Are you an avid traveler who want to try something different the next time you set off on an adventure? Then you can definitely try a birding tour in China. Not only is it a fulfilling hobby, but also an educational one because it will teach you a whole lot about nature. All things considered, who does not like sitting in the lap of nature while observing God’s best creations? Thus, if you want to broaden your horizon and want to travel to China for the first time, then make sure that you pick from the most reputable travel companies and book a tour which suits you best.
However, selecting the most suitable tour company is not an easy job. This is all the more magnified when you are planning a trip all the way to China. Surely, you would want it to be one of the most beautiful and enriching trips of your life, and hence, you should carry out a thorough research and background check before you seal the deal with a firm. Once you have booked a China Birding Tour with a company, you can rest assured that they will take care of the rest for you, from hotel reservations to documents, to gears and accessories. Bur before you embark on your journey, make sure to ask for these three essential things from your touring agency to ensure that your trip both starts and ends smoothly.
1. Itinerary:
First off, before you even leave for China, make sure that you have the itinerary in hand. This is the most crucial aspect of your trip. Once you book a tour with a touring company, you must ask them to send you the itinerary or tour duration as soon as possible as you will have to make necessary arrangements according to that. Most companies also provide their customers with a tour leader. So you might want to take advantage of this, and ask him or her about the nitty-gritties of the whole experience. If you have any ailments or physical conditions, they might even be able to tell you which activities you should keep out of. Lastly, before you select a package, like a Sichuan Birding Tour, make sure to ask them about the breakup of the total cost. Since you will be making quite an investment, it is imperative for you to know where your money is being placed.
2. List of Birds to Cover:
Since your primary aim during this trip is to watch birds, it becomes very necessary to obtain a list of birds from the tour conductor beforehand. Since the southwest part of China like Sichuan, is known for housing different species of birds like the Chinese Monal, Temminck’s Tragopan, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush, Sichuan Treecreeper, and much more, it would be helpful to research and read up on them prior to the journey. This will not only help you in learning more about them but also assist you in identifying them on the field. Although you will have a field guide with you, it is always wiser to be prepared yourself.
3. A Map of the Area:
A map indicating the areas you will cover is the third and final thing that your travel firm must provide you. Since most touring companies have a fixed set of areas that they cover, it will be useful for you as a customer to check throughout the tour if all the activities in all the locations mentioned are actually being covered or not. Keeping informed about these areas will also help you to learn about the place, their population and culture, apart from the birds that you will be seeing. For instance, during Sichuan birding tours, the most visited places for birding are among Balang Mountain, Wolong Nature Reserve, Baxi Village, Mount Longcangou, Mengbishan, and of course, others.
Not that you know what to ask for, pack your bags and get going on the best adventure ever!
Author Bio: Jenny Chen, a regular blogger on bird-watching in China like Sichuan Birding, here writes on how the perfect travel agency can offer the most of a southwest China Birding tour. Make sure that your tour conductor also provides you with these essential factors while you are in China to have a complete experience.
