BirdBound With Non-Birders

Yes, a birder (even a hardcore one), can travel with non-birding family or friends. The first essential to happy travel for all is the DESTINATION CHOICE. Quite a few options will likely meet both the desires of the birder and the fancies of the rest of the party. See Destinations for some suggestions.

The next essential is GIVE-AND-TAKE. It must be understood that not everyone will be doing exactly what they choose every minute of the day. There will be times when the non-birders will have to entertain themselves in a remote forest lodge and the birder will have to be satisfied binocing the pigeons in the town square.

A good arrangement involves a LOCAL BIRDING GUIDE for the singular birder or a local general guide for the singular non-birder - depending on the number and make-up of the travel party. This is not to mean that the party should split up each and every day - some experiences should be shared. And quite a number of the birder's activities - a hike up a Guatemalan volcano or a boat ride on a jungle river - will be of interest to all. And vice versa. You are family, afterall.

If choosing to travel with FRIENDS - a word of caution: You may be the best of friends in your home settings, but travel is maximum thrills and maximum stresses. More friendships are tested and found weak in the areas needed when it's too late - in the middle of a trip. Make sure your travel styles mesh - ie. sleeping in versus getting up early, showering a must versus not caring, Hiltons required versus a hotel with bath down the hall, wanting to hike versus wanting to lay by the pool, etc. Choose carefully.

All of the above applies to travel with KIDS, as well. Again, destination choice is the key. A few budding-birder kids may be happy following in birder dad's or mom's footsteps all day long, but most will tire of quiet trail-trekking after a few hours. Factor in active, noise-allowed kid-oriented activities.

So…the birder has choices beyond traveling with a flock of strangers in khaki (a birding tour). He/she can experience those maximum thrills with loved ones nearby.