International Birding, Adventure and Travel Tours Reviews

The above Google icon used to be a link to my many 5-star Google reviews.  My company originated in Colorado in 2007, and then I moved my business to Washington State in 2015.  In June 2020, I moved back to Colorado.  When I tried to change my address back to Colorado, Google suspended my business account, "due to suspicious activity".  I have contacted them three times, and all I get back is computer generated responses.  If you know of anyone who can help with getting my Google business account reinstated, please help me.  Losing my Google reviews has definitely hurt my business. 

You can also read reviews about our tours at Stridetravel

We look forward to guiding you on your next adventure  

Please contact us with any questions you might have

Below are comments given to us by our clients  

Taiwan November 2024: I am glad that I participated in Kaiyote’s tour and met other birders. The beautiful Taiwan island, the knowledge of bird guides and the atmosphere of the whole tour will stay in my memory for a long time.

Kaiyote is an excellent tour organizer. I am impressed that she could rearrange the tour schedule in a short period of time for the last-minute cancellation of Dasyueshan birding due to the typhoon. The choice of birding hotspots is also great. I think I have gained more than 20 Taiwan life birds, including 4 endemics.  Chia-Fang, lifelong Taiwanese birder

Kaiyote Tour Company Gets Everything Right!

....scheduling, logistics, itineraries, dining, personal snacks, transportation, literature, lodging, and, particularly, local guides....to support the purpose of the trip -- Birds!!

The very best of professional planning and execution were apparent throughout my recent birding visit to Taiwan with Kaiyote Tours -- from greeting me upon arrival at the airport to no taxi available at my departure to forced schedule/lodging changes for the entire party due to an unforeseen severe weather event.  Everything was handled seamlessly with little to no disruption to guests, and still plenty of -- Birds!!

Safety and comfort were first and foremost as we traversed much of the country along newly opened roads through the earthquake damaged, but awesome Taroko Gorge, encountered unexpected roadwork and sometimes narrowed passages, to navigating the surrender of vehicles in favor of the planned high speed trains for the return trip to Taipei.

The most impressive aspect of traveling with Kaiyote Tours -- from the cities to the countryside to the urban and national parks and forests to wetlands, shores, resorts, gardens, monuments, and monasteries -- Kaiyote Tours knew where to find the birds!  I was shocked and pleased when my Life Bird count approached 150!!   

I most definitely plan to book more trips with Kaiyote Tours in the future.  Kaiyote Tours takes the stress out of travel, putting into it safety, comfort, adventure, new friends, great local guides, and, of course -- Birds!!

Linda Archer, Taiwan, November 2024

“In October (2024), I visited El Salvador with Kaiyote Tours. We had lovely accommodations at three different elevations, from the ocean side to the volcanic mountains, in this small but beautiful country. Kaiyote Snow arranged a thoughtful itinerary that emphasized birds and nature but also included visits to two pre-Columbian archaeological sites. Three local guides helped us learn about the country and find a wide variety of birds – in wetlands, forests, and mountains.  Highly recommended.” ~Jim Hewitt, Okemos, Michigan

Three weeks traveling in Panama and El Salvador October 2024: I’m a 78 year old backcountry skier who recently had an injury, and while still recovering, decided to try something new to keep active and not get bored.  I hired Kaiyote Tours for a new adventure.  Despite my personal challenges, I had an amazing experience, filled with beauty and activities that I thought were out of my reach.  With Ms. Snow’s patience and experience, and additional help from her professional associate guides, I walked through wonderful rainforests and strolled along stunning beaches, while at the same time learning more about nature and birds than I thought possible in so short a time. I can’t wait for my next opportunity to travel with such an inspiring host. On any day when I wasn’t up for the day’s activities, the accommodations arranged were superior and comfortable for relaxing pool side or just in my room.  Marty Zieff, Grand Lake, Colorado

September 2024, Backpacking Tour Rocky Mountain National Park, Onahu Creek:  “I decided I wanted to go on a backpacking trip before a work conference rather last minute and boy am I glad I did. Not only was Kaiyote willing to accommodate a rather late request, but she was also an amazing guide as she showed me the sights of Rocky Mountain National Park and planned a great 2 night 3 day backpacking trip.

Kaiyote knows so much about the park history, the flora, the fauna and of course the birds. I learned so much from her and it was wonderful to hear all about everything while catching my breath during our climb to camp. She had great gear for us but was also supportive of me using my own and helping me learn more about my own gear and how to optimize my equipment. She was patient and kind and took things at my pace while also encouraging and motivating me by just being her. 

I will definitely be traveling with her in the future whether it’s for a birding tour, day hike, or another overnight backpacking trip in the future.”  L.N

Santa Fe Opera 2024

Joyce from Eugene, Oregon:  "Once again thank you for all you did to make the week of opera in Santa Fe a great success. Creating an instant (almost) shelter for a picnic in the monsoon, introducing us to Oliver and his fascinating pre-opera talks, the breakfasts and lunches you made available to us each day, all the driving you did, and even dropping me at my friend's home on the unpaved road (I had forgotten about that!) at the end of the program. A memorable adventure. Thanks so much." 

Mike, visiting from Colombia:  "I was invited by family onto one of Kaiyote’s opera and bird watching tours down in Santa Fe, NM. This was my first time experiencing opera and I had a great time! Don Giovani and The Elixir of Love left me wanting to come back for more. I especially loved Santa Fe’s outdoor opera house and dinners. With the operas going late into the night Kaiyote was very flexible with the daily schedule and the pacing of the bird watching and touring depending how everyone was feeling. I would love to join Kaiyote for another opera trip, or potentially for one of her overseas tours. Thank you!" 

Suzanne and Matt from Chicago:  "We joined Kaiyote for the 2024 Santa Fe Opera and Birding tour and had a great experience. Kaiyote showed us great birding spots and the best hiking trails, pointing out wildlife and plant life throughout the hikes. The opera was top notch and a nice artistic balance to the daytime of hiking. I can't say enough about Kaiyote as a guide, especially when things don't go to plan. When the rain swept through for our picnic dinner, she came prepared with a tent to create a dinner we'll never forget. Really enjoyed this trip, thank you!" 

Taiwan May 2024:  "Fantastic trip with Kaiyote for New Horizons Birds and Wildlife Tours. Just after the massive earthquake so some tweaks had to be made. Kaiyote and Wu (our excellent bird guide) were a great team, very knowledgeable and they worked hard to give us a trip to remember. Amazing scenery, a variety of weather, stunning birds and wildlife, many laughs and great experiences. Would definitely travel with Kaiyote again." Anny and Christopher, United Kingdom

February 2024 Chiriquí, Panama:  Kaiyote - much thx for planning and for including me on this trip.  What an experience covering such a wide range of Panama’s habitats, their birds and other, and local culture too.  And Nando is a birding phenom!  Glad we could contribute to his wardrobe.  Kaiyote you’re a delight.  Barry from Tigard, Oregon

Darien, Panama February 2024:  Nando, the bird guide, was fabulous and really enjoyed having his young son along for a couple of days.  The life birds came fast and furious, especially since I have not done much birding outside the US.  Kaiyote did a great job handling the logistics, especially my early departure from the group.  Well worth the cost.  Louisa from Nampa, Idaho

We are very happy we joined Kaiyote on her birding tour of Taiwan in December 2023. We are decent birders and seasoned travelers, but we chose a guided expedition because we had never before been to Asia. Kaiyote did a superb job of taking care of all the details, from meeting us at the airport and getting us to our hotel (even though we arrived a day early) to booking internal train tickets, excellent resort and restaurant reservations, and a professional driver.

The itinerary was well thought-out but flexible enough to accommodate special requests. Kaiyote made room for us to adventure into the Taipei subway and joined us on a day off to the Mao Kong Gondola at the Taipei Zoo, where we had our best looks at the Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler.

The accommodations in Taipei, Pei Kong River, and Hualien were top-notch. The National Park Lodge at Dasyueshan was rustic, but we had lots of warning about this and Kaiyote took special measures to make sure we had everything we needed at this spartan retreat—bringing extra snacks from the city to supplement our meals, providing  her own towels for our room, and expert advice for hiking at elevation for us sea-level dwellers.

The Rido Hotel in Taipei was our favorite spot. Thankfully so, as we had two separate stays there in a beautiful large upper-floor room overlooking Da’an Forest Park. We often wandered across the street to this amazing city park before meeting the group or after dinner to watch the dozens of Egrets (4 species!), Malayan and Black-capped Night-herons as thick as the pigeons in many cities, and a resident Common Kingfisher—all just across the street from our urban hotel!

Overall, the birding in Taiwan was excellent. We saw 174 species, 142 of which were new life-list birds for us, and many which were endemic to Taiwan. The local bird Guide, Wu, was extremely knowledgeable about the birds and spoke fluent English. He and Kaiyote were a pleasure to bird with. I think we might have been able to plan our own trip and self-guide, but there is no way we would have seen as many things and visited as many beautiful places had we not been with Kaiyote. Her hard work and knowledge of the area and people and the stress-free travelling was more than worth the price of the trip.

We highly recommend this trip and look forward to joining Kaiyote in some other part of the world.  Jack and Kelli, Portland, Oregon, December 2023

A fantastic birding experience in RMNP!

Nick and Nikita September 2023

Mongolia August 2023:  I have recently returned from a trip to Mongolia, organized and led by Kaiyote Tours. As a world traveler of over 50 years, I found traveling in Mongolia to be a unique experience. The trip was flawless. Our local guides were extremely knowledgeable as well as personable. Our accommodation was unique. We covered a lot of territory without ever feeling rushed. So much history, so many birds! Gayle, Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Argentina May 2023 Private Tour:  Went to Argentina with Kaiyote for a 10 day family trip. It was wonderful!! Highly recommend it! She tailored the trip to what we wanted (i.e. included more cultural tours/activities since not everyone was bird watchers). She was an expert about the local birds and taught us so much about birdwatching in general. Moreover, she picked fabulous places to eat and stay at and always came up with plans that made everyone happy. Argentina itself is beautiful and has activities for everyone including history, nature preserves, and tango. It was a blast and a wonderful way to spend time with family!

"Kaiyote Tours arranged an enjoyable and assorted itinerary to help me with familiarization of the birding areas around Sequim, WA, and found terrific birds all along the way!  I look forward to more such days taking in various other local areas as well as more extensive international trips with Kaiyote Tours!"  Linda Archer, Birding the Olympic Peninsula, Washington May 2023

My husband Tony and I enjoyed snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park with our skilled guide, Kaiyote Snow. Kaiyote met us outside the entrance to the park and curated a tour along the Colorado River Trail. She arrived prepared with all our gear, including snow shoes and trekking poles. After a quick safety lesson about cold exposure, she explained how to use the equipment, and we set off. During the three-mile round trip trek, we enjoyed learning about flora and fauna in the park, watched for wildlife by observing tiny animal tracks, and even dug down to find the Colorado River blanketed in fresh snow. Three hours flew by as we took well-timed breaks to enjoy the vistas and the snacks Kaiyote offered. It was a spectacular morning, as the weather was perfect, and we could spend time enjoying nature with a fabulous guide to show us the way.  Jeanine and Tony Consoli at Rocky Mountain National Park, February 2023

Nothing but wonderful things to say about Kaiyote. This was our first time snowshoeing and after a quick google search we went with Kaiyote Tours. She took the time to ensure our equipment was properly fit, tell us about the National Park, and gave us insightful information as we meandered through the park. I would highly recommend her services for the novice and seasoned hiker alike. Eddie and Vicky at Rocky Mountain National Park, February 2023

I have traveled to many countries with Kaiyote including my third trip to Panama in Jan-Feb of 2023. On each trip I was able to see new birds along with the old favorites , (am up to over 300 species including 29 species of raptors). As usual when traveling with Kaiyote, we had lots of laughs and unexpected adventures. She has extensive knowledge, patience and love of the outdoors. The local guides, Nando and Ismael were superb, and them alone, worth a trip. Panama is a hidden gem that I hope to visit again. I highly recommend booking a trip with her. Anne Ardillo, Panama January 2023

Kaiyote is by far the best guide I have ever used to explore nature.  She provides a great experience and great customer service.  Her incredible breadth of knowledge about animals, plants and geography as well as the people and culture of the area makes for an exceptional experience.                                                                   Ron Wheeler, Rocky Mountain National Park August 2022

The trip was wonderful and many birds were found.  I have know Kaiyote from her days in Colorado, her knowledge of nature intertwined with birds and animals of the world.  I had the opportunity to go to Colombia, December 2018.  The trip was wonderful and many birds were found.  My favorite is hummingbirds and we saw 32 species in 12 days.  The trips run smoothly, we wat well always and the camaraderie was wonderful.  I would highly recommend a trip with her.  Matt Hansen, Colombia 2018 and Texas Birding April 2021

I hired Kaiyote to help me find the best place to photograph Hurricane Ridge during sunrise.  She did a phenomenal job, and I was so grateful for her experience.  She also made sure to suggest a few venues that also made for great photographs.  Thanks so much, Kaiyote I hope others discover your awesome business.  Geoff Livingston, May 2021 Great Sand Dunes National Park and Olympic National Park 2019

Olympic National Park Summer 2019: Mossy Lush Green & Mysterious Forest - Don't miss the waterfall treks to see the beauty of these trails. What a wonder! And with guide and birder Kaiyote Tours... OUTSTANDING! Catherine and Steven

Stockholm Christmas December 2018:  Many thanks to you and Ed for our spectacular time in Stockholm. Special mention to Ed for all his thoughtful help. Ellen and Paul

Kaiyote led my family on a guided tour of Iceland in August 2018.  We had a wonderful time in the country with Kaiyote.  The highlight of the trip was visiting a puffin colony on an island off the coast of Iceland.  It was wonderful to see the birds up close.  My time with Kaiyote introduced me to bird watching, an activity which, due to my time with Kaiyote, I've also come to enjoy and love!  Peter Raymond, Iceland August 2018

If you are looking to bird in a small group with excellent guides, and have interesting cultural experiences while you are at it, Kaiyote Tours is for you.  I and my wife have recently toured with Kaiyote to both Iceland and Colombia.  Both trips were great - no wonder she has so many repeat clients.  David and Linda

May 2018, Northeast Iceland Tour:  Linda and I thank you for the great job of leading us thru Iceland. We look forward to seeing you again in September and in December. Best, David

May 2018, Westfjords, Iceland Tour:  Lisa and I had a great time!  We enjoyed seeing Iceland very much.  All the meals and hotels were great.   The trip was a vacation but even more so an experience.  It was very relaxing to know you had everything taken care of!  Rod from Virginia

We learned so much and all agree it was a life changing experience.  I really do hope to be back in the future.  I would love to have my family experience the beauty of Washington!  
Science Instructional Coaches
Omaha Public Schools 
August 2017

I cannot thank you enough for an amazing 5 days.  Your support and encouragement helped me feel strong again and getting us up to the glacier was just the icing on the cake (or maybe strawberry pie!).  Aimee, Olympic National Park June 2017

 Thank you for organizing my backpacking trip.  I wanted to let you know I completely enjoyed the experience.  Ed is a great guide.  I was very grateful for his expert guidance and attention to safety and detail.  I learned so much about backpacking and the wilderness from Ed which is exactly what I was hoping for!  It was an absolutely beautiful, mellow, serene, and perfect trip!!  Sincerely, Marianne

Olympic National Park June 2017

It was a great trip and I believe the students learned a lot about backcountry leadership. 

Thanks so much to you and Ed for your support.  
Mount Hood Community College, August 2016

We hope to return, usually don't go back to the same place for about 5 years but who knows, the Olympics were great, so much to see, I'd vote for sooner.  I will also recommend your service to anyone I know who is planning a trip out to the Olympic Park.  It was a pleasure to meet Kari and Ed and the car campers were impressed with your knowledge and how much fun it was. 
Thanks again, 
Appalachian Mountain Club visit to Olympic National Park July 2016

We had an amazing trip.  We both completely enjoyed the Westfjords!  It is amazing.  As always you expertly blended our likes- hot tubs, hiking, exploring with Birding.  We had so much fun and have amazing pictures of many kinds of birds, and of course the PUFFINS! Yay! Thanks for everything! All our best! 

Wendy and Roger, Iceland trip May 2016

We had a fantastic time and I have been singing your praise to everyone I know.  Iceland is such an incredible place and you made it so easy for us to enjoy.  Now I need to see tropical birds so I may consider one of Nicaragua trips and would love to return to Iceland.  If you have a newsletter or emails that you periodically send out please put me on that list.

Anne and John, Iceland trip May 2016

Thanks for showing us Nicaragua!

Joe & Holly February 2016

We had a fantastic time on this trip. It exceeded all my expectations!
Anna Cannova, Iceland New Year’s Eve 2016

We can’t stop talking about our wonderful trip.  You were instrumental in helping create it.  Thanks again, appreciate you sharing your extreme knowledge with us.

The Bogrow Family 2015

Thanks again for an amazing trip.  As I said to you on the trip, backpacking with you is so exceptional because of your huge depth of knowledge of everything we are seeing.  Without you, it would be “Oh what a pretty walk!” which would also be great but you make it so much more truly exceptional experience.  Kaiyote tailors every tour to each client to make sure they have the safest, most fun, and educational trip possible.  In short, she turns a pretty hike into an amazing, enriching experience.  If you want a fun, great adventure with a great person, she's the one for you. 

R. Wheeler 2015

Thank you so much for the amazing 3 days!! It was my most amazing experience and this trip changed my life!  I will keep working on being as strong as people who carry one 3rd of their body weight to climb up the mountain and want to back packing one day.  I will definitely come back to Rocky Mountain!  Hope to see you soon!  

Mari Higuchi, New York, NY.

Great job!  The tour was better than we could have imagined.  Your guidance by gesture and smile was perfect.  Sincere thanks, 
Joe Laszlo and Holly Love 
Peoria, IL.  
Iceland 2014

We had a great time with you on our trip.  Thanks for being such an excellent guide and for having all the gear we needed.  
Steve Tripp
Detroit, MI.
Snowshoe Tour

Sure enjoyed our trip with you. Looking forward to seeing you in the future!  I'd travel anywhere with you and can vouch you are a great roommate!  You travel so light you don't take up any space!!
Rick Vetter and Joan Suther
Argentina 2012

Kaiyote, thanks for making this possible.  Your training tips over the summer were invaluable.  You gave me confidence on the climb when I needed it most.  I doubt I would have made it to the summit without confidence in your guiding ability and encouraging words.

JP Mondeau 
Summer 2013

We had a wonderful day, thanks to your knowledge of the trees and wildlife, and your patience with our many questions, as well as, your good humor in giving us extra time in the gift shop!  You have made our “Colorado Experience’ very memorable!  

Sincerely, Noreen, Sue
and Ginny
Summer 2003