Cheepers! Birding on a Budget LLC
Best trips - BEST PRICES!
Established to provide affordable options for international birding during challenging economic times, Cheepers! strives to provide the best birding experiences at the best prices. Since its inception, Cheepers! has been able to offer outstanding birding trips to world-renowned birding sites at a much lower cost than comparable trips offered by major tour companies.
How can we offer similar trips at a substantial savings?
First, we deal directly with local guides whenever possible. In doing so, we have eliminated the profits made by two or three "middle men".
Second, we make every effort to find economical lodging while still maintaining a high standard. Our clients enjoy clean, comfortable, safe accommodations with private baths. We do make exceptions if a lodge offers better birding than a lower-priced competitor, but we don't pay extra for things like fancy furnishings or hot tubs.
Third, we have very little overhead. We pay no salaries for office staff. All of the planning, paperwork, accounting, etc. is done by co-owners Cindy and Jim Beckman.
Last, we mark up the price we negotiate with the guides as little as possible to cover expenses and make a small profit. We are a retired couple working to supplement our income, not a company trying to maximize profits.
Cheepers! is not our livelihood; it is our passion.
How can we offer similar trips at a substantial savings?
First, we deal directly with local guides whenever possible. In doing so, we have eliminated the profits made by two or three "middle men".
Second, we make every effort to find economical lodging while still maintaining a high standard. Our clients enjoy clean, comfortable, safe accommodations with private baths. We do make exceptions if a lodge offers better birding than a lower-priced competitor, but we don't pay extra for things like fancy furnishings or hot tubs.
Third, we have very little overhead. We pay no salaries for office staff. All of the planning, paperwork, accounting, etc. is done by co-owners Cindy and Jim Beckman.
Last, we mark up the price we negotiate with the guides as little as possible to cover expenses and make a small profit. We are a retired couple working to supplement our income, not a company trying to maximize profits.
Cheepers! is not our livelihood; it is our passion.
Traveling with Cheepers! means personal attention before, during, and after your trip!
Little things mean a lot - Prior to your trip, a customized checklist is created that includes cross references to plates and pages in the (international) field guide as well as two spearate indexes: a family index and a comprehensive alphabetized species index. The cover, printed on waterproof paper, is personalized for your destination and dates. All checklist entries are numbered to make going over the day's sightings as easy as possible each evening.
During your tour, Cindy and Jim Beckman will be there, taking care of the details so you don't have to worry. As tour leaders, they maintain a group list of sightings, take photographs of all sites and as many birds as possible, and handle any complaints or emergency situations. They even carry along a bag with OTC remedies for the most common traveler ailments and an extra pair of Zeiss 8 x 32 binoculars for client use in the event someone loses or breaks their binoculars while on the trip.
When you get home from your trip, you'll receive a detailed electronic list of all the birds sighted by the group, including a checklist for each day of the trip. You'll also receive a dvd of photos from your trip, usually over 1000 shots!
When you contact Cheepers!, whether by phone, email, or snail mail, you will be in touch with one of the owners - someone who has had a hand in planning each trip with the local guide and who can provide answers to your questions.
During your tour, Cindy and Jim Beckman will be there, taking care of the details so you don't have to worry. As tour leaders, they maintain a group list of sightings, take photographs of all sites and as many birds as possible, and handle any complaints or emergency situations. They even carry along a bag with OTC remedies for the most common traveler ailments and an extra pair of Zeiss 8 x 32 binoculars for client use in the event someone loses or breaks their binoculars while on the trip.
When you get home from your trip, you'll receive a detailed electronic list of all the birds sighted by the group, including a checklist for each day of the trip. You'll also receive a dvd of photos from your trip, usually over 1000 shots!
When you contact Cheepers!, whether by phone, email, or snail mail, you will be in touch with one of the owners - someone who has had a hand in planning each trip with the local guide and who can provide answers to your questions.
A little about the owners. . . .
Cindy and Jim Beckman have birded in 10 countries on 5 continents since 1995 and have established contacts with expert guides in many of the world's best birding locations. Both Jim and Cindy are members of the Board of Directors of the Dayton Audubon Society.
Cindy Beckman is a retired public school teacher. She has organized and led trips for groups of as many as 70 students and parents, as well as for smaller groups of friends, family, and birders to destinations such as Ecuador, Panama, Olympic National Park, Florida, southeast Arizona, and southern California. Cindy wrote about her experiences with young birders who she mentored during her 35 years as an educator, earning her WildBird Magazine's 2007 "Birder of the Year" award. She is an avid photographer, eager to share images with fellow travelers.
Cindy Beckman is a retired public school teacher. She has organized and led trips for groups of as many as 70 students and parents, as well as for smaller groups of friends, family, and birders to destinations such as Ecuador, Panama, Olympic National Park, Florida, southeast Arizona, and southern California. Cindy wrote about her experiences with young birders who she mentored during her 35 years as an educator, earning her WildBird Magazine's 2007 "Birder of the Year" award. She is an avid photographer, eager to share images with fellow travelers.
Jim Beckman is a retired IT Project Manager who has been an avid birder for 15 years. He has traveled extensively for most of his adult life, and loves to share birding experiences with others. He's skilled at spotting birds and helping others find birds in the dense forest, although he usually leaves the identification to the expert local guides.
SPECIAL OFFER!
Repeat customers will receive a discount of $100 if they register for a tour at least 4 months prior to departure date.