Your trip, built around you

Not every birding or photography trip fits a fixed group itinerary. Maybe the dates don't work, maybe you're traveling with a spouse who doesn't bird or photograph, or maybe you just want more say in how the days go. That's what a custom trip is for: I design the trip around your goals, your schedule and your pace.

Why choose a custom trip?

• Your dates. We travel when it suits you, and when the birds you want are at their best.
• Your target birds. Tell me the species you've been chasing or the photos you've always wanted, and I'll plan the stops around them.
• Your pace. Long days in the field or relaxed mornings and early dinners: it's up to you. Not everyone can run up a mountain and hike 12 miles in a day, and I've run trips where we hardly left sight of the car.
• Your whole group. I can mix in non-birding and non-photography activities so a spouse, family member or friend enjoys the trip as much as you do.
• Undivided attention. With just you or your small group, every photo opportunity, every setup and all the coaching on camera settings and light is for you.
• Flexibility on the day. If the light is perfect or a bird is cooperating, we stay. If the weather turns, we change plans without worrying about anyone else's schedule.
• Every skill level and budget. Whether you're just picking up a camera or after one special shot, the trip is built for you. Enjoying nature shouldn't be limited to a small part of the population.
• Similar cost to a group trip. Because my group trips are limited to only a few guests, a custom trip for one or two people (or more) usually isn't much different in cost.

Where we can go

I've birded widely across the Americas, so I can set up custom trips all over the US as well as in Central and South America.

How it works

1. Tell me what you have in mind: the birds or places you're interested in, rough dates, who's coming, any mobility needs and your budget.
2. I'll put together a proposed itinerary and price.
3. We fine-tune it together until it's the trip you want.

Sample itineraries

Below are some custom itineraries I've run with others over the past few years. They're only a few of the places we can go, and any of them can be changed to suit you. Please don't hesitate to ask about anywhere you'd like to photograph birds.

-Texas (Lower Rio Grande Valley) Click HERE for details.

-Texas (Upper Coast/Piney Woods) Click HERE for details.

-Texas (Hill Country/West Texas)  Click HERE for details.

-Southeastern Arizona email for details.

-New Mexico (Bosque and Surrounding areas) Click HERE for details.

-Colorado  email for details.

-South Florida  email for details.

Ready to start planning? Email me at greglavaty@gmail.com or use the contact form.

Payment, cancellation and travel insurance

Payment. A deposit of 15% of the trip price is due when you book, and the remainder is due 30 days before the departure date.

Cancellation. If you need to cancel and I can fill your spot, I will refund your payment. If I can't find a replacement, I can only refund the parts of the trip I am able to recover. That can be limited, because many trip expenses are paid well before the departure date and are not refundable.

Travel insurance. For that reason I recommend that you consider travel insurance and look into Allianz Travel, Travel Guard or Travelex. Buying a policy soon after you pay your deposit usually gives you the most options.

I am not an insurance agent and do not sell insurance. Please compare the options and choose the policy that suits you.