Fixed departures for 2010?

by Gunnar Engblom on November 26, 2009

Social Media for birders - start January 10

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Help me define 2010's birding program.

Marvellous Spatuletail. Photo: Gunnar Engblom

Marvellous Spatuletail. Photo: Gunnar Engblom

What fixed departures shall we offer next year? Traditionally, Kolibri Expeditions have offered trips on request, but I am wanting to set a few fixed departures that people can take for a lower price.

Yesterday I sent our first opt-in regular newsletter. Within this newsletter is an invitation to help us define what trips to offer to a larger public at a better price next year. I am reposting that part of the newsletter here. I am looking forward to your comments.

The rest of the year 2010?

There are still very few departures scheduled for 2010. And in the coming two weeks, we shall start filling the calendar. I would like your help. Are you ready to interact with me? I am playing with the idea of offering some fixed departures for max 10-12 people, with 2 fixed top well prepared guides (not only for birds), fixed (very compatible) price and fixed dates. I know everyone prefers small groups - and most of our trips are like this, but there are advantages being in a larger group. If split between two guides, there be less need to compromise. One part of group can bird from dusk to dawn if they wish, while the other part of the group can take it easier. One part of the group may want to do trails, while the other part do the road. You can not have this flexibility with a small group with only one guide. What do you think?

When and where should the tours go? How long should the programs be? One idea which is already happening is promoting the community lodges in Manu through the blogging tours, but one may also do a longer trip to maximise the yield. There are also the community programs in Central Peru of various lengths (one week or Birding Carpish and Satipo road 18 days). We may also want do offer some more comfortable trips ot Manu and Amigos as well as North Peru.
For Amigos, I am playing with an idea of offering a 14 day workshop at Amigos to learn rain forest species both by sight and ear ending with a BIG DAY attempt - and a go at the world record. Have to break 332 species for the record of one site!

North Peru could have a combined Cactus/Orchid/Butterflies and Birds trip in January-April. Furthermore the lek of Marvelous Spatuletail is active between December and May and can be sample in trips as short as 5 days or 7 days. I am planning one fixed departure to North Peru for June with myself and Santos Montenegro (yes, the Marvelous Spatuletail famed Santos) as guides.

I have a several other trips piled up that need to enter the web-page and the calendar - work for the coming two weeks. Several trips in Asia with Ashley Banwell, a trip to Guyana/Suriname/Roraima in SE Venezuela and possibly trips to Bolivia, Colombia and NE Brazil as there are already requests for these areas.
Please comment below

Gunnar

Tagged as: birding toursm, fixed departures, Kolibri Expeditions

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  • Jeff
    There is a part on the Guyana/Roraima/Suriname trip in which you can exchange the Roraima trek to an Escalera trip if you prefer. I shall be working in pricing this trip the comin g week. Dates are suggested dates, but can somewhat be adapted
  • I would like to see a group trip going up La Escalera to the tepui area in Venezuela.
  • Kevin

    That certainly is a way of doing it. I usually help out independant birders the best way I can. We can often rent a supply a vehicle with or without a driver, book hotels, flighs, boats and trains. And we supply birding info.
    I used to advertise this type of set-up as well, but I don't anymore, because I have gotten requests from people who would have been far better off in a group with a guide.
    Since, I don't actively promote this kind of birding, but as I said we can certainly be of help for independant birders. Just let me know!
  • Hey Gunnar, Thanks for the chance to provide some feedback. The two of us at Bird Explorers have never been on a formal bird tour. We do not like things organised, but like the thrill of exploring and finding things by ourselves very organically. Very occasionally we use local guides to find and photograph very difficult birds. We like to fly in and (1) rent a vehicle/boat and be on our way or (2) be driven to a base camp from which we walk around the area, (3) do a longer walking/boating expedition with porters for the gear. For people like us, it would be great for bird tour companies to provide a do-your-own-thing option (like some are starting to do) where we say where we want to go and what we want to do, and the bird tour company organises things like (1) rental vehicles and boats (2) permissions for protected areas (3) local porters/guides (4) literature on key birds/areas; (5) perhaps a few hours of induction/orientation at the beginning and (6) other general logistics, but let's the birders take it all from there. I think this would be an ideal offering that would be taken up by lots of independent birds travelling by themselves or in groups of 2-4. Anyway that is my 2 pence worth. ---Kevin
    .-= Bird Explorers´s last blog ..Missing John Denver =-.
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