Chill Mode
Relaxed birding with built-in optionality.
Relax while also enjoying birds and wildlife. The idea is to not tirelessly pursue, but to enjoy some birding, along with time for other options. The options and activities vary between trips, but could involve opting out of an outing to chill and enjoy being around the lodge, take some photos at a feeding station, get a massage, do some meditation, or just rest. Some Chill Mode trips feature optional nocturnal outings for owls, frogs, sea-turtles, or even other things for those who may have taken a morning or afternoon off, or for the more avid. If you like a mix of things with your birding, Chill Mode trips are great.
Current Chill Mode tours on offer:
Almost Heaven: Birds, Nature, and Culinary Adventures in West Virginia
Leader: Mollee Brown
May 18 - 25, 2025
Panama Immersion: Wildlife & Waters of Tranquilo Bay
Leaders: Mollee Brown & Brenda Sanchez
July 5 - 12, 2025
Alaska: The Nome Experience
One of the most electric places on Earth, Nome is not only famous as a gold rush town and the finish line for the Iditarod, but is home to amazing birds, mammals, and scenery. Take a deep dive into perhaps Alaska's best birding spot.
Colombia: The Coffee Triangle (4-7 nights)
Explore coffee country in Colombia, enjoying a host of great birds while also visiting a coffee farm, with options for nocturnal birds, frogs and more.
Costa Rica: Iconic Arenal (6 nights)
Bask in the birds of Costa Rica's best known birding hotspot, stroll a canopy walkway, at one of the world's best known volcanos. Nocturnal forays for frogs and mammals is an option too.
India: Tigers in the Jungle (5-7 nights)
Base yourself at an exquisite lodge, where the dining is as much a part of the experience as the the thrill of seeking the world's largest cat. Birding is fabulous and there are options too for yoga, meditation, black-lighting for moths, and more. And there's always the option to add a couple days to see the Taj Mahal.
Panama: The Canal Zone (6 nights)
Take a short week to enjoy a ton of great birding with good mammals and herps (frogs, etc.) all while based at one comfortable hotel.
Uganda: Silverbacks, Birds & a Safari (8 nights)
Venture to the Pearl of Africa and for a short but sweet trip in search of Mountain Gorillas, and mix in some safari birding, while staying at fabulously comfortable lodges with great food.