Why Birders Choose Field Guides

We love guiding tours and it shows.

We gauge a tour’s success not by the birds seen or the revenue generated but by the smile on your face at tour’s end. Tours are not scientific expeditions—they are vacations. At Field Guides we never forget that the quality of your experience comes first. And that is a great motivator for diligence and thoroughness in every tour we plan, with each guide or tour manager we invite to join our community of professionals, and for every lodge or transportation provider with whom we choose to work.

“The leadership was superb, the birding fantastic and as good as it gets, the food really excellent… Keep up the good work with your great tours that provide a really memorable experience for all participants regardless of their birding skill level.”
–P. S., Galapagos

Our guides
It goes almost without saying that our guides are great birders who know the birds, where to find them, and how to show them to a group. Just as importantly they are professionals who are great with people, understand group dynamics, want to make a very rich birding experience a lot of fun, and enjoy teaching and sharing. You can link to their individual bios from our staff page.

“I’ve come to expect outstanding performance with Field Guides—this tour fit the mold. FG puts the guides in a position to succeed, and they do, magnificently. Alvaro Jaramillo always knew what he was doing—where precisely to find the birds—got everyone on target—again and again and again.”
–T.L., Chile

“Wonderful! The guides were exceptional in skill and knowledge and patience. This was the best one yet! Can’t wait to take another tour.”
–C.K., Holiday Costa Rica: Rancho Naturalista

Service

We believe service trumps everything else in a birding tour experience, and no one offers better service—this is what we’ve heard through regular feedback from thousands of participants who are now part of the Field Guides community. Great service begins with our committed and motivated office staff, whose planning and tour management skills are second to none. They’ve done everything from easing uncertainty and fielding many a question about taking a first birding tour or overseas trip, to helping re-route travelers stranded somewhere in transit by a canceled flight. Participants can relax on tour knowing that, should a family emergency arise, our staff will be available to assist their families in contacting them. Special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries, are celebrated on tour (as well as those landmark birds!). Our guides are tuned in to dietary needs and make sure clients have choices available to them. Field Guides tours are all-inclusive so that once the tour starts you can relax and leave the bill paying and logistics to us. To reduce it to its simplest form, we know what a great tour experience feels like, way beyond just seeing a lot of good birds (of course!), and we have the experience, guides, and office staff to make it happen for you.

“A friend had taken five Field Guides tours and recommended the company. We chose this tour for the South American location, timing, length of stay, and our interest in forests…For overall organization, worry-free travel, delicious food, great birding, and good times, the experience was fantastic.”
–J.R., Montane Ecuador

“I’ve been on previous Field Guides tours and have appreciated the expertise of the leaders and the good organization of the tours. Your office service was excellent. Both leaders were superb.”
–M.S., Texas’s Big Bend, the Davis Mountains & Hill Country

Community
If service is everything to a tour, community is everything to a company. With no majority owner and a fulltime staff vested in the company either through ownership or profit sharing, the integration of all of us at Field Guides—through communication, training, feedback, and shared information and experiences—defines who we are: a tight-knit community of professionals who know each other well, work together seamlessly, and care deeply about the success of your tour experience, which in turn defines our success and professional regard. Our community also includes long-time clients who have become good friends over the years. They are our best advertising and often enjoy introducing new clients to the “Field Guides way” as much as we do!

“An amazing experience. We all clicked. Meals were filled with great stories and laughter. I’d travel with John Rowlett again and again… The office staff were helpful as always. They always kept me informed and always with a smile—thank you.”
–E.R., New Year at Canopy Lodge, Panama

If you haven’t traveled with us, we invite you to choose one of our tours and join our community of fellow travelers, guides, and office staff. If you have traveled with us, we look forward to sharing another great birding adventure with you soon.