Grande Lakes Orlando adds falconry to outdoor sports offerings

Grande Lakes Orlando, which is made up of The Ritz-Carlton and JW Mariott Orlando, has announced a new addition to their sports offerings – Falconry.

The ancient sport focuses on the pursuit of wild game by flying a trained bird of prey. Resort guests can now experience this for themselves, choosing from two different Falconry programs:

• Falconry School – an introduction to the sport, where guests can learn about its history, rules, traditional and modern equipment, species identification, training, biology, and historical applications. This program includes light audience interaction and participants can hold the birds and take photos. These classes last about one hour depending on the size of the group. Pricing is $250 per person for up to 5 people, and $1,500 for groups of 6-50 people.
• Walk with a Hawk – this class begins with a short introduction to falconry followed by bird interactions. The birds will follow attendees in the trees and then fly down when called. Because this experience is a bit more intimate, it is limited to smaller groups or individuals – but offers lots of photo and video moments as guests try their hand at being the Falconer. The activity lasts about an hour and a half, depending on group size, and is priced at $300 per person.

“We’re thrilled to take our Grande Lakes Sports hub to the next echelon of guest experiences through the addition of Falconry,” said Jon McGavin, area general manager for Grande Lakes Orlando. “Falconry has a storied history, and our vast landscape lends itself perfectly to its storytelling through engaging and immersive offerings.”

Terry Arndt, Master Falconer, will lead Falconry School. He is the only instructor in the state of Florida with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Falconry Education permit.

To book a Falconry or other Grande Lakes Sports experience for yourself, call (407) 393-4531, or visit GrandeLakes.com.