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Australian Natural Adventures Wildlife, Nature & Soft Adventure ToursCustom
Australia, New Zealand & Pacific tours and travel
AUSTRALIAN BIRDING & WILDLIFE TOUR Fully guided wildlife and birding tour Australia, North & South October & November 2011 We're still finalizing a couple of the details, and as soon as this is done we'll update these pages. We may change the pelagic from Wollongong to Sydney, and have a new spot for our hairy-nosed wombat search, but all the species covered will still be seen. However, here's what we have.
Date: Late October, 2011. This means migrants such as Buff-bellied Paradise-kingfisher, Common Koels, Rainbow Bee-eaters and Channel-billed Cuckoo will have arrived from Papua New Guinea and Asia. Activity among birds and mammals in the south will be at its peak, as it's the main breeding season, and there are two wins in Kakadu - it's the best time for wildlife and the crowds will be gone. (please note the actual departure date might vary by a couple of days from that described below, but we'll have thje exact date very early in 2011. Duration: 26 days. We're not rushing this tour, as over 35 years of wildlife finding experience has taught us that the best way to find animals, and to see them well, is to spend time in their habitat. We're not the sort of tour that stops along a road, plays a tape of a target bird for a few minutes, then moves on. We've found that in forests especially birds move about, and it's often more productive to stay in one small area and wait for things to arrive than continually be on the move. What's not feeding by a creek now often is an an hour's time, and we want to have the opportunity to go back. It's also important with a group, even a small one such as this, to have enough time for all to see what we've found. We want everyone to see and experience the wildlife, so we have enough time to hang around after an initial sighting for all to get their chance, not just those who happen to be in front at the time. In open areas we might have to range a bit more widely, and have the opportunity to check out similar habitat in several areas before we find what we are looking for. So if you're the sort that gets antsy staying still, or spending time looking more thoroughly at a mammal or bird than just that needed for an ID and a tick, or doesn't like spending time on taxa that are not your primary goal, then this tour may not be for you. Cost:
about $9500 not including air, but virtually everything else save
a few meals here and there. We're very dependent on exchange rates
as well, and so the cost may change somewhat in either direction (but
not once final payment is made). Guides: fully escorted throughout by an Australian naturalist with additional expert regional birding/naturalist guides in each location. The regional expert will be the main guide in each area as they are in the field each day. All are selected for the birding ability and knowledge of mammals and reptiles, their overall naturalist abilities - we're not going to omit plants and geology - and ease of companionship. Information about our guides can be found on our Guide Profiles page. Accommodation: good quality private bath accommodation throughout, chosen for appropriate location, comfort and ambience, and appropriateness (this means no 5-story marble and crystal atria, casinos on site or environmentally destructive practices, among other things). Included: All accommodation, guiding, permits fees & taxes, hotel, restaurant & similar gratuities, transfers (including non-group transfers if you arrive or depart at different times to the main party), land and boat travel, most meals (we've omitted a few dinners in larger towns when there's a good and interesting selection of restaurants available, or we feel that participants could vary widely towards their dinner needs that night), snacks & water while in the field. In short, most expenses associated with the trip within Australia. We’ll also supply extensive information about Australia, a bird, mammal and wildlife list, and on arrival in Australia a photographic guide book to the mammals. We’ll also supply as much email or toll-free phone information as you want about the wildlife and nature of Australia as you prepare for the trip. Not
Included: International and internal air & associated
fees and surcharges, domestic air within the US where required, passport
fees (but your Australia visa is included), alcoholic and most soft
drinks, items of a personal nature such as laundry, or travel insurance
which is strongly recommended. As a full service travel agency unless
you advise otherwise we will arrange all details of your air requirements
from your home city to ensure a smooth fit with the tour program.
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