Led by wildlife ecologist Captain Zach Steinhauser, Carolina Safari Co. turns the wild heart of the Carolinas into your personal playground. From cruising Lake Murray beneath swirling clouds of Purple Martins to tracking strand-fe...
Led by wildlife ecologist Captain Zach Steinhauser, Carolina Safari Co. turns the wild heart of the Carolinas into your personal playground. From cruising Lake Murray beneath swirling clouds of Purple Martins to tracking strand-fe...
Captain Zach brings genuine expertise to every tour, and that's what travelers rave about most. He's not just steering the boat—he's an experienced naturalist who can spot camouflaged hellbenders, identify distant birds, and share fascinating details about South Carolina's ecosystems. The Purple Martin tours at Lake Murray's Bomb Island are particularly popular, where thousands of birds converge at dusk in a spectacle guests describe as almost magical. His dolphin strand feeding tours on Kiawah Island offer another unique wildlife experience. Small group sizes (typically six people) keep things intimate and conversational, and his comfortable pontoon boat gets consistent praise. Guests appreciate how Zach tailors experiences to the season and specific wildlife events, making each tour feel special rather than generic. He's patient with questions, skilled at navigating around other boaters, and adds value by pointing out eagles, ospreys, and other wildlife beyond the main attraction. One reviewer noted a late start and some wetsuit sizing issues on a hellbender trip, causing minor scheduling stress, but that stands out as an isolated incident. Overall, travelers—from newcomers to South Carolina to repeat customers—say Zach's tours deliver educational, well-organized adventures that showcase the region's natural beauty in memorable ways.
If I could give this excursion 100 more stars I would. I went on the Lake Murray Loon Tour with some fellow birders after going on Captain Zach's Purple Martin tour last year. He has a wealth of knowledge about the birds we were all there specifically to see, obviously, but that's not what sends me over to google to write a review. It's the above and beyond that gets you to pull out your computer at 6pm when you've clocked out. Captain Zach seems to know just about everything you could ask him about on that boat, and that's just great. The 'above and beyond' I'm talking about is Captain Zach overhearing one of our members had never seen a bald eagle in person, and going out of his way to make sure that person saw a bald eagle that day. Let me tell you something. We saw the heck out of some loons. I mean we must have seen 80 loons, all gussied up in full breeding dress. The man delivered the loons. He did not have to find this guest a bald eagle. That kind of dedication to customer service, the ease of making us all feel like we were on some kind of loon/eagle safari, the comfort of being on a boat tour with someone who is an absolute stranger, but feels like he could have gone to high school with me, THAT is why I'm finishing up this review at midnight several days later. Do this boat tour. I'm not saying it's life changing, although the more I think about it we all got lifers that day. What I am saying Captain Zach is a knowledgeable professional serving the kind of personal detail to a boat tour it's getting harder and harder to find these days.
Kathleen Gilbert
April 11, 2026
If I could give this excursion 100 more stars I would. I went on the Lake Murray Loon Tour with some fellow birders after going on Captain Zach's Purple Martin tour last year. He has a wealth of knowledge about the birds we were all there specifically to see, obviously, but that's not what sends me over to google to write a review. It's the above and beyond that gets you to pull out your computer at 6pm when you've clocked out. Captain Zach seems to know just about everything you could ask him about on that boat, and that's just great. The 'above and beyond' I'm talking about is Captain Zach overhearing one of our members had never seen a bald eagle in person, and going out of his way to make sure that person saw a bald eagle that day. Let me tell you something. We saw the heck out of some loons. I mean we must have seen 80 loons, all gussied up in full breeding dress. The man delivered the loons. He did not have to find this guest a bald eagle. That kind of dedication to customer service, the ease of making us all feel like we were on some kind of loon/eagle safari, the comfort of being on a boat tour with someone who is an absolute stranger, but feels like he could have gone to high school with me, THAT is why I'm finishing up this review at midnight several days later. Do this boat tour. I'm not saying it's life changing, although the more I think about it we all got lifers that day. What I am saying Captain Zach is a knowledgeable professional serving the kind of personal detail to a boat tour it's getting harder and harder to find these days.
Kathleen Gilbert
April 11, 2026