Limosa - Birdwatching & Wildlife Holidays Worldwide

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About Limosa

Our Groups

We think that our type of holiday is best enjoyed in a small group. Our group size is usually a maximum of 12 or 14 participants (varies according to location), with two leaders always accompanying groups of 10 or more participants - either two from our regular team or one Limosa guide in company with a specialist local guide/s.

On some tours, our groups are smaller than this, being limited to 6-9 participants with one leader. In general, cruises are not subject to the same restrictions, with details of leaders and maximum group size (ie. the capacity of the ship) given in the appropriate tour description.

Our stated minimum number of participants per group is six. But we always do our utmost not to disappoint and have in the past run tours with fewer than this number. The operation of all tours is subject to minimum numbers being achieved by 70 days prior to departure. Under certain circumstances (eg. a couple wishing to join a tour when only one space remains) we may exceed our stated maximum number by one.

Limosa’s ratio of guides to participants is rarely bettered, helping to ensure a degree of personal attention that we think is second to none. All in all, if you enjoy seeing great birds (including the more ‘important’ ones), love travelling and get a buzz out of sharing those very special wildlife moments, you’ll find our holidays could have been tailor-made for you.

Smoking

For the enjoyment of all, we operate a NO SMOKING policy in the vehicle, at meal times and when otherwise in close company of other members of the group.

Walking

Other than when travelling, we spend most of each day in the field. Most tours involve some walking, at an easy pace, with frequent stops to look at birds and wildlife. On a typical day, we can reckon to have covered no more than perhaps five miles and often a fair bit less. There are some exceptions to this, with tours that involve half-day or full day walks, or trips of a moderate rather than easy pace, and these will be indicated in the tour description. Look also for the ‘walking’ symbol at the top of the appropriate tour page. Or request a copy of the appropriate Tour Information Pack.

So long as you are able to walk a reasonable distance, age is really immaterial with participants on our tours ranging in age from around twenty to as young as eighty. If you want to know more about the extent of walking on any given tour, please ask.

A Typical Day

Our daily programme is tailored to destination and so will vary from trip to trip. The first few hours of daylight are invariably among the best for birds and other wildlife, so we often offer an optional pre-breakfast walk or excursion. Or we may have an early breakfast to make the most of the day.

Lunches are typically picnics in the field. On some trips we also use local inns or return to our lodgings for a meal. Where possible, we endeavour to balance early starts with a reasonable return to base in the evening, allowing time to freshen up before running through the day’s log-call (optional) and briefing for the following day, and enjoying dinner together. Occasionally, we may offer a nocturnal birding trip or go spotlighting for mammals for those that wish.

In the tropics and desert regions especially, wildlife is generally most active first thing in the morning, and again late in the day. The tropical day is also quite short, with around twelve hours of daylight, so we’ll want to make the most of it! Be prepared for early starts on these trips, typically starting before dawn and finishing after sunset. However, as things generally quieten right down during the heat of the day on these tours, our lunchtimes can be very relaxed, followed (when the opportunity presents) by a siesta before resuming our birding again from mid-late afternoon.

Transport

Travel during the day is usually by small coach or minibus (varies according to destination and group size). Some tours feature boat trips, and a few include journeys by train. These will be indicated in the tour description - or check the activity symbols at the top right of each tour page.