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International birding tours (1 Viewer)

Jose Ramon

Well-known member
Hi all,

My name is Jose Martin from Madrid (Spain).

I am planning to resume international birding tours and I would like to know if anybody is interested in joining them.

Please, take into account that most countries ask for a three dose vaccination.

The tours will be fully guided with a local guide in affordable hotels in order to get a budget tour.

I have already organized tours with people in Birdforum to Venezuela, Costa Rica and Cameroon.

The best dates for me in 2022 are:

Eastern holidays (in Spain from 11-18 April) but I could expand them a few days after and before.

First half of July: 1 -17 July

Second half of September: 16 September – 2 October

About the destinations I have different options but any new suggestion is welcome.

For Eastern holidays maybe Cuba, Puerto Rico or both of them could be a good option. If anybody is interested please hurry up as we have only one month to organize the tour.

Regarding July, maybe Central Colombia coud be an option.

September could be fine for Sulawesi (Indonesia) but Australia (SW and NE, I have already been to SE Australia) or New Caledonia and Fiji could be other options.

If any of you are interested, please send me a DM.
 
Hi all,

My name is Jose Martin from Madrid (Spain).

I am planning to resume international birding tours and I would like to know if anybody is interested in joining them.

Please, take into account that most countries ask for a three dose vaccination.

The tours will be fully guided with a local guide in affordable hotels in order to get a budget tour.

I have already organized tours with people in Birdforum to Venezuela, Costa Rica and Cameroon.

The best dates for me in 2022 are:

Eastern holidays (in Spain from 11-18 April) but I could expand them a few days after and before.

First half of July: 1 -17 July

Second half of September: 16 September – 2 October

About the destinations I have different options but any new suggestion is welcome.

For Eastern holidays maybe Cuba, Puerto Rico or both of them could be a good option. If anybody is interested please hurry up as we have only one month to organize the tour.

Regarding July, maybe Central Colombia coud be an option.

September could be fine for Sulawesi (Indonesia) but Australia (SW and NE, I have already been to SE Australia) or New Caledonia and Fiji could be other options.

If any of you are interested, please send me a DM.
The map here https://www.kayak.co.uk/rediscover-travel/ is my current starting point for planning foreign trips. Colombia seems to be quite open. Cuba, Puerto Rica and Australia all require you to show a negative test to get in, and I can't see how people justify the risk of a positive test ruining a trip which may have taken a lot of planning, not to mention the financial loss. Indonesia and Fiji require you to quarantine, and it doesn't look as if New Caledonia lets you in at all. Some of the information on the website is a bit out of date, though, to be fair.
 
The map here https://www.kayak.co.uk/rediscover-travel/ is my current starting point for planning foreign trips. Colombia seems to be quite open. Cuba, Puerto Rica and Australia all require you to show a negative test to get in, and I can't see how people justify the risk of a positive test ruining a trip which may have taken a lot of planning, not to mention the financial loss. Indonesia and Fiji require you to quarantine, and it doesn't look as if New Caledonia lets you in at all. Some of the information on the website is a bit out of date, though, to be fair.

Arbu,

in Spain, and I guess that in all the countries, you may take out an insurance. If you cannot fly because of COVID you get back all the money.

As you mention, the situation in Colombia is pretty good and you do not need a test to get in or out, just the vaccination. The incidence of COVID in Colombia is low.

Regarding the countries that require a negative test, I suggest to take out an insurence.

Indonesia only requires a quarantine of 24 hours to wait for the test results on arrival.

Anyway, it was only a proposal.

The easiest option is Colombia and Cuba and Australia, for instance, are also possible if you take out an insurence.
 
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Not criticising you at all for making a proposal. We need to get birding again.

I suppose you can get insurance. It may reimburse you if you test positive. But my concern is more how much of my time will be wasted in this case, in each of the planning, going for the test, the cancellation, and claiming on the insurance. It would be major aggro. That's why it seems best to me to focus on countries that don't require a test to get in.

Anyway, keep us informed as to your plans.
 
I suppose you can get insurance. It may reimburse you if you test positive. But my concern is more how much of my time will be wasted in this case, in each of the planning, going for the test, the cancellation, and claiming on the insurance. It would be major aggro. That's why it seems best to me to focus on countries that don't require a test to get in.
Against that, I'd say life is short - how long do you want to wait till you can visit these countries again? Negative test requirements are not going away very soon

I've travelled intensively throughout the pandemic, abiding by all regulations and taking the Covid tests as necessary. For my most recent, I needed to pass three Covid tests ...I could have said it's too risky and done something else, but why settle for second best? The trip was excellent, it worked out and, in reality, the Covid tests are not a very big deal. If overly concerned, take precautions in the two weeks prior to the trip.

Who knows you could fall over and break your leg the day before going ...in my rationale, if you don't take any risk, you don't do anything
 
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Against that, I'd say life is short - how long do you want to wait till you can visit these countries again? Negative test requirements are not going away very soon

I've travelled intensively throughout the pandemic, abiding by all regulations and taking the Covid tests as necessary. For my most recent, I needed to pass three Covid tests ...I could have said it's too risky and done something else, but why settle for second best? The trip was excellent, it worked out and, in reality, the Covid tests are not a very big deal. If overly concerned, take precautions in the two weeks prior to the trip.

Who knows you could fall over and break your leg the day before going ...in my rationale, if you don't take any risk, you don't do anything
True, however you are in different circumstances than some birders, as you regularly multiple times a year (at least before the pandemic) do international travel. Some folks may not have the financial freedom or the vacation time to do that, and so if you can go on only one trip a year, or if you can only go on such a trip every few years at most, then the risks of cancellation become a lot higher.
 
True, however you are in different circumstances than some birders, as you regularly multiple times a year (at least before the pandemic) do international travel. Some folks may not have the financial freedom or the vacation time to do that, and so if you can go on only one trip a year, or if you can only go on such a trip every few years at most, then the risks of cancellation become a lot higher.
Also fair enough 👍

(though if my time were more limited, I'd even more want to go to the destination I really want to go)
 
Not criticising you at all for making a proposal. We need to get birding again.

I suppose you can get insurance. It may reimburse you if you test positive. But my concern is more how much of my time will be wasted in this case, in each of the planning, going for the test, the cancellation, and claiming on the insurance. It would be major aggro. That's why it seems best to me to focus on countries that don't require a test to get in.

Anyway, keep us informed as to your plans.

The plan for Central Colombia in the first half of July is on its way.
We are already three people (2 gentlemen + 1 lady)
We will welcome another lady to share room with her plus two additional people.
Maximum size of the group: 6 people

Regarding September, we are already 2 people (2 gentlemen).
Destination to be decided.

Eastern holidays are coming in four weeks, so I believe that there is not time to organize it.
 
True, however you are in different circumstances than some birders, as you regularly multiple times a year (at least before the pandemic) do international travel. Some folks may not have the financial freedom or the vacation time to do that, and so if you can go on only one trip a year, or if you can only go on such a trip every few years at most, then the risks of cancellation become a lot higher.
Yep, pretty much my situation--I've been bumping a trip to Papua New Guinea for several years now, and although it may or may not be going ahead this year (confirmation to come soon) I really don't think I can swing it since I'm not willing to gamble $10,000+ on a potentially positive PCR or rapid test. Looks like I won't be travelling for a few years yet.
 
Yep, pretty much my situation--I've been bumping a trip to Papua New Guinea for several years now, and although it may or may not be going ahead this year (confirmation to come soon) I really don't think I can swing it since I'm not willing to gamble $10,000+ on a potentially positive PCR or rapid test. Looks like I won't be travelling for a few years yet.
Well, it looks like there's an opportunity for you to go to Colombia, if you want. Countries are slowly opening up, and it looks like that will continue. I think that it makes sense to focus on those that are relatively open for the time being. But if the only places that you have left to visit all require tests, and that looks like remaining the case for them, then maybe it is worth taking a risk.
 
Yep, pretty much my situation--I've been bumping a trip to Papua New Guinea for several years now, and although it may or may not be going ahead this year (confirmation to come soon) I really don't think I can swing it since I'm not willing to gamble $10,000+ on a potentially positive PCR or rapid test. Looks like I won't be travelling for a few years yet.
I feel you

I really want to go to Ecuador, but with Omnicron's ability to evade vaccines, I just can't risk it. So instead it will be the Florida Keys this year for my "big" yearly birding trip.
 
I'm also planning my birding tours (to be "fully guided with a local guide in affordable hotels in order to get a budget tour"), and would like to consider joining the trip to South America in July/August.
I'll do birding in Sabah in April 14-19, and welcome anyone to join.
I can be contacted at [email protected]
 
I'm also planning my birding tours (to be "fully guided with a local guide in affordable hotels in order to get a budget tour"), and would like to consider joining the trip to South America in July/August.
I'll do birding in Sabah in April 14-19, and welcome anyone to join.
I can be contacted at [email protected]

So, panwx, are you considering joining us to Central Colombia?

I opened an specific threat about it with more info:

 
So, panwx, are you considering joining us to Central Colombia?

I opened an specific threat about it with more info:

Your tour starting from July 1 is a bit too long and too early for me. I'm more interested in the other trip to Peru posted in this forum. I'll let you know if I change my mind.
 
With regards to timing and matching up with dry seasons in South America; June-October is probably better to focus on more southerly destinations (Peru, Bolivia, Brazil etc.) whereas dry seasons in northern South America (eg. Colombia) tend to be more like Dec-March. Not that the birding can't be excellent in wet seasons but there is an increased risk of landslides derailing itineraries (particularly in the Andes) and time lost birding due to rain. That being said, I am also planning a July Colombia birding trip, specifically though to see the river of colours at San Jose del Guaviare in the Amazonian lowlands which is only "in colour" during the boreal summer.
 
With regards to timing and matching up with dry seasons in South America; June-October is probably better to focus on more southerly destinations (Peru, Bolivia, Brazil etc.) whereas dry seasons in northern South America (eg. Colombia) tend to be more like Dec-March. Not that the birding can't be excellent in wet seasons but there is an increased risk of landslides derailing itineraries (particularly in the Andes) and time lost birding due to rain. That being said, I am also planning a July Colombia birding trip, specifically though to see the river of colours at San Jose del Guaviare in the Amazonian lowlands which is only "in colour" during the boreal summer.
I went to Colombia in July. It was a bit of a disappointment compared with November/December. Birds were notably "tatty", and perhaps less obvious (e.g. couldn't find Cundinamarca antpitta). But I envy you [what I presume is] Macarenia clavigera. Some sites claim the colour's available up until November.
 
I went to Colombia in July. It was a bit of a disappointment compared with November/December. Birds were notably "tatty", and perhaps less obvious (e.g. couldn't find Cundinamarca antpitta). But I envy you [what I presume is] Macarenia clavigera. Some sites claim the colour's available up until November.
Yes, from what I can gather the Macarenia bloom can last up until November, but in my case July is what works with my schedule. There is also the small matter of a Harpy Eagle nest with chick that is a factor in my timing ;) . While I've spent close to 2 years total time in Colombia over ~10 trips it has always been during the period of Nov - early April so I'll be interested to see how the birding compares and what austral migrants we find.

I presume you looked for the Antpitta at Monterredondo? It has been near impossible to see, though hearing one or two is still normal, at that site for years now. There is a local farm nearby called "Refugio del Tororoi" (Antpitta Refuge) where they are now fed!
 
Yes, from what I can gather the Macarenia bloom can last up until November, but in my case July is what works with my schedule. There is also the small matter of a Harpy Eagle nest with chick that is a factor in my timing ;) . While I've spent close to 2 years total time in Colombia over ~10 trips it has always been during the period of Nov - early April so I'll be interested to see how the birding compares and what austral migrants we find.

I presume you looked for the Antpitta at Monterredondo? It has been near impossible to see, though hearing one or two is still normal, at that site for years now. There is a local farm nearby called "Refugio del Tororoi" (Antpitta Refuge) where they are now fed!
Wow. Keen to learn more for my next visit [that was 2016]. Closest I've come is meeting the American who discovered it [in Peru]
 
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