Nature Ninja Birding Tours - International
All NNBT International tours include:
Transportation from airport
One NNBT Guide
One or two local guides depending on group size
All meals
Tour fee does not include:
Airfare
Travel insurance (not required, but recommended)
Alcohol
Laundry services
Tips for guides and lodge staff
Any souvenirs
Ecuador - Summer 2025
Intro to Birding Ecuador
(8/8 spaces available)
Arrival & Departure: Quito International Airport
Dates: July 15 - 22, 2025
Trip Leader: Evan Farese & local guide
A great intro to the wild bird world of Ecuador, we will spend 5 nights at Tandayapa Bird Lodge, with day trips to nearby destinations. The first and last nights of the tour will be spent in a hotel near Quito.
Cost: $3100 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $250.
Non-refundable Deposit: $1000; Balance due 90 days prior (April 15).
Email for full itinerary.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Panama - Fall 2025
The recommended field guide for all Panama tours can be found here.
Island Birding: Women's Tour
(8/8 spaces available)
Tranquilo Bay, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Dates: Sept 8 - 14, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten & local guide Brenda
Tailored to first-timers to Central America, but open to all, we'll spend six nights at the beautiful, world-renowned Tranquilo Bay.
Cost: $2400 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $700.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 8).
Tour fee does not include the domestic flight from Panama City to Bocas del Toro and back (approx. $250 fee).
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Tranquilo Bay 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Intro to Birding the Tropics - Canopy Tower
(FULL 8/8)
Canopy Tower, Panama
Dates: Sept 15 - 20, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Tailored to first-timers to Central America, but open to all, we'll spend five nights at the beautiful, world-renowned Canopy Tower, taking in raptor migration as well as resident birds, including daily trips to visit nearby sites.
Cost: $1950 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $350.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 15).
*NOTE: Participants must be able ascend and descend 3 flights of stairs multiple times per day, as there is no elevator.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Panama's Canopy Tower 2022, Panama's Canopy Tower 2023, Panama's Canopy Tower 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Private Tour for Little Rock Birders
(FULL 10/10)
Canopy Lodge & Canopy Tower, Panama
Dates: Sept 22 - 29, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
We'll spend five nights at the beautiful and serene Canopy Lodge, including daily trips to visit nearby sites, then spend two nights at Canopy Tower, with more birding and a tour of the Panama Canal.
Cost: $2850 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 22).
View the Panama Canopy Lodge Fruit Feeder Cam Here.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Panama's Canopy Lodge 2022, Panama's Canopy Lodge 2023, Canopy Lodge 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
"Hawks & Harpies" Tour
(2/8 spaces open for "Hawks" Canopy Tower portion, Sept 30 - Oct 4)
Canopy Tower (Four Nights - Hawk Migration) & Canopy Camp Darien (Five Nights - Harpy Eagle & More)
Dates: Sept 30 - Oct 9, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Cost: $3800 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement for Canopy Tower: $300.
All tents at Canopy Camp are double occupancy (no single supplement option.)
*NOTE: Participants must be able ascend and descend 3 flights of stairs multiple times per day, as there is no elevator at Canopy Tower.
**Option to sign up only for or only for "Hawks" portion to Canopy Tower ($1550 - 4 nights) or
"Harpies" portion to Canopy Camp ($2250 - 5 nights)
Non-refundable Deposit: $1,000 for full tour / $500 for one segment of tour. Balance due 90 days prior (June 30).
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Panama Hawks & Harpies Tour 2023, Hawks & Harpies Tour 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Empowering Women Guides - Canopy Lodge
(10/10 spaces available)
Canopy Lodge, Panama
Dates: Oct 11 - 16, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
We'll spend five nights at the beautiful and serene Canopy Lodge, including daily trips to visit nearby sites. We'll be discussing basic guiding instructions and etiquette, challenges of guiding, specific considerations women face in the field, and more, all while enjoying Panama's beautiful birds and wildlife. Given that everyone's guiding situation or guiding aspirations vary greatly, we don't consider this a formal training, but more of a networking and workshop event.
Any woman interested in guiding at any level is welcome to attend, whether that is gaining the confidence to lead a two hour walk at your local nature center, or guiding part-time or full-time.
Cost: $1950 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $350.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (July 11).
View the Panama Canopy Lodge Fruit Feeder Cam Here.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Canopy Lodge 2022, Canopy Lodge 2023, Canopy Lodge 2024 (Birding & Being),
Payment info at bottom of page.
Intro to Birding the Tropics Session 1 (5 nights) - Canopy Lodge
FULL (8/8)
Canopy Lodge, Panama
Dates: Oct 17 - 22, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
We'll spend five nights at the beautiful and serene Canopy Lodge, including daily trips to visit nearby sites. Perfect for casual or beginning birders.
Cost: $1950 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $350.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (July 11).
View the Panama Canopy Lodge Fruit Feeder Cam Here.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Canopy Lodge 2022, Canopy Lodge 2023, Canopy Lodge 2024 (Birding & Being),
Payment info at bottom of page.
Intro to Birding the Tropics Session 2 (6 nights) - Canopy Lodge
(8/8 spaces available)
Canopy Lodge, Panama
Dates: Oct 24 - 30, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
We'll spend six nights at the beautiful and serene Canopy Lodge, including daily trips to visit nearby sites. Perfect for casual or beginning birders.
Cost: $2300 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (July 24).
View the Panama Canopy Lodge Fruit Feeder Cam Here.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Canopy Lodge 2022, Canopy Lodge 2023, Canopy Lodge 2024 (Birding & Being),
Payment info at bottom of page.
Costa Rica - November 2025
The recommended field guides for all Costa Rica tours can be found here: newest but heaviest and here: most used but a little outdated.
Costa Rica: Women's Tour (4/10 spaces)
Rancho Naturalista
Nov 1 - 7, 2025
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
$2300 whether single or double occupancy. (No single supplement fee).
Email for full itinerary.
$500 deposit to hold your spot; balance due by Aug 1.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Costa Rica - January 2026
The recommended field guides for all Costa Rica tours can be found here: newest but heaviest and here: most used but a little outdated.
Costa Rica: Rancho Naturalista (10/10 spaces)
Rancho Naturalista
Jan 3 - 8, 2026
Trip Leader: TBD (Evan Farese or Tiffany Kersten)
$2100 whether single or double occupancy. (No single supplement fee).
Email for full itinerary.
$500 deposit to hold your spot; balance due by Oct 3.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Costa Rica: Highlands & Lowlands (8/8 spaces)
Jan 10 - 19, 2026
Trip Leader: TBD (Evan Farese or Tiffany Kersten)
$4250 double occupancy; single supplement $600
Lodging to include: Hotel Bougainvillea, Gema Del Bosque, Hotel Quelitales, with day trips from those locations. Hotspots to include Talamanca Highlands, Caribbean Foothills, El Copal, Tapanti NP, Irazu NP, Tarcoles River boat cruise, and Carara NP. Email for full itinerary.
$1000 deposit to hold your spot; balance due by Oct 10.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Taiwan - March 2026
Taiwan Endemics: Alpine areas of Dasyueshan, Hehuanshan and Yushan
(8/8 spaces available)
Dates: TBD
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
This trip will target endemic species. Email for full itinerary and target list.
Cost: $TBD per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $900.
Non-refundable Deposit: $800. Balance due 90 days prior (Dec).
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Taiwan Endemics 2025 (2026 tour will be one day longer than 2025)
Payment info at bottom of page.
Colombia - Summer 2026
Northern Colombia (8/8 spaces available)
Dates: June 16 - 23, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Cost: $2650, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400
Non-refundable Deposit: $1000. Balance due 90 days prior.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Colombia: Western & Central Andes (8/8 spaces available)
Dates: June 23 - 30, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Cost: $3450, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400
Non-refundable Deposit: $1000. Balance due 90 days prior.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Western Colombia (8/8 spaces available)
Dates: June 30 - July 5, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Cost: $2950 double occupancy. Single supplement: $400
Non-refundable Deposit: $1000. Balance due 90 days prior.
Payment info at bottom of page.
Panama - Fall 2026
The recommended field guide for all Panama tours can be found here.
Tropical Island Birding: Tranquilo Bay (8/8 spaces available)
Dates: Sept 25 - Oct 1, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Tailored to first-timers to Central America, but open to all, we'll spend six nights at the beautiful Tranquilo Bay.
Cost: $2400 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $800.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 25).
Tour fee does not include the domestic flight from Panama City to Bocas del Toro and back (approx. $250 fee).
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Tranquilo Bay 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Intro to Birding the Tropics - Canopy Tower (8/8 spaces available)
Canopy Tower, Panama
Dates: Oct 4 - 9, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Tailored to first-timers to Central America, but open to all, we'll spend five nights at the beautiful, world-renowned Canopy Tower, taking in raptor migration as well as resident birds, including daily trips to visit nearby sites.
Cost: $1950 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400.
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 15).
*NOTE: Participants must be able ascend and descend 3 flights of stairs multiple times per day, as there is no elevator.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Canopy Tower 2022, Canopy Tower 2023, Canopy Tower 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Intro to Birding the Tropics - Canopy Lodge (8/8 spaces available)
Canopy Lodge, Panama
Dates: Oct 11 - 17, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
We'll spend six nights at the beautiful and serene Canopy Lodge, including daily trips to visit nearby sites.
Cost: $2350 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $400 (subject to availability).
Non-refundable Deposit: $500; Balance due 90 days prior (June 22).
View the Panama Canopy Lodge Fruit Feeder Cam Here.
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Panama's Canopy Lodge 2022, Panama's Canopy Lodge 2023. Canopy Lodge 2024 (Birding & Being), Canopy Lodge 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
"Hawks & Harpies" Tour (10/10 spaces available)
Canopy Camp Darien (Five Nights - Harpy Eagle) & Canopy Tower (Five Nights - Hawk Migration); tour price includes one night at the Riande Airport Hotel
Dates: Oct 18 - 29, 2026
Trip Leader: Tiffany Kersten
Cost: $4200 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement for Canopy Tower: $400.
All tents at Canopy Camp are double occupancy (no single supplement option.)
*NOTE: Participants must be able ascend and descend 3 flights of stairs multiple times per day, as there is no elevator at Canopy Tower.
**Option to sign up only for or only for "Hawks" portion to Canopy Tower ($1950 - 5 nights) or
"Harpies" portion to Canopy Camp ($2350 - 5 nights + 1 night at airport hotel)
Non-refundable Deposit: $1,000 for full tour / $500 for one segment of tour. Balance due 90 days prior (June 30).
Trip Reports from Prior Years: Hawks & Harpies Tour 2023, Hawks & Harpies Tour 2024
Payment info at bottom of page.
Trip Deposits & Balance Payments:
Payment methods accepted: Zelle (tiffanykersten@gmail.com), Venmo/PayPal (@natureninjabirding), or a mailed check.
Mailing Address:
Nature Ninja Birding Tours
1806 W 16th St
Mission, TX 78572
Please note: No refunds are available for deposits or balance payments.
In some cases, purchasing travel insurance may be helpful in recovering trip costs in the event you need to cancel.
