Are you one of those who feels that family wildlife tours feel rushed or crowded? Here are a few thoughts about how to choose small-group, well-paced trip designs using clear group-size, daily schedule, and encounter-quality criteria.
Since we specialize in South America, I will focus on family wildlife tours there, though some of these ideas can also pertain to tours in Africa and other places.
You're probably aware that the more people there are, the more noise and movement there will be and thus, probably less wildlife will be seen. Most tour descriptions will say what the maximum group size is, but you also have to consider if there will be other tour groups at the same place at the same time. At some locations, guides are in contact with each other, so if they spot a prized animal, they will let the other guides know and they will bring their groups over. You've probably heard stories about vehicles in Africa completely surrounding a family of lions or something like that. So you'll want to try to avoid scenarios like that. We work with operators that keep groups small and separate from other groups. Also, we work with a number of remote lodges that are away from the high traffic areas where most people go to because they are convenient, such as Uakari, Tambopata Research Center , Calanoa and Napo Wildlife Center in the Amazon and Barra Mansa in the Pantanal
Also, in cases such as when a guide is using a scope to let people view a distant bird or other animal, if there is a large group, it will take a while to let everyone look through the scope. If the schedule is tight because visiting a lot of different areas is scheduled, then it will feel like you are rushing to get to all of the places. It's better to go with a company that has a more relaxed and flexible schedule because, if you're seeing some really interesting at one site, you might not want to have to rush off to the next site because you're supposed to be there at a certain time. One wildlife viewing highlight is more memorable than several ordinary encounters.
You're probably aware that the more people there are, the more noise and movement there will be and thus, probably less wildlife will be seen. Most tour descriptions will say what the maximum group size is, but you also have to consider if there will be other tour groups at the same place at the same time. At some locations, guides are in contact with each other, so if they spot a prized animal, they will let the other guides know and they will bring their groups over. You've probably heard stories about vehicles in Africa completely surrounding a family of lions or something like that. So you'll want to try to avoid scenarios like that. We work with operators that keep groups small and separate from other groups. Also, we work with a number of remote lodges that are away from the high traffic areas where most people go to because they are convenient, such as Uakari, Tambopata Research Center , Calanoa and Napo Wildlife Center in the Amazon and Barra Mansa in the Pantanal
Also, in cases such as when a guide is using a scope to let people view a distant bird or other animal, if there is a large group, it will take a while to let everyone look through the scope. If the schedule is tight because visiting a lot of different areas is scheduled, then it will feel like you are rushing to get to all of the places. It's better to go with a company that has a more relaxed and flexible schedule because, if you're seeing some really interesting at one site, you might not want to have to rush off to the next site because you're supposed to be there at a certain time. One wildlife viewing highlight is more memorable than several ordinary encounters.
It might be tempting to go with a company that offers a cheaper price for a wildlife tour experience, but if that is because they have a larger group, then it kind of defeats the purpose. If you have a larger group, then you will probably see less wildlife. By the same token, if you are going somewhere to see wildlife and there are people that live in the area, you should check to see if those people hunt the animals. If they do, that is going to decrease your wildlife viewing opportunities. We no longer work with one lodge because of that - our clients were not seeing animals because they had been hunted by the locals.
Timing can also affect cost and crowd size. For instance, in the Pantanal, July-September was traditionally considered prime time for visiting because the water levels were down, so animals congregated around remaining water sources and jaguars had to come out of the bush to access water and that is when most people came. But with the change in climate the good wildlife viewing period has been extended into June and October in some areas and those months are not as crowded. By the same token, most people think that it is best to come to the Amazon in the low water season, but there is still plenty of wildlife to see in the high water season. You just travel around more by small boat than by walking.
What is a good maximum group size to look for? Regular bus tour companies that have groups of 40+ on their regular tours will promote tours with a maximum of 24 or 16 people as small group tours. But for good wildlife viewing tours, those are too big. In generally open spaces, like on Galapagos cruises, 10 is good and 8 is even better. In more closed areas, like in the jungle or cloud forest or similar, where you want to be able to be close to the guide so you can see what he is pointing out, 8 or less is a good size.
We work with some local operators, such as in the Amazon and Pantanal who will customize a private tour for your family that is suited to your interests or we can arrange good regular small group tours with reputable local operators at the best rates. Did you know that some companies that offer nature tours with fixed departures will use local companies and their guides, but will send one of their own escorts along, so the people on the tour end up having to pay the expenses for the escort to be there? It's part of the tour cost.
Timing can also affect cost and crowd size. For instance, in the Pantanal, July-September was traditionally considered prime time for visiting because the water levels were down, so animals congregated around remaining water sources and jaguars had to come out of the bush to access water and that is when most people came. But with the change in climate the good wildlife viewing period has been extended into June and October in some areas and those months are not as crowded. By the same token, most people think that it is best to come to the Amazon in the low water season, but there is still plenty of wildlife to see in the high water season. You just travel around more by small boat than by walking.
What is a good maximum group size to look for? Regular bus tour companies that have groups of 40+ on their regular tours will promote tours with a maximum of 24 or 16 people as small group tours. But for good wildlife viewing tours, those are too big. In generally open spaces, like on Galapagos cruises, 10 is good and 8 is even better. In more closed areas, like in the jungle or cloud forest or similar, where you want to be able to be close to the guide so you can see what he is pointing out, 8 or less is a good size.
We work with some local operators, such as in the Amazon and Pantanal who will customize a private tour for your family that is suited to your interests or we can arrange good regular small group tours with reputable local operators at the best rates. Did you know that some companies that offer nature tours with fixed departures will use local companies and their guides, but will send one of their own escorts along, so the people on the tour end up having to pay the expenses for the escort to be there? It's part of the tour cost.
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