|
It is always a difficult task to select an operator for your birdwatching holiday. Kolibri Expeditions grew up from arranging birding trips in the most remote areas in Peru. We were birding in Peru in areas where nobody went. In these places there was a constant lack of commodities and the lodging was at the most basic. It is natural that the there has been once in a while people that were not really up to these conditions, and therefore some people could tell you that Kolibri Expeditions are not worthy of your consideration. We want everyone to seriously consider our services, and we will prove anybody who recommends against us wrong, as we have done time and time again.... see the comments below.
You will first have to decide what kind of birding holiday you want. If you want all comfort and everything “on rail” and hassle-free, then you should have a look at our Marvelous Spatuletail Tours program.
If you don’t mind roughing it, camping a few days, and to do most it takes to get your target species then the Kolibri Expedition programs are what you need.
If you are somewhere in between, and your budget does not allow the MST program, contact us, tell us what you need and what you expect and we will advise you. You can for instance, make a couple of hotel downgrades on your MST program, or a couple of hotel upgrades on your Kolibri program to suit your needs.
If you consider us, you know that we are experts in handling the toughest situations and the most demanding clients. A client can be demanding for comfort or demanding for the species he/she wants to see, and sometimes even both. No matter what we can handle it.
Below are some of the many good comments about us. We hope to add your name to this list after your trip.
Positive comments from previous clients:
|
| 10/5/2006 |
|
Bonjour Gunnar,
Nous vous adressons ce petit mot pour vous remercier des excellents services que votre entreprise nous a offerts lors de notre virée au Pérou du 8 au 11 septembre. Nous avons grandement apprécié le professionnalisme et la compétence de vos guides Fabrice et Julio. Tout a été parfait : le transport, la nourriture, l’assiduité et, par surcroît, la gentillesse de ces deux personnes. Julio possède une grande maîtrise de la conduite automobile qui nous a impressionné, nous nous sommes toujours sentis en toute sécurité. Quant à Fabrice, autant ses connaissances spécifiques en ornithologie que celles plus générales sur l’Amérique du Sud ont été d’un grand intérêt et ont suscité des échanges des plus instructifs.
Ces deux personnes sont un apport important au succès de votre entreprise.
Lors d’un prochain voyage en Amazonie, nous solliciterons à nouveau vos services.
Nous n’hésiterons pas à référer votre entreprise à nos amis ornithologues ainsi qu’à d’autres personnes qui projetteraient de se rendre au Pérou.
Nos salutations.
Francine Lachance et Pierre Otis
Québec (Canada)
|
| |
|
| 4/12/2006 |
|
Hej "Guran"
Vill bara passa paa att tacka för senast (Uffe karlssons expedition okt-nov 05)
En mycket givande o välorganiserad tripp!
Ola Joernstedt
PS Utmärkt att du verkar för naturvården i sydamerika!
|
| |
|
| 3/23/2006 |
|
Excellent newsletter.Thanks for sending it to me.
Very best wishes,
Dave Odell
UK |
| |
|
| 12/7/2005 |
|
Hi Gunnar,
Well I am back home now and settled back into the routine.
I am still enjoying the afterglow of my trip to Peru, all the great birds,
sights, and experiences it was really a great trip.
according to my list
the group composite was 489, and i sure I am missing some of the birds seen
by others on the days the group split
my totals seen and heard for the Satipo Rd, the Marshes before the bus trip,
the pelagic trip, and Lomas de Lachay is 455 species totally more than
expected. I am still sorting to find out how many were new but over 50% i
believe.
Hummingbirds 34 species
Tanagers (tanagres, Euphonias, Honeycreepers, etc.) 57 species
so not to bad a trip list.
Overall the trip was excellant.
It moved at a rapid pace, and I would have enjoyed more "birding" time in
some areas. I realize the need to have a schedule, and the area covered in
the time we had made for some longish, and fast paced travel.
I loved the camping and food and other members of the team. Please say hi to
Fabrice, Julio, Richard Etc.
You are a good birder and the information you are gathering on Peru's birds
is great, but you may need to keep in mind that the members of the group are
here to see birds, ..........all the birds,and with a satifactory look if
possible, Rare or unusual birds are great but any new bird I have not seen
before is something special to me. I may not ever get to see one again or be
in Peru again.
So a balance needs to be found in looking for rare/new/or out of range birds
with the "common and easy" birds. I know we pick up alot along the way as we
run into these more common species enroute but sometimes we do not so a
quick look is not hurtful to the schedule if possible to stop.
I will be back for more Kolibri trips and have told all my friends about the
Satipo Rd and its birds and scenerey.
Let me know when you are ready to start your lodges or need investors or
marketing in N.America. I can send down hummingbird feeders when you need
them.
Hope all is well with you in Lima,
I loved the Hotel Senorial, and the Hostel de Artes. would have liked to
stay at both longer.
loved shopping at the shop on the beach, mall area. very nice great food and
wine for dinner twice!!
Naturetrek Satipo road November 2005
Don Kienholz
Minnesota
|
| |
|
| 10/24/2005 |
|
Hi Gunnar:
Just into editing my DVD of the trip and realizing how super it was. Many thanks for helping us see so many birds (over 700) and for many other wonderful experiences. I’ll send a copy of the movie when it is finished.
Manu Road September 2005
Jack Hanna
Canada |
| |
|
| 10/20/2005 |
|
Hi Gunnar
I would like to thank you on behalf of the group for the great time we had in Peru on our recent visit. Please pass on our thanks to all the members of your team. To yourself, Juan Jose, Alex, Roger, Fabrice, the day 1 guide, Julio, the boat crew, the staff at the lodges, Jorge and probably others that I have forgotten or who I never met thank you for a great birding adventure.
I appeciate you finding us Fabice for the final three days, .....
The group total was just over 700 species and personally about half were life birds. I'll send you a copy of our trip report when it is completed.
Manu road September 2005
Bob Stamp
Canada
|
| |
|
| 8/18/2005 |
|
Hola Gunnar, todo ha salido muy bien....hemos disfrutado un monton. Vimos las colpas perfectamente y el Formicarius rufifrons.
Antonio Coral es un grandisimo profesional. Espero verte pronto. Un fuerte abrazo
Tambopata August 2005
Pablo Xandri Royo
España
|
| |
|
| 3/30/2005 |
|
Hi Gunnar,
Back in Toronto. Just wanted to thank you for all your hard work on the trip. Had a great time...and am already hoping to return sometime soon! Will be in touch soon with a trip report.
Expedition Birding in Central Peru March 18-28, 2005
David Beadle
Toronto
Canada |
| |
|
| 3/15/2005 |
|
Very pleased......More than we expected....!!!
Central Peru - March 2005
Diederik Kok,
Holland |
| |
|
| 6/8/2004 |
|
Was a great trip, so thanks for the leading of it and the organising - please pass on our very grateful thanks to Renzo, who was a total star - I dont think "Thanks very much" as we left him on the boat translated as to how much we appreciated his workload on our behalf.
Our reckoning currently gives us 204 species +/-, not including the albatross, and of those, around 81 life birds, more than we anticpated and mute testimony to a marvellous trip. Thanks again, hope all goes well with the two sets of three that are still hard at it out there somewhere!
Steve and Marion Barlow
UK
|
| |
|
| 4/22/2004 |
|
Hi Gunnar and staff,
We thoroughly enjoyed our Machu Picchu visit and day trips from Lima with your organization. Although we had recently visited nearby Ecuador, we were surprised that we saw 217 total species in 6 days of which 160 were life birds for us. In fact the Peruvian Thick-knee was our 1000th life bird. We enjoyed your balance of rugged birding outings and comfortable accommodations. Hope we can join you on a future tour.
Dave and Vicki Menzies
Santa Barbara, California |
| |
|
| 4/2/2004 |
|
|
Gunnar/Jorge,
See
http://www.naturetrek.co.uk/bargain-americas-tour.asp?TourID=195
for the great comments that we´ve had .... (on these
trips)....
Have a good weekend
cheers
Andy Tucker
Naturetrek
UK
|
| |
|
| 1/26/2004 |
|
Hello Gunnar
Remember me from Dale Herter´s group? I´d like to thank you again for an excellent trip- not sure if anyone told you but the group had over 600 species total- I had about 578 with 474 new.
Alan J. Knue
Seattle, Washington |
| |
|
| 10/5/2003 |
|
Hi Gunnar,
To begin, thanks very much for organising a great pelagic trip and two very enjoyable days birding around Lima. Your guides were very nice people indeed and I would like you to thank them for me.
Bob Flood,
Scilly, UK |
| |
|
| 12/17/2002 |
|
I do remember with great pleasure a trip made with yourselves last year to the Santa Eulalia Valley; and I am looking forward to going out on other such days soon.
Rosemary Underhay
Lima, Peru |
| |
|
| 12/15/2002 |
|
Gunnar,
......I enjoyed the trip and your leadership. The birds, people, food, scenery and accommodataions were all wonderful. I still see the Sword-billed Hummer in my dreams.
Jerry Theis
Phoenix, Arizona
|
| |
|
| 5/2/2002 |
|
Many thanks again for a memorable trip.
Gill and John Scholey
UK |
| |
|
| 4/8/2002 |
|
I did have an excellect trip to San Pedro de Castas with Alejandro and the driver.............
I enjoyed the trip,Alejandro and the driver were very helpful.I did have success with
the Aplomado Falcon.I have some great shots of this beautiful and rather
tame bird. ...............
I dont have any definate dates for my next return trip to Peru,but I will be
there within one year. I will be returning to photograph more of the cotinga
family. I will recommend your services to my friends in the future. ............
sincerely
Steve Ferris |
| |
|
| 2/17/2002 |
|
Dear Gunnar,
Your lecture at Linnaean was a great success. I heard
several people comment along the lines that it was the
best program in years, which it surely was. I hope
that you and your wife had a pleasant journey around
the US.
Unfortunately, flu was going around when you were in
New York and quite a few regulars were absent,
including most of those who have been to Peru or who
probably would be interested in going to Peru. (A
friend in the midwest said that he was thinking about
a Peru trip later this year, so I directed him to your
website.)
The BirdingPeru Yahoo group is proving to be a
valuable resource. Some of the regular contributors
posted much less frequntly to Neoorn-l.
Cheers,
John Wall
Wordtwitch. New York
http://worldtwitch.com |
| |
|
| 11/15/2001 |
|
Hjertelig takk for at du møtte oss på flyplassen og kjørte oss dit igjen ved avreisen. Det var spesielt hyggelig å hilse på din sjarmerende frue, og vi forstår nå hva som var drivkraften på din lange nattlige vandring! Hils henne så mye fra oss.
Vi har vel ennå ikke helt oppfattet hva vi opplevde i Peru; det tar tid å fordøye så mange hendelser. Vi trenger å se grundig både på video og fotos, som ennå ikke er ferdige. Men minnene om slit, varme og mygg begynner å endre seg, for etterhvert å overskygges av hyggeligere ting, spesielt vår kontakt med folk underveis.
Vennligst hils Alejandro fra oss, vi satte stor pris på å ha ham som leder.
Petter and Astrid Kornberg
Norway |
| |
|
| 10/30/2001 |
|
I had a very enjoyable trip and saw some great birds (Great Inca-Finch, Rufous-breasted W-F, White-cheeked Cotinga, Stripe-headed Antpitta, DSP, Black-br Hillstar, Bronze-tailed Comet etc).
Phillip Rostron
UK
|
| |
|
| 9/15/2001 |
|
Personally, I saw close to 300 life birds (I was expecting only 200 or so, since I´ve been to Ecuador twice). In total, I´m fairly confident that the group saw well over 500 and possibly over 600 total species (including birds heard).
Just a few of the trip highlights:
- numerous albatrosses (4 species for me) on the July 14 pelagic
- Humboldt Penguin (two of them) on July 13
- Andean Condor flying relatively close overhead at Marcapomacocha on August 3
- Undulated Tinamou (my first identified SEEN tinamou)
- Diademed Sandpiper-Plover & White-bellied Cinclodes on August 3
- numerous macaws (4 species for me; others seen but not conclusively id´d by me)
- Great Potoo at Amazonia Lodge on July 25 (my first potoo)
- hummers (I could go on and on, but you know what I mean)
- barbets (4 species of one of my favorite groups)
- Cream-colored Woodpecker (to compensate, ahem, for my dip on Rufous-headed Woodpecker)
- antbirds, antwrens, antpittas, and ... ants (although the ant that stung me along the Mirador Trail Death March at Pantiacolla Lodge on July 22 qualifies as a lowlight)
- Masked Fruiteater (male and female) at Aguas Calientes on August 1
- Inca Wren (stunning!) at close range in the ruins of Machu Picchu on August 1
- manakins (6 species) - a lot of work but worth it
- tyrant flycatchers (incredible numbers and diversity)
- Black-capped Donacobius at Amazonia Lodge on July 24 (yeah, it´s common, but I´ve always wanted to see one)
- Hoatzin (same place as Donacobius) - great views of a truly weird bird
- Buckley´s Forest-Falcon (in the scope!) at Pantiacolla Lodge on July 20
- Gray-bellied Goshawk (immature in the scope!) at Pantiacolla Lodge on July 21
- pair of Solitary Eagles gliding past us near Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge on July 17
Eric Shaw
Talahassee, Fl |
| |
|
| 9/14/2001 |
|
As for the Cushabitay trip, it was excellent, including all the adventure. It was truly an experience we will never forget and we thank you for the opportunity. Alejandro was very helpful and we enjoyed his company. Thanks for all .
Tom and Casey Rodhouse
Oregon |
| |
|
| 6/1/2001 |
|
Last July I did a spectacular 3-week trip to central and northern Peru with Gunnar Engblom / Kolibri Expeditions; Gunnar himself guided the Carpish mountain trip. We saw most of the target birds - Whitebellied Cinclodes, Diademed Sandpiper Plover, Goldenbacked Mountain-Tanager, Pardusco and later Orangebreasted Tanager, Whitewinged Guan, etc. Gunnar cared and worried about his clients and all arrangements with local guides worked out perfectly. Yet there was nothing routine about this trip. Gunnar is untiring, enthusiastic and committed to conservation of Andean birds - an entertaining travel companion simply because he knows so much local stuff.
But aside from making sure we saw the birds - just getting around without getting lost, on roads which would kill your SUV, would have been utterly impossible without him and his resourceful team.
I haven´t read the criticism in question. I don´t think I ever got a better deal. Mostly I wondered how Gunnar could break even. The dishonesty charge is ridiculous.
Trips have their ups and downs. The mountain areas are often remote, often cold at night, rainy; you can´t expect a hot shower every day. Cars can break down. If you can put up with occasional discomfort you will have a great trip.
Fritz Mueller
New York City, US
|
| |
|
| 3/22/2001 |
|
Gunnar....
I enjoyed birding with you .........Congratulations on re-finding the Tinamou. What a spectacular find! I saw the message on BirdChat. I also saw the message about the October one-day record event. It sounds very exciting.
Scott Finnet
Herndon, VA |
| |
|
| 2/27/2001 |
|
Gunnar,
Thank you very much for our brief but pleasant and productive trip to Pantanos de Villa last Wednesday, and for the detailed trip list. We enjoyed the afternoon, and we appreciated your skill in finding and pointing out so many good birds. The next time we are in Lima we will definitely reserve more time for birding with you. Best of luck in your attempt to break the 400 mark in your Big Day.
David F. Smith.
North Carolina, USA |
| |
|
| 11/9/2000 |
|
Dear Gunnar,
First, I would like to say that the trip to Marcapomacocha last September was fabulous. It would have been wonderful even if not a single bird had been seen. That´s how spectacular the paisaje seemed to me. But the birds were in fact plantiful. ... So I do thank you for having arranged a wonderful birding and traveling experience.
Shane Hunt
Boston
|
| |
|
| 11/1/2000 |
|
Gunnar...you are a very hard worker. You really get out there and beat the bushes and are always trying to get the birds. Your enthusiasm is real and it is a pleasure to watch your enjoyment of the task at hand. I think that there are times when you forget that what you are doing is a job. That´s very good. Also, you are a very pleasant and likable person. That´s good, too.
David Narins
Florida
|
| |
|
| 9/17/2000 |
|
Thanks also for your services on our recent trip. A fanastic trip. Peru is a wonderful country and great birding area. Little traffic and easy to bird compared to such places as Henri Pittier in Venezuela. Hope I will be able to return to both bird and see more of the Inca sites.
David Lange
Boston, Massachussets
|
| |
|
| 9/7/2000 |
|
Hi Gunnar,
what a spectacular trip it was! Thank you. Especially after being back in
Manhattan it seems unreal. -
...the last day with Goyo (to Lomas de Lachay) was worth it, the least seedsnipe and the dotterel. ...........What sticks most to me though is B.Unchog.
Fritz Müller
New York City.
|
| |
|
| 9/3/2000 |
|
Dear Gunnar,
I got back to my house late on the 23rd. I was exhausted! It was a long day of travel and a long trip in Peru with over 24 days of birding. One of the highlites of my time in Peru was the 3 day trip that I took with you and Simon. I saw over 50 life birds in those days; some of them were endemics or otherwise rare(the Shrike-Tyrants; White-cheeked Cotinga; etc.) but all of them were interesting. I particularly remember watching 2 Giant Coot building a nest and the graceful flight of Condors. The scenary was also beautiful.....
......Finally, I want to thank you for arranging this trip for me. It worked out great in many ways. Fortunately I did adapt to the altitude while I was in the Cusco area and was able to sleep quite well on the nights prior to meeting you in Lima. As a result I had the energy to really enjoy your 3 day tour.
Good birding,
Peter Coburn
USA
|
| |
|
| 8/8/2000 |
|
Gunnar.
La excursión salió muy bien y yo quedé contentísimo
Josep del Hoyo. Barcelona. Spain
Editor of Handbook of the Birds of the World
|
| |
|
| 5/20/1999 |
|
Here the promised short note with the results: 419 species (at least) of wich 249 were lifers and 46 were endemics. Not too bad huh?
Pierre van der Wielen - after the Kalinowski Tinamou rediscovery and Central Peru recce.
Netherlands |
| |
Kolibri Expeditions
www.kolibriexpeditions.com
E-mail to: kolibriexp@gmail.com for more information
|
