*Susan holds a handful of coffee cherries in the Colombian Andes.*

Thinking of dipping your toe in the international birding travel world as a solo traveler? I have got the trip for you! Check out Birding By Bus and book your trip today.

My first Birding By Bus trip was booked as a solo. I didn’t know a soul on the trip, although Marc, one of the fabulous owners of Birding By Bus, was a friend of a friend. I’m not the kind of person who enjoys small talk and meeting lots of new people at once, but I very quickly felt comfortable with this group of people who all shared a love of nature and birds.

Eliana’s warmth and enthusiasm is instantly infectious, and Marc’s quiet competence provides the perfect complement, allowing us all to settle in comfortably to getting to know each other and build anticipation for our time together.

The purposely small size of Birding By Bus groups means that no one falls through the cracks. My personal experience after 10 trips with Birding By Bus is that guests booked on their trips are generous in sharing knowledge and helping each other. This results in each participant getting to see the birds, regardless of experience level. Many Birding By Bus guests have now been on multiple trips, and I think most of us really enjoy making sure new travelers feel welcome. One new guest a couple of trips ago shared with me that she felt intimidated at first that so many of us know each other. By the end of the trip, she realized she needn’t have worried. She felt as much part of the group as those of us who have traveled together multiple times.

*In the Cloud Forests of Northern Ecuador*

As a woman of a certain age who spent her career behind a desk and not paying much attention to physical fitness, I was a little concerned about the level of physical difficulty required for an ambitious birding experience. I didn’t need to worry! Eliana goes to great lengths to make sure experiences are accessible to all guests, and in the couple of instances that I haven’t felt comfortable with a climb, or the heat, or just not feeling it at all, there are opportunities to either take a rest or engage in an alternate activity. I’m still mostly a couch potato when not birding, but I’m a lot more physically fit than I ever was during my working years thanks to the level of physical activity I get to expend on the Birding By Bus trips! It’s a welcome bonus benefit.

*Donating binoculars to aspiring young birders in Northern Colombia*

If you are concerned about dietary requirements, you won’t find a better tour fit. I try to keep a vegetarian/pescatarian diet at home, and this is provided for me on all Birding By Bus trips. Eliana herself is vegan, and so vegans and vegetarians are fully accommodated. If you’re a carnivore, you’ll usually be served chicken, fish or pork, and there’s usually a restaurant meal or two for red meat eaters. Something I personally think about on any international trip is access to safe water. There is a bottomless jug of purified water on every tour van, and all the hotels and restaurants on the itineraries provide bottled or filtered water to refill our personal water bottles.

*Susan & sister Sandy on the Charm of the Andes tour, Colombia*

I’ll close by detailing some of the touches provided by Birding By Bus that you won’t find on many other tours. Someone will meet you at the airport and make sure you are transported to your hotel. Often this is Eliana, Marc, or both of them! You will receive information about packing, currency, travel times, and weather conditions. Eliana, Marc, or one of the local guides will help you with any language or logistics needs personally. There will be every effort to anticipate needs for comfort and safety. We have stopped by the pharmacy for topical treatment for bug bites, by the grocery store for requested snacks and purchases to take home, and have been provided with walking sticks where needed. Eliana carries a seemingly bottomless supply of bug spray, sunscreen, bandages, tissue, snacks (vegan and non-vegan), wipes, and pretty much anything else you might need or want. The biggest risk you might take by booking a Birding By Bus tour is that you’ll never want to travel with anyone else!

Traveling Solo on a Birding Tour

What I Would Tell A Birding By Bus Tour Guest about Tipping