“The tour was well organized with knowledgeable, helpful and friendly guides. The days were full with some early morning excursions and evening owling. The weather was unpredictable, cold and rainy to start, hot and sunny at the end so layers of clothing were required. We saw many species as well as mammals.”
“We enjoyed this birding tour of Southern Spain. The guides were excellent. They knew where to find the birds including the specialties. The Whale Watching Excursion was fantastic. We watched a pod of Pilot whales hang out right beside the boat. The countryside was blanketed with wild flowers. While looking for birds, the group also visited historical sites, villages, natural reserves and National Parks and a enjoyed a sampling of local cuisine. We recommend going a few days before the tour starts and staying on a few days after the tour ends. There are easy day trips from Malaga where the tour started and it was easy to explore Madrid from the hotel where the tour ended.”
“A memorable, enjoyable tour. Educational and informative. Reasonable price. Helpful, detailed information provided before the tour. Expert guides. Good choice of locations for birding along Lake Erie. Daily schedule adapted to the weather forecast. Guides were helpful in every way and made sure that everyone could see the birds they wanted to see.”
“Interesting itinerary. Chances to see extremely rare birds not seen on other trips. This trip is geared for advanced independent birders. Guides are provided but independent skills are important”
“Well, to say it quickly, this was an excellent tour. The 17 day Costa Rica Eagle Eye Birding tour was an excellent tour. It did seem a bit long but considering everything you are hoping to see, it is not enough. You will be exhausted when done but a happy tired, not disappointed. If you review the bird reports to see what was seen on this tour you will be impressed. It was what they said it would be. There were over 400+ species of birds seen, observed and photographed. I did not see that many, perhaps 300+ but it was NOT due to the outstanding Guide (Joachim Bertrands) and bus driver (Roy ), it was my physical limits. Joachim bent over backwards to ensure everyone got opportunities to view and photograph as many birds as humanly possible. He would go to extremes directing each of us to see the bird. He is a true professional and thoroughly knows and understands this business. Simple stated, Roy our bus driver, could thread a needle with his bus driving skills. I have never felt so safe as with him behind the wheel. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with so much to see. The driving there can be very scary compared to my country and Roy made everyone so safe and comfortable during the entire trip that you never considered that concern. I truly wish I could go again on another but I have realized my limitations and it is not fair to burden others and slow the progress. You should consider this trip as soon as possible if you have the stamina to walk and view so many wonders of the country. Do not wait until you cannot enjoy every minute of the trip, do it now and have memories for your life. There were experienced as well as novice birders on this trip but the guide watched to ensure everyone had a great time. We saw sloth's monkeys and other creatures there. I rate the experience, guide and driver as a 5+ without exception. The lodging is another area. Maybe a 4 star rating overall for lodging. Most were excellent and the food was great. There were a few locations that were not on my to do again lists. Ask the Eagle Eye Tours representatives anything and they will provide answers that hopefully will make you feel good for this trip. Remember, you are traveling to another country and normal life standards may not exist as you think. Be openminded to the entire experience.”
“The opening lecture was amazing Jim Duncan is a rock star. Everything was well planned . We were always informed about the next stop . The Guides were extremely knowledgeable and amazing birders. We saw 4 species of owls.”
“We loved the variety of habitats and mix of easy-to-see birds at feeders, as well as hard-to-find birds in the field. Our guides, Hector and Jody were a terrific pair, taking us to locations that were rich in birds and unique to Costa Rica. We saw many more Life birds than we expected. The Guides' connections with the local birding community was extremely helpful in giving us opportunities to see birds that we would never have gotten to see. The drive time was broken up nicely, giving us birding breaks and fabulous meals EVERY time! Our driver, Warner, was highly skilled and navigated those mountain roads with ease. We also got the benefit of a wonderful group of like-minded birders who were as excited about this trip as we were! We always felt safe. It was a trip of a lifetime for us!”
“Well planned trip covering a wide range of Panama habitats. The number of species seen exceeded my expectations. My life list increased greatly. The small group size made it easy to enjoy the experience. Wonderful tropical birding experience.”
“A very good bird tour. A thoughtful choice of locales that maximized species count plus giving a good overview of the country of Costa Rica. The guide is what put this tour above others: Joaquim Bertrands is the birder’s birder besides being a delightful human being. But be warned - this tour is active!! Be prepared to hike, sometimes at altitude, often in heat and humidity. You must be fit to enjoy what this fine tour has to offer. Come ready to appreciate Tico food and culture - you’re not in Kansas anymore!”
“This was our third trip to Costa Rica, and still we saw so many new birds and had some very unique experiences. I would credit our guide Joachim Bertrands for making this comprehensive tour of Costa Rica so much fun and such a terrific success.”
“The guides were excellent. We saw all of the endemics except the owl and nightjar - which we heard. ALso was a good selection of other birds. The meals should have been a bit more organized.”
“We wish to give Eagle-Eye Tours top marks for stepping up for their clients in emergency situations. Recently, my husband and I joined their Costa Rica Birding Tour and on the first full day, my husband had a medical emergency early in the day while we were at a birding reserve in the hills above San Jose. Our Guide took over right away, arranging for the driver to take over the Group for the rest of the day and for a ride to get the three of us down to the closest hospital Emergency. He then spent the day with us coordinating between the hospital personnel (who knew little English) and ourselves and with the Eagle-Eye office back in Canada (starting the process of making necessary arrangements to get us back home to Canada). He didn't leave us until he had to in early evening, but before he did so, he provided a contact number for a fellow employee at the Canadian office, who then stuck by us via phone and text until my husband was released from hospital (at 10:30pm PST). At this point, the office contact arranged for a hotel nearby for that night. The next day, he booked an Airport hotel for us and made flight arrangements (which included special assistance by Air Canada the whole way) to our home city in B.C. for the following day. This employee then followed us all the way home via texting to make sure we made it in one piece. Way to go, Eagle-Eye Tours! We want everyone to know that you are safe when touring with this company: if you are ever in trouble, they are there for you until the problem has been dealt with and we will be forever grateful to all the people who contributed to getting us home safely.”
“The people really made the trip. The guides were so knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour as we stumbled over the unfamiliar bird names. They kept in touch with colleagues so that we could check out good birds in real time. I loved everyone in our group. It was great to be in the company of like minded people for a good period of time. I never felt rushed and we got really good looks at the birds. There were so many wonderful, colourful birds! The bus driver was fantastic and kept the windows spotless. The accommodations, meals and birding stops were great. I didn’t think about anything but birds and other creatures for a whole trip. The itinerary was well thought out for a worry free trip. Great time. I know I’d love to return to Costa Rica.”
Czech
