit habitats and life zones as diverse as the lowland rainforest, pacific coast, inland lakes, alpine, estuaries and river sloughs.

 Next Tour: June 25 - July 2, 2022, 4 spots left

8-Day Tour with Car Camping
Tour starts with pick-up at the Bainbridge ferry terminal across from Seattle and ends at the Bremerton ferry on your way back to Seattle. You can choose lodging in cabins or tent camping at state parks with nice facilities. Camping is always best because you will be closer to nature. Our tents are very comfortable with lots of thick floor mats and bedding. You will see more birds and wildlife if you choose camping. Web Link
Olympic National Park Fun
Backpacking
Backpacking season starts early in Olympic National Park. There will be snow at higher elevations through early summer, but at sea-level the temperatures stay moderate and starting in March there are many great locations available for over-night trips. Check our website for a list of camping locations for any season.


Nature Tours
Winter and spring are the best time of year for birding on the Olympic Peninsula with over 300 different species of birds identified on the peninsula and over 500 in Washington state.

Hiking
Olympic National Park has over 600 miles of maintained trails and nearly 70 miles of stunning Pacific Coastline. Choose your hike and habitat; rainforest, mountains or coastal routes.
Come see the Big and Beautiful Trees!
International Travel Schedule
2022
Iceland Northeast Tour: Birds and Waterfalls (11 days) May 21 - 31, $4,350, 2 spots left
Santa Fe Opera Festival and New Mexico Birding (7 days) Aug 7 – 13, $4,650
Panama Bocas del Toro: Birds, Frogs and Snorkeling (8 days) October 22 - 29, $4,350
Panama Gamboa: Birding Pipeline Road (7 days) November 1 - 7, $3,650
Panama Chiriquí Cloud Forest (10 days) November 10 - 19, $4,750
Colombia Andes Birding (10 - 16 days) Nov. 28 - Dec. 13, starting at $4,635
Stockholm Christmas, Winter Birding, Glögg and Julbord (8 days) Dec 20 – 27, $3,850
Reykjavík, Iceland New Year's Eve (7 days) Dec 30 - Jan 5, $3,750

2023
Argentina Birding, Butterflies, Waterfalls and Tango! (10 days) Jan 12 – 21, $4,750
Panama Gamboa: Birding Pipeline Road (7 days) Jan 26 - Feb 1, $3,650
Panama Gamboa, The Darien, and Harpy Eagles, (12 days) Jan 26 - Feb 6, $4,850
Panama The Darien and Harpy Eagles, Jan 31 - Feb 6, $3,850
Colombia Amazing Amazon Birding (10 - 16 days) Feb 12 - 27, starting at $4,250
Taiwan Birding and Culture Tour (10 days) March 15 – 24 $4,350
Taiwan Taroko Gorge, Birding and Sightseeing (5 days) March 24 – 28, $1,370
Santa Fe Opera Festival and New Mexico Birding (7 days) mid August
Panama Bocas del Toro: Birds, Frogs and Snorkeling (8 days) October 22 - 29, $4,350
Panama Gamboa: Birding Pipeline Road (7 days) November 1 - 7, $3,650
Panama Chiriquí Cloud Forest (10 days) November 10 - 19, $4,750
Colombia Andes Birding (10 - 16 days) Nov. 28 - Dec. 13, starting at $4,635
Stockholm Christmas, Winter Birding, Glögg and Julbord (8 days) Dec 20 – 27, $3,850
Reykjavík, Iceland New Year's Eve (7 days) Dec 30 - Jan 5, $3,750
Check our website for dates, details and pricing
Call us at 970-556-6103
email: KaiyoteTours@gmail.com
Your Dedicated Guides
Kaiyote & Ed
Photo: Here we are at Damai Beach, Sarawak Borneo Malaysia. We look forward to meeting and showing you all the great birds and wildlife and adventures that can be found around the world, the United States and in Washington state. Call us anytime! See you soon!
Kaiyote Tours www.KaiyoteTours.com +1 970-556-6103