BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE ITINERARY. CHINA: MANCHURIA & THE TIBETAN PLATEAU May 4-25, 2013

Transcription

1 field guides BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE ITINERARY CHINA: MANCHURIA & THE TIBETAN PLATEAU May 4-25, 2013 We include here information for those interested in the 2013 Field Guides China: Manchuria & the Tibetan Plateau tour: a general introduction to the tour a description of the birding areas to be visited on the tour an abbreviated daily itinerary with some indication of the nature of each dayʼs birding outings Those who register for the tour will be sent this additional material: a detailed information bulletin with important logistical information and answers to questions regarding accommodations, air arrangements, clothing, currency, customs and immigration, documents, health precautions, and personal items a reference list a Field Guides checklist for preparing for and keeping track of the birds we see on the tour after the conclusion of the tour, a list of birds seen on the tour A truly fabulous birding adventure one that begins with the draw of six possible crane species and a multitude of coveted waterbirds and scarce landbirds in Manchuria and concludes high in the mountains of the remote northeastern Tibetan Plateau in search of, among many others, the monotypic Przevalskiʼs Rosefinch. As we crest the final hill on the new highway west of the Qinghai provincial capital of Xining and the last native trees that weʼll see for many days disappear behind us, the early morning sky opens up to the distant, shimmering horizon that is Koko Nor. This is the northeastern gateway to the Tibetan Plateau, and Koko Nor that huge lake before us and surrounding grasslands and scrub vegetation teem with waterfowl, raptors, finches, shorebirds, and other feathered treasures. To this day, Chinaʼs remote Qinghai Province remains little visited by naturalists or indeed by anyone for that matter! Some of the birds weʼll be looking for have been seen by no more than a few handfuls of westerners. Leaving Beijing in May 1868, it took Père David, a Basque missionary-explorer, a year and a half to reach Koko Nor, the expedition involving Field Guides Incorporated 9433 Bee Cave Road #1-150 Austin TX fax

2 a four month wait for a boat up the Yangtze. Nowadays, imported landcruisers make the journey in a little more than two hours from Xining. But the convenience of modern travel does not detract from the awe the lake inspires. At 3200 meters above sea level the vistas are grand. Where domestic Yaks graze on the flats, a narrow spit of land separates a lagoon from the expanse of the lake Bar-headed Goose, Pallasʼs Gull... then a faint call and a party of Père Davidʼs Snowfinches alights on the short grass close by, and farther on, White-rumped Snowfinches can be seen. Many birds here rarely encounter humans and can be astonishingly tame. The magic of birding on the Tibetan Plateau has only just begun! Glance at the list of possible species and youʼll immediately realize that the first part of this tour north of Beijing in the wilds of Manchuria is no less remarkable. Six species of cranes are possible in early May, including the endangered Siberian Crane. Weʼll also search for the vanishing and now de facto endemic Rufous-backed (Jankowskiʼs) Bunting, which may be the most endangered passerine in all of East Asia. A host of migrant and breeding waterfowl and other species tied to the wetlands, plains, and scrub of this huge, underbirded region in northeastern China will occupy our days before we head to the geographic center of China and begin our birding on the Roof of the World. Jesper Hornskov, our expert local guide for the tour, speaks fluent Chinese (and English!) and has lived in China and guided more than 80 birdwatching tours there over nearly two decades. In May 2013 Field Guides will be sending along as a co-leader on this special tour our own Dave Stejskal, who co-led a similar itinerary with Jesper for Field Guides in About the Physical Requirements & Pace: Though we will make every effort to follow our itinerary as outlined below, travel in such remote areas can be unpredictable and a degree of flexibility may be necessary. Participants should approach this tour with a spirit of adventure and be willing to accommodate to the inherent discomforts and inconveniences of travel in relatively remote areas and within a culture quite different from our own. Emphasis will be on seeing birds and enjoying them at a reasonable pace, not on covering as many miles as possible on foot; however, the terrain is steep in places, and this combined with the altitude in northeastern Tibet means that on occasion a degree of determination will be required to reach our desired habitat hosting our target species. When traveling by road, we will use good-quality mini/medium busses or four-wheel drive vehicles to ensure comfortable seating. The weather can often be changeable, with blue skies alternating with overcast conditions. Some rain is likely, and we could even meet snow at the higher altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau. Expect temperatures in the F range in Qinghai and roughly F in Manchuria. Eight of our days will be spent at elevations above 3000 meters (about 10,000 feet), with birding up to roughly 4800 meters (about 15,700 feet) near Er La Pass. At these elevations we will make a point of moving at a relaxed, birderʼs pace; but if you have any concerns, you should seek medical advice before deciding to participate. In addition, please note that outside of Xining and Beijing, there are only basic medical facilities. However, anyone in general good health and in reasonable shape will enjoy this exciting journey. If you are uncertain about whether this tour is a good match for your abilities, please donʼt hesitate to contact our office; if they cannot directly answer your queries, they will put you in touch with one of the guides. Itinerary for China: Manchuria & the Tibetan Plateau Days 1-2, Sat-Sun, 4-5 May. Departure from US; arrival in Beijing. Weʼll take a late morning flight from San Francisco to Beijing, arriving there in the afternoon of Day 2 (May 5). Upon arrival of the flight from San Francisco, you will be met by your guide(s) and be escorted to our hotel in Beijing. Time permitting, weʼll explore the grounds of our hotel with hopes of seeing our first Azure-winged Magpies or a few spring migrants before our first meal together. Night of Day 2 in Beijing. Day 3, Mon, 6 May. Morning birding near Beijing; overnight train to Baicheng, Manchuria. After an early breakfast at our hotel in Beijing, weʼll make a relatively short drive out of the city to get into some of the remaining habitat in the hills on the outskirts of town. The remnant forest and foothill scrub of this area harbor a few Chinese endemics or nearendemics and should prove to be an excellent introduction to the wealth of birds on this tour. We might come across the likes of the impressively large Crested Kingfisher, the scarce Long-billed Plover, the lovely Mandarin Duck, or Chinese endemics and near-endemics such as White-browed Chinese Warbler, Père Davidʼs Laughingthrush, or Yellow-bellied Tit. Weʼll head back to Beijing after a quick restaurant lunch, arriving in time for our late afternoon train. Overnight on the train. 2

3 Days 4-9, Tue-Sun, 7-12 May. Xianghai Reserve, Manchuria. After arriving in Baicheng this morning around 8:00 a.m., weʼll be met by our bus and driver at the depot and make the one-hour-plus drive to our hotel near the reserve. Weʼll get settled into our rooms and then grab our birding gear for the first of nearly six full days of fabulous birding. The reserve and the surrounding area host some of East Asiaʼs scarcest birds among the scrub, reservoirs, plains, flooded depressions, and marshes of this seldom birded landscape. Foremost among the many targets here include the critically endangered Rufous-backed (Jankowskiʼs) Bunting (probably down to just a few pairs now), no less than six species of cranes, including the impressive Siberian Crane (whose numbers at this season can swell to nearly 3,000 birds 90% of the entire world population before they continue north to the breeding grounds), Oriental Stork, and such scarce waterfowl as Swan and Lesser White-fronted geese and the very rare Baerʼs Pochard (numbers of this poorly-known duck have plummeted to just hundreds total in recent decades), among more common species. Other birds that will certainly keep us busy here during our stay include stunning Falcated Duck and Baikal Teal in full breeding plumage, Great Bustard (actively displaying, we hope!), Amur Falcon, Mongolian Lark, Chinese Gray Shrike, and a very impressive list of northbound East Asian migrants. On our several days in this area, weʼll find ourselves taking breakfast in the field on some mornings, and some days weʼll partake in a picnic lunch to maximize our time in the field in this productive and poorly-known region. Many of the areas that weʼll visit here will require either rubber boots or NEOS, so please pack accordingly each morning when we leave our hotel. Nights near Xianghai Reserve. Day 10, Mon, 13 May. Morning flight to Beijing; afternoon flight to Xining. Weʼll depart our hotel after a late breakfast today in order to catch our mid-morning flight to Beijing. Once there, weʼll transfer to our flight to Xining, capital of western Chinaʼs Qinghai province and close to the geographic center of China. Today is essentially a travel day with little opportunity to bird, but if the opportunity arises, weʼll take advantage of it before we check into our comfortable hotel downtown. Night in Xining. Days 11-12, Tue-Wed, May. Evergreen forest birding near Xining. Starting early on Day 11, weʼll devote the mornings to forest birding north of Xining, working at an easy pace in an attractive area of spruce and birch with adjoining terraced fields and buckthorn scrub. Though scarce, Daurian Partridge is seen on most visits. But it is warblers and various redstarts which are the main attractions; with a bit of luck we should see Hodgsonʼs, Daurian, White-bellied, and White-throated redstarts and Yellow-streaked, Humeʼs, and Gansu leaf-warblers. Common Pheasants here are, of course, the real McCoy, but our minds will more than likely be occupied by such treats as Oriental Turtle-Dove, Hill Pigeon, Rufous-browed Accentor, Elliotʼs and Père Davidʼs laughingthrushes, Songar Tit, Chinese Nuthatch, Whitebacked (Kesslerʼs) Thrush, and Gray-headed Bullfinch. One afternoon during these two days will find us headed for the dry hills on the edge of town, with good chances of Pale (Sinai) Rosefinch and Godlewskiʼs and Meadow buntings. Even the gorgeous Grandala is possible and weʼll be sure to ʻgive it a goʼ. On some days soaring birds skirting the Tibetan Plateau on their way north are in evidence overhead Black Stork, Oriental Honey Buzzard, the powerful Northern Goshawk, and Booted Eagle are among the possibilities, so weʼll be sure to keep our eyes on the sky as well as in the conifers. Lunches on these two days will be in the field. Nights in Xining. Day 13, Thu, 16 May. To Koko Nor and Chaka. Leaving before dawn, weʼll head for the fabled Koko Nor. Weʼll be privileged to reach the vast body of azure water as the new day begins. After a full morning spent seeing our first truly Tibetan birds, weʼll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before pressing on to Chaka, a small but growing town in the dry desert high on the Tibetan Plateau. The one comfortable hotel here will be our home for the next three nights. Having reached a height of 3200 meters, the likes of Bar-headed Goose, Lammergeier, Upland Buzzard, Saker, and Pallasʼs and Brown-headed gulls await our discovery. Add an impressive list of larks such as Humeʼs, Mongolian, and Tibetan (Long-billed Calandra), and Oriental Skylark, Citrine Wagtail, the entertaining Ground Tit (Humeʼs Groundpecker), and White-rumped, Père Davidʼs, and Rufous-necked snowfinches and itʼs clear weʼre in for yet more thrilling birding. Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, and other wildfowl use the lake as a staging area, attracting birds of prey such as Upland Buzzard, and, if we are in luck, the rare Pallasʼs Fish-Eagle. A stony point below the little town of Heimahe overlooks the muddy southern shore of Koko Nor. Lingering migrants might include Temminckʼs Stint and other northbound waders. A rare treat, the stately Black-necked Crane one of Tibetʼs endemic breeding species also holds a territory or two here at this season. With luck on our side, this will be our seventh species of crane seen on this tour! Behind Koko Nor, valleys give access to stunted scrub, which is home to some very special birds. Here we should encounter our first Robin Accentor, along with White-tailed Rubythroat (if we are lucky), White-backed (Kesslerʼs) Thrush, White-browed Tit-Warbler, the endemic White-browed Tit, Alpine Leaf-Warbler, Tibetan Snowfinch, and hopefully Pine Bunting. But our main quarry will be Ala Shan (Przevalskiʼs) Redstart, arguably the prettiest of the genus (and 3

4 undoubtedly the one fewest birders have seen), with the aberrant Przevalskiʼs Rosefinch (now in its own monotypic family) also possible (we have a better locale for this one a few days down the road). Moving on west we add flexibility to our birding options clearly a bonus on a trip where migrants feature so strongly with nearly four days devoted to working the semi-desert and the associated oases near Chaka, home to a number of range-restricted species and shelter to a number of passing migrants. Night in Chaka. Days 14-16, Fri-Sun, May. Chaka area desert and Rubber Mountain. The terrain surrounding the town of Chaka will remind North American birders of much of the parched, scenic land of the Great Basin, with expansive sandy flats vegetated with shrubs no taller than your thigh, alkaline basins, dramatic desert mountain ranges replete with rugged, rocky canyons, and isolated groves of trees providing relief from the frequent winds. While it looks familiar, the birds here are strange and new. The flats are home to the enigmatic Mongolian (Hendersonʼs) Ground-Jay, Pallasʼs Sandgrouse, and Blanfordʼs Snowfinch, and isolated poplar groves and fields often attract migrants, while a nearby wadi is a regular site for Prezvalskiʼs Partridge and Mongolian Finch, and weʼll do well to watch for the fabulous Wallcreeper, Blue Sheep, and Goitered Gazelle, too! Chaka is an excellent base for sampling these numerous habitats of the area, including the scrubby hillsides and draws on Rubber Mountain near the high pass between here and Koko Nor. These scrubby hillsides are one spot where weʼll search for the scarce and unique Przevalskiʼs Rosefinch, a bird that was only very recently elevated to monotypic family status (Urocynchramidae). Chaka also provides us with a good deal more comfort than we have experienced in the past on this tour. Good hotels are a real rarity in interior China (rarer than a urocynchramid!) and, thanks to the scouting efforts of Jesper, our hotel in Chaka is an encouraging and very significant step up compared to where we used to stay on the shores of Koko Nor. Nights in Chaka. Day 17, Mon, 20 May. To Er La Pass area. After some productive days of birding the high desert around Chaka, weʼll press onward toward the highest point of the tour near Er La Pass. A few strategic stops along the way at known watering holes close to the road might give us looks at two beauties of these high mountains, Streaked (Eastern Great) Rosefinch and Spotted Rosefinch, and weʼll do well to watch the skies after mid-morning for soaring raptors. Himalayan Griffons are likely here at this season, as are a variety of Aquila eagles such as Steppe, Greater Spotted, and Imperial. Any vegetation that we encounter in this bleak landscape holds the promise of a migrant or two, and the scenic vastness here holds the likes of Tibetan Snowcock, Alpine Accentor, White-winged (Guldenstadtʼs) Redstart, Tibetan (Henriʼs) Snowfinch, Black-headed (Brandtʼs) Mountain-Finch, or even the very rare Tibetan (Roborovskiʼs) Rosefinch. (Jesper has had very good luck with this virtually unknown species in the past here.) Lunch will likely be in the field today. Weʼll plan to arrive at our modest home for the next night late this afternoon, and weʼll enjoy a surprisingly good meal at the nearby restaurant after settling into our rooms. Night at Gonghe. Days 18-19, Tue-Wed, May. Er La Pass Area. We plan to have two full days in this starkly beautiful country, searching for many of the species listed above all are scarce and require some luck to find and for a number of other enticing species. High on our list in this area is the monotypic Ibisbill, which feeds in the clear mountain streams of this region. Weʼll have another chance at the beautiful Black-necked Crane here in case weʼve missed it back at Koko Nor. Scarce mammals feature prominently in this region where so few Western birders and naturalists have ever ventured. Tibetan Gazelle, the Kiang, or Wild Ass, and the lovely Tibetan Fox could oblige with careful scanning. Snow Leopard is a remote possibility; it was seen in the area by Jesper in 1995 that possibility alone should keep all eyes scanning as we drive and bird. Up to this point weʼve been very careful not to exert ourselves too much at this very high altitude, doing much of our birding from the vehicles and keeping our hikes to a minimum. But, after taking so much care to become acclimated to the high elevation on the Roof of the World, weʼll attempt our hike near Er La Pass on one of these two full days to try to track down our very special quarry the near-mythical Tibetan Sandgrouse. Nights in Wenquan. Day 20, Thu, 23 May. Return to Xining. Our route from Er La Pass will bring us full circle back to Xining for an overnight stay. Total driving time all on a good road will be about seven hours, leaving us a bit of time to bird en route as needed. This will be a day to pick up migrants and any species missed on the way out. Night in Xining. Day 21, Fri, 24 May. Morning birding near Xining; afternoon flight to Beijing. Before catching our flight back to Beijing, we will visit a forest area near Xining for much of the morning. Here we will encounter the shy and outrageously beautiful Crested Tit-Warbler and the little-known Przevalskiʼs Nuthatch; there is nowhere better in the world to search for them! Weʼll have a delicious farewell dinner in Beijing near our hotel this evening before we bid Jesper adieu. Night in Beijing. 4

5 5 Day 22, Sat, 25 May. Departure for the US. Our flight home departs Beijing this morning. About Your Guides Dave Stejskalʼs love of birds and birding began at the age of nine near his childhood home of Phoenix. After teenage years consumed by birding and basketball, he went on to graduate with a degree in biology from the University of Arizona in Tucson, the desert city he and his wife, Julie Hecimovich, call home. Dave was co-editor for the Southwest Region report in American Birds/Audubon Field Notes for nearly 12 years, has served for many years on the Arizona Bird Records Committee, and has a solid reputation as one of the outstanding field birders in the Southwest and elsewhere. Dave is particularly skilled at identifying birds by their songs and calls and is eager to share his knowledge with others. His love of guiding professional birding tours started with Field Guides in 1985, and his nearly 300 tours since that time have taken him north to arctic Alaska, south to Tierra del Fuego (guiding tours in nearly every country in between), to Madagascar, and across the Pacific to Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia, and his enthusiasm for finding and watching birds has proven to be contagious. Dave has guided numerous tours to Asia for Field Guides in the past sixteen years and he co-led our 2007 China tour with Jesper Hornskov. Visit for Daveʼs complete tour schedule; just click on his photo. Born in 1963 in Denmark, Jesper Hornskov began birding in 1975 at the age of twelve. He almost immediately became interested in the study of migration, which kept him busy travelling in Europe. In 1980, when his wanderlust set in, he took several extended jaunts to Israel, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Nepal, and the Philippines, all of several months duration and all mostly done before leaving high school! Before arriving in China in 1987, he also birded in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Hong Kong. China captured his heart (literally, since this is where he met his wife and his wanderlust was somewhat sated), and he has lived there continuously since 1988, leading more than 80 birdwatching trips of up to a month's duration during that time for many individuals and private groups, as well as a number of commercial bird tour companies. Jesper holds the record for the number of species seen in China, including over 360 species within five kilometers of his apartment in Beidaihe where he moved in the autumn in He also lived for nine years in Qinghai province and discovered several of the sites we'll visit on this tour. Jesper speaks Danish, English, dailyuse Chinese, and a fair bit of Swedish and Norwegian for those of you from Minnesota. Financial Information FEE: All fees include flights within China. $9375 based on 9 participants from Beijing $8675 based on participants $7975 based on 12 participants AIRFARE: Please check with your tour manager for the best flights from your home to Beijing. DEPOSIT: $920 per person FINAL PAYMENT DUE: January 4, 2013 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (Optional): $925 LIMIT: 12 Other Things You Need to Know TOUR MANAGER: The manager for this tour is Teresa Paschall. Teresa will be happy to assist you in preparing for the tour. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call her! ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD: Accommodations at Beijing, Xianghai, Xining, and Chaka all have modern facilities with western-style private bathrooms. They are the best available in the area, and only Chaka and Gonghe, the former with its solar-heated water for showers and not-quite-state-of-the-art plumbing, will be fairly primitive by western standards. At this writing, bathing at our basic hotel near Er La Pass is with a washcloth and hot water from thermoses! At most of the hotels, the beds tend to be quite firm to very hard; thus, if you prefer a softer sleep surface and have the space, you might consider packing an inflatable mattress and/or a light sleeping bag. Overall, you should be prepared

6 for a standard of living below that to which you are accustomed at home, at least for the latter part of the trip. However, local people will certainly do their utmost to make our stay as pleasurable as possible. All meals and tea are provided throughout the tour. On the Tibetan Plateau, evening meals will generally be taken at our hotels, while breakfast and lunch may be in rather basic restaurants or taken as a picnic from our ground agentʼs stock of provisions as appropriate to maximize time spent in the field. We will make the most of what is available, but expect some meals away from Xining to be on the simple side, if still both tasty and nourishing. At Beijing, Xianghai, Xining, and Chaka a variety of delicious Chinese food is available. At Er La our simple main meal will be in the evening, with breakfast and lunch taken where our birding efforts lead us. Note that in Qinghai, sunrise and sunset are both quite late, as the whole country is on Beijing time and therefore our evening meals are usually taken fairly late as well. DOCUMENTS: A current passport is necessary for US citizens to enter China. In addition, US citizens will need a visa to enter China. When you register for the tour, our office will need a copy of the title page of your passport and will forward you a visa application form with instructions. If you are not a US citizen, please check with the Chinese consulate nearest you for entry requirements. Information about consulates and entry requirements is generally available online or you can contact us and we will be happy to look this up for you. Passports should have an adequate number of blank pages for the entire journey. Some countries require a blank page for their stamp and as a precaution it is best to have one blank page per country you will visit or transit. AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Please check with your tour manager for the best flights from your home to Beijing. Airfare for the round-trip flight from the US to Beijing is not included in the tour fee, but all flights within China are included. Field Guides is a full service travel agency and your tour manager will be happy to assist you with flights to join this tour. Field Guides does not charge a service fee for these services to clients booking a tour. However, we understand that techsavvy clients often prefer to shop online or that you may wish to use mileage to purchase tickets. Regardless of which method you choose, your tour manager will be happy to provide assistance regarding ticket prices and schedules, along with extra hotel nights as needed. Please be sure to check with your tour manager prior to purchasing your ticket to make sure the flights you have chosen will work well with the tour itinerary and that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate. Once purchased, most airline tickets are non-refundable and carry a penalty to change. Field Guides cannot be responsible for these fees. Also, it is imperative that we receive a copy of your comprehensive flight itinerary including any and all flights not covered in the tour fee so that we may track you in the event of missed connections, delays, or other mishaps. LUGGAGE: Please be aware that many airlines have recently modified their luggage policies and are charging additional fees for checked bags. Updates could easily occur before your departure, so you may wish to contact your airline to verify the policy. Additional charges for bags on any flights, whether these are covered by the tour fee or not, will be the clientʼs responsibility. TOUR INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS: The tour fee is $9375 with 9 participants, $8675 with participants, and $7975 with 12 participants for one person in double occupancy from Beijing. The fees include all lodging from Day 2 through Day 21, all meals from dinner on Day 2 through breakfast on Day 22, all flights within China, all ground transportation, entrance fees, tips for baggage handling and meal service, and the guide services of the tour leader(s). The above fees do not include your airfare to and from Beijing, airport taxes, visa fees, any checked or carry-on baggage charges imposed by the airlines, any alcoholic beverages, optional tips to local drivers, phone calls, laundry, or other items of a personal nature. The single supplement for the tour is $925. Singles are available throughout. If you do not have a roommate but wish to share, we will try to pair you with a roommate from the tour; but if none is available, you will be billed for the single supplement. Our tour fees are based on double occupancy; one-half the cost of a double room is priced into the tour fee. The single supplement is calculated by taking the actual cost of a single room and subtracting one-half the cost of a double room (plus any applicable taxes). TOUR REGISTRATION: To register for this tour, complete the Registration/Release and Indemnity form and return it with a deposit of $920 per person. If registering by phone, a deposit must be received within fourteen days, or the space will be released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 120 days prior to departure, or by January 4, We will bill you for the final payment at either 120 days or when the tour has reached sufficient subscription to operate, 6

7 whichever date comes later. Since the cost of your trip insurance and airline tickets is generally non-refundable, please do not finalize these purchases until you have received final billing for the tour or have been advised that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate by your tour manager. SMOKING: Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. If you smoke, please be sensitive to the group and refrain from smoking at meals, in vehicles, and in proximity to the group on trails and elsewhere. CANCELLATION POLICY: Refund of deposit and payment, less $100 handling fee, will be made if cancellation is received up to 120 days before departure. If cancellation occurs between 119 and 70 days before the departure date, 50% of the tour fee is refundable. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are not refundable. This policy only applies to payments made to Field Guides for tour (and any services included in those fees). Airline tickets not included in the tour fee and purchased separately often carry penalties for cancellation or change, or are sometimes totally non-refundable. Additionally, if you take out trip insurance the cost of the insurance is not refundable so it is best to purchase the policy just prior to making full payment for the tour or at the time you purchase airline tickets, depending upon the airlines restrictions. The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to substitute in case of emergency another guide for the original one. TRIP CANCELLATION & MEDICAL EMERGENCY INSURANCE: We strongly recommend you consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a trip. Because we must remit early (and substantial) tour deposits to our suppliers, we cannot offer any refund when cancellation occurs within 70 days of departure, and only a partial refund from 70 to 119 days prior to departure (see CANCELLATION POLICY). In addition, the Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. US medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Furthermore, US Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. US and Canadian citizens will receive from us a brochure regarding optional tour cancellation/emergency medical insurance. Our agent, CSA, will insure for trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, travel delay, baggage loss and delay, 24-hour accident protection, and emergency medical transportation. If you purchase the insurance when making final payment for the tour, pre-existing conditions are covered. The CSA brochure includes a contact number; you may also purchase your CSA policy on-line by visiting our website at and clicking the link to CSA. Please note, once the insurance is purchased it is non-refundable, so please check with your tour manager prior to making the purchase to assure the tour will operate as scheduled. Citizens of other countries are urged to consult their insurance broker. RESPONSIBILITY: For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant and each parent or legal guardian of a tour participant who is under 18 agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Field Guides Incorporated, its agents, servants, employees, shareholders, officers, directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set forth in the Release and Indemnity Agreement on the reverse side of the registration form. Field Guides Incorporated acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, airplane, or other means, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for any reason whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Field Guides Incorporated accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall bear all such losses and expenses. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at ownerʼs risk entirely. 7

8 Participants should be in good health and should consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you have questions about the physical requirements of a tour, please contact our office for further information. Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the detailed itinerary, the information bulletin, and other pertinent matter provided by Field Guides. Each participant is responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended in our bulletins. THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TOUR DEPOSIT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONSENT TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS. EACH TOUR PARTICIPANT AND EACH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A TOUR PARTICIPANT WHO IS UNDER 18 SHALL SIGN AND DELIVER THE RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION. 3/12DS 8/12ADR 8