Is there such a thing as tagging along a birding tour group for a few days? (1 Viewer)

[earlytorise]

In the context of trying to arrange a holiday for myself, I have been wondering about this.

I don't have a big party of friends to go with. Neither do I have deep pockets, nor even a driver's licence.

What would then be ideal, in my view, is this:

For those destinations which are too hard to explore alone and for which the cost of a driver+guide for myself would be hideously expensive,

for a reduced price I might be happy to join somebody's birding tour group for 3 to 4 days, if they are not at full capacity,

especially if the tour is being done that whole time on a jeep or boat that isn't full.

However, if this isn't something that any tour company would be interested in, I won't bother asking around.

What do you think? Might that work? Cheers!

 

[Andy Adcock]

In the context of trying to arrange a holiday for myself, I have been wondering about this.

I don't have a big party of friends to go with. Neither do I have deep pockets, nor even a driver's licence.

What would then be ideal, in my view, is this:

For those destinations which are too hard to explore alone and for which the cost of a driver+guide for myself would be hideously expensive,

for a reduced price I might be happy to join somebody's birding tour group for 3 to 4 days, if they are not at full capacity,

especially if the tour is being done that whole time on a jeep or boat that isn't full.

However, if this isn't something that any tour company would be interested in, I won't bother asking around.

What do you think? Might that work? Cheers!

You might find that those who have paid the full price for a tour, would have something to say about people, coming along on the cheap?

It would also add to the numbers on a tour and that, for many, is not desirable.

 

[Mike Crawley]

The last two tours I attended were full (as in no room on the bus).

I imagine that you might be able to tag along at a particular reserve or special site but I doubt it would be cheap.

 

[Andy Adcock]

The last two tours I attended were full (as in no room on the bus).

I imagine that you might be able to tag along at a particular reserve or special site but I doubt it would be cheap.

When I was backpacking around Asia, over twenty years ago, if I chanced on a tour group, I would just hold back and discreetly, follow them. If anybody was to object, it never happened to me but if it did, it would be a punter, not a guide I think.

 

[Mysticete]

I doubt it? Your best bet would be to see if you can get a local guide for a day or two.

 

[Mike Crawley]

When I was backpacking around Asia, over twenty years ago, if I chanced on a tour group, I would just hold back and discreetly, follow them. If anybody was to object, it never happened to me but if it did, it would be a punter, not a guide I think.

Oh yes, I was thinking along the lines of organising something with the company or guide.
As you say, easy to surreptitiously sidle a few paces behind a tour group - I did it myself with a group on a cross Biscay ferry (The Company of Whales I think) while their guide pointed out Sperm Whale and other interesting creatures

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

I would second the idea of using a local guide; otherwise perhaps look at the shorter extension tours that some companies offer.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

The only time I've done anything remotely like that was in Belize, where I met someone at Crooked Tree being taken round the country by a guide from a lodge near Mountain Pine Ridge (I forget its name). I managed to cadge a day with them as they headed back there, where I then stayed for a few days. Pure luck, I was kind of making the trip up as I went along by that stage.

 

[jurek]

There are usually good local guides in every bird locality. They are usually cheaper and more flexible. You can find them from abroad by reading private trip reports e.g. on Cloudbirders - whom people hired and what they saw.

Some bird companies organize short or budget versions of wildlife tours.

You can also use birdforum to try teaming up with other birders to share a trip, but this requires really much flexibility and adaptation.

 

[temmie]

I’ve done this 3 times:
Once I shared logistics for 10 days with a naturetrek group to get to a place and once there, I birded on my own and every few days we would move to another place. This was organized by the local ground agent (I wasn’t asking naturetrek but rather was squeezed in the same vehicles).

Another time I was negotiating a super expensive boat and once it became clear we couldn’t afford it, a tour leader who heard the conversation invited me to go with their boat later that day. For free.

Last, I asked a tour leader / travel agency manager if I could join a fixed date trip but only for the boats between lodges. I arranged the lodges myself. In this way I didn’t have to pay for a 14-seater boat but share that cost (and this was extra for the tour leader / agency who had a full tour).

So I would say you can always try and ask respectfully, more chance if you keep your demands simple but even then, don’t expect this to be easy / convenient for any tour company: I can totally understand if they aren’t enthusiastic about any “special acts” halfway their trip (it helps if they know you or have faith you can keep a low profile and are maintenance-free when joining the trip for a while).

 

[jurek]

Bird tour companies often have extensions. They are 2-5 day long additions to a birding tour to visit one additional locality, generally out of the way and with just few species. You can buy them separately. They seem to be close to what you want.

Generally I recommend choosing countries which you can travel independently without a car, and renting local guides and eventually cars in particular spots. This saves you lots of money, and there are many countries which you can visit this way.

 

[Steve Lister]

Don't forget BirdingPal - some very helpful people on there, all over the world.

 

[earlytorise]

Don't forget BirdingPal - some very helpful people on there, all over the world.

The thing is, there are enough internet scams on this earth that I am a bit wary.

Have you had any positive experiences with people whose contact you couldn't find any other way than through the Birding Pal site? (By which I mean, ideally one would Google the person and look up their social media or their employer's official website, to get a verifiable email/contact there - in the absence of which I would not be at ease)

 

[temmie]

There are enough contacts that are traceable. Just stick with those?

 

[kittykat23uk]

I used birding pal for a day out birding in Melbourne. It work really well for me, we spent the day birding werribee treatment works. It's the only time I've used it though.

 

[lockbreeze926]

I used birding pal for a day out birding in Melbourne. It work really well for me, we spent the day birding werribee treatment works. It's the only time I've used it though.

Wasn't by any chance with Richard Nowotny, was it? We had a great day with Richard, including Werribee, the You Yangs and several other locations (plus the previous night watching the penguins on the St Kilda breakwater).

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Wasn't by any chance with Richard Nowotny, was it? We had a great day with Richard, including Werribee, the You Yangs and several other locations (plus the previous night watching the penguins on the St Kilda breakwater).

Werribee? You yangs? Snozzwanglers? Viniciois kinids? You feeling alright Wonka?😄