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Sunbird Leaders We firmly believe that leaders are the single most important factor in the success of any birdwatching tour. They need to be professional in their approach and regard tour leading as a job to be carried out well, and not an opportunity to travel abroad just to see birds and pursue their own agenda. They need always to put the interests of the group members before their own, and we believe this is much more likely to be the approach taken by full-time, professional leaders such as ours. They need to be friendly people who enjoy travelling with others and sharing their enthusiasm for birds and the natural world with the group members. A sense of humour is essential, as is a more than average level of patience in order to deal calmly with any problems that might occur. They need to be extremely competent ornithologists with a sound knowledge of the area being visited and its birds. We are proud of the levels of experience possessed by our staff leaders, some of whom have spent many months, in some cases years, in the countries to which they regularly lead tours. Finally, they need to be well-organised people, who pay attention to detail and are able to take care of the logistics of the tour in such a way that the group members are unaware of the work going on 'behind the scenes', enabling participants to enjoy a hassle-free holiday. We remain convinced that the professionalism, personality and extensive bird-tour experience of all the Sunbird leaders ensure smooth-running, ornithologically unbeatable and - above all - entertaining and extremely enjoyable tours. Transport Wherever possible we use vehicles driven by the leaders themselves for the duration of the tour. This allows the most productive use to be made of the available time, and provides enormous flexibility in our daily plans, which can be instantly adjusted to suit changes in weather conditions, etc. Where self-drive vehicles are not available we try to use drivers who have worked with us before and are sympathetic to our special needs. The specific type of transport used is described in the General Information notes for each tour. Hotels We carefully select accommodation in each area which best provides the most friendly and pleasant surroundings to match the general atmosphere which we feel is such an important part of a Sunbird tour. Our accommodation includes a private bath or shower and toilet in each room unless otherwise stated. In a few remote areas, the best available accommodation maybe below normal expectations, but this is always noted in the tour description and General Information notes. Daily plans Birds are the primary interest on most Sunbird tours (and are of joint interest on the 'Birds and...' tours), and on most trips day-long birding is usually available. However daily plans often allow those who so wish to take part of the day off to explore other interests, or take a more relaxed approach to their birding. A brief itinerary from the previous year's tour is included in the Tour Information sent on booking and will give you a good idea of how each day will run. Group size We believe that a small group and a high leader-to-participant ratio are essential to the enjoyment and success of any birdwatching tour. It ensures that everyone gets full value from the tour in terms of seeing the birds and learning from the experience. It also means that the leaders are able to devote time to the individual requirements of each member of the group. The maximum group size is noted at the end of the tour description. On tours with two Sunbird leaders we also give the maximum number one leader will take on his/her own before the second leader is required. Our tour prices When comparing costs, please be sure to note that the Sunbird price includes:
. all meals ·
all tour-based tips and collections The items which you will be required to pay yourself are your individual requirements for passports, visas, travel insurance, and purchases of a purely personal nature. This, and the fact that Sunbird offers the very best in professional leadership and the considerable benefits of a small group with a high leader-to-participant ratio, means that we offer exceptional value for money. If you are trying to decide which company to travel with, or you are comparing prices, you should bear the above points in mind. A similar tour with a lower price may mean that the company in question is cutting corners somewhere (some companies don't include all meals, for example). You are going to be spending a lot of money on your holiday and you have every right to expect it to run smoothly and without any problems. If you have any doubts about what is included in the tour cost, or about the leader's experience in the country, call up the company in question and ask them.ATOL All companies arranging holidays abroad that include flights from the UK should hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This guarantees that your money is protected and that you will be repatriated in the event of an airline or company going bankrupt. If the company you are travelling with does not hold its own ATOL, and is simply using the ATOL of another company, your money may not be adequately protected. Our ATOL number is 3003. More information about the ATOL can be found on the CAA website www.caa.co.uk Pre-tour information The descriptions on our website try to give an impression of each tour, along with an account of the day-to-day activities. However, we don't include long lists of bird names in our daily accounts, nor do we cover such matters as visa and health requirements, climate, clothing, etc. Instead, on receipt of your booking, we send you detailed Tour Information covering all the relevant points and a copy of the previous tour's bird list. This package provides you with all you need to prepare for your trip. The General Information notes also give an indication of the daily routine of the tour (i.e. whether the pace is slow, medium or fast). If you would like to see the General Information notes or Bird List before you book, please contact the Sunbird office. The pace of our tours The pace of individual tours is described in detail in the General Information notes sent out when booking, or available on request. Birdwatching involves some odd hours and at least a modest amount of physical activity, and we want all participants to understand fully what is required. We usually start the days early, either with an optional pre-breakfast walk or an early breakfast, prior to leaving for more distant points. Occasionally we'll have picnic breakfasts at our birdwatching destination. All tours require some walking, sometimes for periods of up to half a day. Birdwatching is continuous, of course, and we rest as necessary. At times walking uphill or over difficult terrain is required and we try to make this clear in the General Information notes. Lunches are often picnics though sometimes we have a sit-down meal. In very hot climates we sometimes start very early, rest during the heat of the day, then venture forth again in mid to late afternoon. We normally return to the hotel an hour or so before dinner. A bird list is compiled every day, usually just before or just after dinner. All activities are optional within the general framework of the tour. We encourage and assist participants in the pursuit of personal aims if these do not conflict with the operation of the tour. However, anyone with important non-ornithological goals should contact Sunbird prior to the tour to determine if these can be achieved without disrupting the tour . If you have recently started birdwatching, or if you have never taken a birdwatching tour abroad, and you have any questions about the suitability of a particular tour please contact the Sunbird office. We are happy to help in any way we can. Sunbird: Top of the big five tour companies In both of the British Birds Overseas Bird Tours surveys, Sunbird was ranked top of all the major birdwatching tour companies. The surveys were based on over 500 tours taken by British Birds readers, involving 44 different bird-tour operators. The results showed that of the major companies Sunbird has the lowest number of participants per leader, the leaders with the highest ornithological ability, the leaders with the best general attitude, and the greatest interest in ensuring that the whole group enjoys the trip. Our tours were also rated as the best value for money. Sunbird office Our office is managed by Steve Rooke, Jill Williams and Su Scott, and is normally open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, although you can sometimes find someone there outside these times. Our telephone number is +44 (0)1767 262522, our fax number is +44(0)1767 262916, and our e-mail address is sunbird@sunbirdtours.co.uk Commission for Conservation programme Sunbird is pleased to be part of the Commission for Conservation programme operated by Wildsounds. If you wish to buy any of the books or recordings listed in our General Information notes, doing so through the Wildsounds website www.wildsounds.com ensures that Birdlife International will also benefit since a percentage of the sale will be donated to them. Optical equipment Sunbird is pleased to recommend In Focus as a supplier of binoculars, telescopes and tripods. In Focus have several shops around the country and they also arrange a series of outdoor events. Full details can be found on their website at http://www.infocusoptics.co.uk Terms and conditions Please also take time to read the following information and the Terms and conditions before making your booking.
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