Experience the best of Big Island and its beautiful birds with local experts! After working for other top birding tour operators and with conservation groups in Hawaii for years, Mandy Talpas, has designed the ultimate all-inclusive Big Island birding tour! She is ecstatic to get you off the beaten path so you can enjoy the real Hawaii while supporting wildlife conservation initiatives and local businesses. She invites you to enjoy birding in paradise with Hawaii’s premiere local guides in search of Hawaii’s endemic forest birds, majestic seabirds, native water birds, visiting shorebirds, and introduced specialties with scrumptious meals and oceanfront accommodations.

This is the only tour of its kind! Other all-inclusive birding tours to Hawaii rush through on a cookie cutter itinerary with guides traveling from the mainland, and don’t get out on the water for pelagic species. Mandy has made Hawaii her permanent home and earns a living off of taking birders out of the city limits to experience the best Hawaii has to offer on a daily basis. She looks forward to sharing Big Island’s best birds, wildlife, food, scenery, history and culture with new friends.

Highlight Target Species

Iiwi, Hawaii Amakihi, Apapane, Hawaii Creeper, Akepa, Akiapolaau, Palila, Hawaii Elepaio, Omao, Red-billed Leiothrix, Yellow-fonted Canary, Common Waxbill, African Silverbill, Saffron Finch, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Eurasian Skylark, Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler, Hawaiian Coot, Hawaiian Stilt, Hawaiian Goose, Short-eared Owl, Hawaiian Hawk,  Erckel’s Francolin, Black Francolin, Gray Francolin, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Kalij Pheasant, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Newell’s Shearwater, Bulwer’s Petrel, Hawaiian Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Juan Fernandez Petrel, White-necked Petrel, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, Masked Booby, White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Noddy, Hawaiian Noddy

Price

$3,600 (double occupancy)
Single supplement: $575*

*If you do not have a roommate but wish to share, we will try to pair you with a roommate from the tour; but if none is available, you will be billed for the single supplement. Tour fees are based on double occupancy; one-half the cost of a double room is priced into the tour fee. The single supplement is calculated by taking the actual cost of a single room and subtracting one-half the cost of a double room (plus any applicable taxes).

Duration

6 days

Dates

September 19 -24, 2021, May 2 -7, 2021, May 3 -8, 2022

Group size

4 person minimum, 7 person maximum

Included

The tour fee is $3,600 for one person in double occupancy. It includes all lodging from Day 1 through Day 5, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 6, all ground transportation (including airport shuttles), and the guide services of the tour leader. Tipping at group meals on pelagic trips are included in your tour fee and will be handled for you. However, if you would like to recognize your guide/ driver/ logistics coordinator for exceptional service, it is entirely appropriate to tip.

Not included

The fee does not include your airfare to and from Kona, airport taxes, transfers, visa, any checked or carry-on baggage charges imposed by the airlines, any alcoholic beverages, phone calls, laundry, or other items of a personal nature.

Difficulty

3/5

To reach the highland forests where the native birds are found and search for pelagic birds by boat, we will have to start our days early, as we’ll want to be near our destinations close to dawn. Much of our birding will be easy walking on roads, wide trails, and boats. The Mauna Kea trails will be uneven, wet and can be muddy. Shoes with good grip and ankle support are recommended. You should be able to easily get in and out of a van (sometimes repeatedly), and able to walk at least three miles, where traction may not be the best and where footing is uneven. You should be prepared to bird in hot, humid, and cool environments, expect some rain. Sea conditions on the pelagic trip can range from calm seas to moderately rough, so you must have decent balance and an ability to steady yourself on a moving boat if you plan to take that trip. Those with balance and stability issues should bring a collapsible walking stick with a wrist loop, and those who find it difficult to stand for long periods should bring a small travel stool. If you’re uncertain as to whether this tour is a good match for your abilities, please don’t hesitate to contact Mandy.

Recommended

Lightweight long pants, hiking shoes, camera, binoculars, sun protection and a lightweight raincoat, as the trail difficulty is not challenging but conditions may be wet and slippery. You might also want to consider a lightweight long sleeve shirt, as the mosquitoes can be bad in the valleys where the Oahu Elepaio are found.

Cancellation

There is a 48 hour cancelation policy for all daily tours. If you cancel prior to 48 hours of tour you will receive a full refund. If you cancel within 48 hours of your scheduled trip departure, no refund fees will be provided. No shows are responsible for 100% of trip fees.

Day 1

Fly into Kona and meet your new friends at our welcome dinner at 6:15pm at our hotel.

Day 2

We will start out in search of the rare and endangered Palila in sub-alpine dry forest on the slopes of Mauna Kea. From there we will trek over lava fields to kipukas on Mauna Loa to find more of Big Islands endemic birds and plants.

Target species: Palila, Hawaii Amakihi, Hawaii Elepaio, Apapane, Hawaiian Goose, Short-eared Owl, Erckel’s Francolin, Black Francolin, Gray Francolin, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, African Silverbill, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Eurasian Skylark

Day 3

We will venture to Hakalau aka honeycreeper heaven! Hakalau Forest is a publicaly restricted cloud forest reserve and is home to many of Hawaii’s endangered plants, native arthropods, and endemic birds.

Target species: Akepa, Hawaii Creeper, Hawaii Amakihi, Hawaii Elepaio, Apapane, I’iwi, Akiapolaau, Omao, Hawaiian Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Hawaiian Goose, Kalij Pheasant

Day 4

Explore the leeward side as we look for the species that have previously evaded us.

Day 5

We will embark on a private charter out of Honokohau Harbor in pursuit of pelagic birds, while enjoying marine mammal sightings.

Target species: Wedge-tailed Shearwater, White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Noddy, Hawaiian Noddy, Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby POTENTIAL PAST HIGHLIGHTS: Masked Booby, Hawaiian Petrel, Bulwer’s Petrel, Mottle Petrel, Black-winged Petrel, Juan Fernandez Petrel, White-necked Petrel, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Newell’s Shearwater

Day 6

Kona airport transfer and fly home

Highlight Target Species

Iiwi, Hawaii Amakihi, Apapane, Hawaii Creeper, Akepa, Akiapolaau, Palila, Hawaii Elepaio, Omao, Red-billed Leiothrix, Yellow-fonted Canary, Common Waxbill, African Silverbill, Saffron Finch, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Eurasian Skylark, Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler, Hawaiian Coot, Hawaiian Stilt, Hawaiian Goose, Short-eared Owl, Hawaiian Hawk,  Erckel’s Francolin, Black Francolin, Gray Francolin, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Kalij Pheasant, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Newell’s Shearwater, Bulwer’s Petrel, Hawaiian Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Juan Fernandez Petrel, White-necked Petrel, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, Masked Booby, White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Noddy, Hawaiian Noddy

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