Registration may be done by calling us at 877-247-3371 or 303-325-5188 or by mailing a completed registration form with initial deposit to:
Exotic Birding LLC
2727 Nelson Rd. #E207
Longmont CO 80503
All participants must provide a completed registration form and signed liability release before joining a tour. Failure to do so will result in automatic cancellation with refund of any payments subject to the policies stated below.
Failure to make payment of the full tour price at least 60 days prior to departure may result in automatic cancellation, release of room reservations, and forfeiture of deposit. Reinstatement thereafter may incur a surcharge and will be subject to rooms still being available throughout the tour.
PUBLISHED TOURS
A deposit of $400 is required at the time of registration for tours to Central America. A deposit of $600 is required at the time of registration for tours to South America. The balance is due 90 days prior to departure (or upon registration for those joining the tour less than 90 days prior to departure). For tours to the Napo River in Ecuador, deposits must be received at least 120 days in advance of departure to ensure room availability.
Deposits are refundable until 90 days prior to departure with the ex,ception that any non-refundable deposits made by Exotic Birding on participant's behalf to hold rooms in hotels or lodges are non-refundable. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure and becomes non-refundable at that time. Payment should be made in US dollars by check, money order, or bank wire transfer. We now accept payments through PayPal. To make payment through PayPal, you must have an account with them. From your account,click the Send Money tab, enter our email address (info@exoticbirding.com), and enter the payment amount. Make sure the currency for payment is in US dollars. PayPal is an excellent way for persons residing outside the US to make payment as it handles any necessary currency exchanges automatically. Master and Visa cards are accepted but not encouraged. Any refund of payments made by PayPal are subject to a 3% handling fee if cancellation is made by participant but NOT if Exotic Birding cancels the tour. Any refund of payments made by credit card are subject to a 5% handling fee if cancellation is made by participant but NOT if Exotic Birding cancels the tour.
Unlike most tour operators, we organize most tours without use of a land agent. Occasionally, a tour is not possible without aid of a land agent who puts the tour together according to our specifications. Credit card payments for tours organized by land agents are subject to a 5% surcharge. Tours where this surcharge would apply are specifically identified on the tour synopsis page.
PRIVATE TOURS
We are happy to organize private tours. Early planning is essential as the best guides and preferred accommodations become booked during peak season many months in advance. When we organize a private tour, it is truly custom. We do not rely on boilerplate itineraries prepared in advance, unlike many other tour operators.
We provide one free consult to discuss your travel goals. Thereafter, we require a deposit to proceed. Whether or not this deposit applies to the tour price or covers planning costs only is negotiable. The amount of deposit is also negotiable but is normally at least $300. The deposit covers the substantial time required on our part to plan a custom tour itinerary. Once completed the custom itinerary will be provided to the client even if client chooses not to proceed with the actual tour. Because the deposit is intended to cover planning costs, it is non-refundable once paid.
We cannot provide a definite price for private tours until an itinerary has been agreed upon because costs depend on which accommodations will be utilized along with tour duration. We can usually provide a reasonable per night estimate in advance.
Payment in full is due 90 days prior to departure at which point it becomes non-refundable. If lodge operators require deposits to hold rooms earlier than 90 days, sufficient payment to cover such deposits must be made before we can make such deposits on participant's behalf and are refundable only to the extent that they are refundable by the lodge operators.
