Testimonials
Hungary, March 2013
Anne and I arrived back home yesterday evening from our highly successful trip to Hungary and just wanted to say a huge thank you to you both for making the birdwatching tour so enjoyable. We have so many great memories! Over 100 bird species, many of them new to us; the huge flocks of geese including the great views of the Red-breasted; 6 species of woodpecker; great sightings of raptors – Saker Falcon, White-tailed Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and common Buzzards everywhere!! Then there were the ducks, egrets and all the other water birds, plus the Long-eared Owls in the middle of town!! Of the smaller birds the Great Grey Shrike, the Penduline Tit and the Kingfisher were brilliant sightings!! All in all a truly great trip, which was made even more memorable by the company of you both and the faultless organisation of the whole trip – the really comfortable accomodation, the huge and delicious meals, and not forgetting Balazs's magical mystery tour, cross country, followed by the real goulash soup for lunch!!! Such great memories!!!
Helen Baker, UK
Hungary, November 2012
Thank you very much for a most excellent birdwatching holiday and for the CD which I enjoyed looking at and which will bring back so many memories. It is lovely being able to look again at the Alpine Accentors, the great flocks of geese and of course the Tawny Owl. There is something particularly attractive about sleepy owls! I like the sequence you did in the hide with the Great Spotted Woodpecker and the Great Tits. It was a privilege to be able to sit there so close to the birds.
Dave&Anne Blount, UK
Romania, September 2012
I greatly wanted to thank you once again for your care, attention, excellent humour and all round brilliance during the last ten days looking after our party of which I count myself lucky enough to have been a part of! Thank you for the excellent birding, superb guiding, and genuinely catering for every possible need each of may have had. All with calm precision and nothing at all being too much trouble at any time. I had the most superb ten days and memories of the trip will live long, I am quite certain.
Stephen Day, UK
Belarus, May 2012
Our trip to Belarus was most enjoyable. The whole support crew of guides and drivers were friendly, competent and knowledgeable. The areas chosen for birdwatching were such that we had good views of all species. The guides had excellent and up-to-date knowledge of the prime locations for birding. The woodlands were rich in Woodpeckers, and we were delighted by our views of four species of Owls. Likewise, the wetland areas were rich in bird-life. We particularly enjoyed the experience of the floating hotel, both its accommodation and the cruising it provided. Your method of taking photographs completely unobtrusively, and then sharing them later with the group is a definite enhancement. We would certainly be very happy to travel with Ecotours again, with either you or Attila. The whole trip was a very enjoyable experience. Thank you all for looking after us so well.
Peter & Dorothy Webster, UK
Belarus, May 2012
We both have to say how much we enjoyed ourselves on the trip. We found it very productive with such a wide range of species including birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies and moths. A big, big thank you to yourself, as well as to Barrie, for what turned out to be a far more enjoyable and fruitful tour than we had thought it might be. While it was very nice indeed to get the target birds; Azure Tit, Aquatic Warbler, Great Snipe etc, it was great to get our first decent sightings of wolf, bison and wild boar.
John & Pam Smallwood, UK
Belarus, May 2012
We have just returned from having a wonderful bird trip and experience in Belarus and Poland with Istvan Bartol and Belarus guide Dimitri. Istvan turned out to have a vast knowledge of birds, their calls and their habitats, and went to great lengths to ensure that everybody had good views of all the birds and in particular individuals target birds. The accommodations sourced by Ecotours were of the highest quality and the food interesting and wholesome. We particularly liked the way Istvan and Dimitri prepared food for our packed lunches. Its a great idea to be able to construct your own lunch. In short Istvan is a great asset for Ecotours. And we thank you for providing us with such a good guide and Service from Ecotours.
George & Mary Fricker, UK
Hungary, Spring 2011
A very big 'Thank You' for the wonderful tour to Bükk and Tiszafüred and Budapest. It was fantastic seeing so many birds and such lovely places. Nomad scores gold star rating in every way. It was a huge pleasure to meet you both and share so many activities. You are superb birders and it was good to find that Istvan also knew so much about butterflies, insects and plants. It really enhances the experience. I appreciated his kindness and patience! Loved the terns, Bustards and Penduline tits.
Sue Farrington, UK
Hungary, Spring 2011
Attila – Rosemary and I would like to thank you for a wonderful holiday in Hungary. We enjoyed the complete trip and you were marvellous in the way you handled the party and also in your exceptional knowledge. It was a trip which we will remember for years to come. I hope that before long we will be able to join a trip which you are guiding to another country. We will keep up to date with your website.
Stuart Gorman, UK
Hungary, Autumn 2010
I had checked the "Excellent" column almost all the way down the page in the trip evaluation form; especially pleased with the pace of the trip, your ability to lighten the day with good humor and stories. The birding was excellent, even the ones we didn't see. But there were enough new things to keep me on my toes.
Carol Dahlstrom, USA
Hungary, Autumn 2010
Thanks for your kindness in my slowness in seeing birds and my sister's slowness period. You really made the trip for us as you tirelessly looked for birds and pointed them out. It was a fun time and a great group. We Americans saw lots of "life birds" that the British knew and see regularly.
Caroline Edge, USA
Hungary – Romania, Autumn 2010
Just a quick note to say a big thank you for a great trip to Hungary and Romania. Wonderful wildlife, stunning countryside and excellent and knowledgeable guides!
Rosy Groves, UK
Romania, Spring 2010
Balázs, just a word of appreciation for your wonderful company and guidance on the recent trip to Romania. I loved your optimistic enthusiasm and positive attitude – to say nothing of your deep knowledge. You seemed to always be able to find something interesting to observe! I also appreciated the detail with which the trip was organised and the readiness to be flexible and change things when circumstances permitted. As for your DVD – it is wonderful to have been able to print off your beautiful photographs and to savour them at my leisure. They have added hugely to the experience. Many, many thanks. I hope we'll meet again one day.Elizabeth Garsten, UK
