Focus Archives | Terra Incognita

Off the Beaten Track in Peru: Adventure meets Culture with Trek Hoppers

February 4, 2019 Kristi Foster Blog, Culture, Peru, Trekking

Kristi from Terra Incognita went on a six-day trip with new operator Trek Hoppers in December 2018. Here’s what she discovered off the beaten track in Peru. I closed my mouth only to have it fall open again. Machu Picchu was suddenly visible from across a valley, and it was neither cliché or tourist-laden as I’d expected. It looked like a granite crown growing out of the mountain itself, wrought by forces that didn’t seem human, its rough points emblazoned gold-yellow in the afternoon sun. Matt Waugh, our guide, had spent the last three hours of our hike downplaying the …

Peru | Trek Hoppers | Sacred Valley Homestay Trekking

January 10, 2019 Kristi Foster Culture, Ecotours by location, Peru, Trekking

‘Trek hopping’ is a unique and different way to explore and experience the Andes regions by foot. We offer to get you from A to B in day stages, whilst visiting and staying in local communities along the way. Our group sizes are ideally from 4 – 14 members as we want to keep an intimate number of people trekking these routes, where accommodation within the communities may be limited. We do not want to arrive ‘en-mass’ everywhere we go. Thus giving as a better control group dynamics and pace. We contribute back to the places we go and have the …

Cambodia | Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation | Birding Tour

August 22, 2018 Kristi Foster Asia, Birds, Cambodia, Ecotours by location, Focus

The Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation (SVC) manages wildlife viewing trips with exclusive access to Wildlife Conservation Society sites across Cambodia. As a registered local NGO, our goal is to provide an alternative sustainable livelihood from ecotourism for the local communities at the sites that WCS prioritises for conservation. In return for the income and employment received these communities are asked to sign no hunting and land use agreements, which are monitored by Ministries of Environment and Forestry patrol teams advised by WCS. Our tours are designed to show you the best of birding, wildlife and nature, the real …

Ukraine | Salix Nature Tours | South Ukraine Steppe and Coast

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Ecotours by location, Europe & Central Asia, Focus, Ukraine

Salix is an Anglo-Ukrainian company established in 2000. We specialise in high quality birdwatching, nature and heritage tours for small groups. We design exclusive tours and holidays to meet your own interests, at your own pace: from half, one, two or even ten days, for one to six people, led by an expert local guide. Top Five Birds Dalmatian Pelican Pallas’s Gull Red-footed Falcon Paddyfield Warbler Collared Flycatcher Ethics At Terra Incognita we support tours that do good in the world. They must help to conserve the environment, support local people, and educate their guests. Here’s what Paul Goriup from …

Mongolia | Bird Holidays Worldwide | Mongolia Tour

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Ecotours by location, Europe & Central Asia, Focus, Mongolia

Bird Holidays is one of the UK’s leading birdwatching and wildlife tour operators. Established in 1991, we have many years of experience in organizing exciting trips to all corners of the globe. Mongolia is a superb birding destination, and one which conjures up visions of the past: Mongol hordes rampaging across the plains, led by the great warrior leader Genghis Khan. Even today, once away from the capital, you will get the feeling that you have stepped back in time. Mongolia, the ‘land of blue sky’, is where the great Siberian forest meets rolling steppe and the vast Gobi desert. …

Peru | Inkaterra | Ornithology in Reserva Amazónica

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Central & South America, Ecotours by location, Focus, Peru

Conserving the environment, preserving the native cultures, developing sustainable tourism in Peru. Inkaterra is a Peruvian organization that has over 43 years of experience in sustainable tourism initiatives. It focuses on preserving Peru’s nature and cultures and sharing them with the world. Each year Inkaterra hosts more than 200,000 travellers providing authentic nature experiences in Peru, while rescuing, presenting and showcasing Peru’s culture and nature for the world. Top Five Birds Black-faced cotinga Blue-and-yellow macaw White-throated toucan Paradise tanager Sunbittern Ethics At Terra Incognita we support tours that do good in the world. They must help to conserve the environment, …

Bolivia | BOLIVIA naturally | Endemic Macaws and Wildlife of Bolivia in Central South America

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Bolivia, Central & South America, Ecotours by location, Focus

Looking for birdwatching in a different, unusual and exciting setting you never had thought of before? Join us on a discovery of a lifetime in Bolivia. Bolivia offers 1400+ bird species, including 20 endemics and another 100 spectacular bird species confined to a variety of limited ecosystems. Some of Bolivia’s endemic birds, such as blue-throated macaw and red-fronted macaw are among the most endangered birds on Earth. Our birding tours visit a diverse range of habitats and have an emphasis on the unusual endemic species of the region. Top Five Birds Red-fronted Macaw Blue-fronted Macaw Hooded mountain Toucan Red-tailed Comet …

Panama | Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge | Birding Western Panama

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Central & South America, Ecotours by location, Focus, Panama

Tranquilo Bay has listed over 200 species of birds on-sight and over 500 from our daily excursions to nearby bird-rich environments. Bocas del Toro, Panama is geologically gifted, creating extreme species diversity; there are an incredible variety of ecosystems, habitats and altitudinal zones only a short distance from the lodge. Our guides are passionate about observing wildlife, excellent at spotting as well as identification and frequently work with bird watching groups and individuals with birding specific itineraries. Top Five Birds Golden-collared Manakin leks Nicaraguan Seed Finch Snowy Cotinga Stub-tailed Spadebill Three-Wattled Bellbird Ethics At Terra Incognita we support tours that …

Cuba | Caribbean Conservation Trust | Cuba Bird Surveys with Nils Navarro

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Birds, Central & South America, Cuba, Ecotours by location, Focus

The Caribbean Conservation Trust (CCT) has been the leader in providing legal bird conservation programs for U.S. citizens in Cuba since 1996. CCT is the top choice from a licensing & programmatic perspective, and because of our distinct relationships & knowledge. You are invited on an exclusive, U.S. led and managed birding program to Cuba! The program is managed by the Caribbean Conservation Trust, Inc. (CCT), which is based in Connecticut. In early 2018 CCT staff began their 22nd year of managing bird conservation and natural history programs in Cuba. Along with CCT Ornithologist Michael Good, our team will include award-winning Cuban …

Seychelles | Birding Seychelles | Birdwatching Tour

August 14, 2018 Terra Incognita Africa, Birds, Ecotours by location, Focus, Seychelles

See some of the best birds in the Seychelles with local guide Steve Agricole from Birding Seychelles. Top Five Birds Seychelles White-eye Seychelles Kestrel Seychelles Scops Owl Seychelles Black Parrot Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher Ethics At Terra Incognita we support tours that do good in the world. Here’s what Steve Agricole from Birding Seychelles said to us… As a small entrepreneur and birding guide my dream is to work with local schools to raise awareness of conservation and protection of species in the Seychelles. I hope that being on the ethical bird tours list will help to propel me into achieving something really good …