A tour that is not marked as “Waitlist Only” will have availability. Tours with limited space will be marked as such, “Two spaces remain”, “One space remains”, etc. If you are looking to reserve four or more spaces at once, please consult with the Tour Manager to confirm availability.
We can hold a space on a tour without a deposit for up to two weeks. After two weeks, the only way to confirm a space on a tour is to submit a deposit and reservation form.
If the tour does not have published dates or a published price, we still require a reservation form and deposit in order to hold your space. If after the dates and/or price have been published and you no longer wish to join the tour, you have two weeks to withdraw your reservation and receive a full refund of your deposit.
You can sign up for a tour by clicking the “Reserve Now” button on the individual tour page. The link will walk you through the reservation and deposit process. Once you have successfully completed your registration, you will receive an automatic receipt of your reservation request. The Tour Manager will be in touch with you within 1-2 business days with a reservation acknowledgment email with more important details about your tour. Please note that reservations aren't officially accepted until formally acknowledged by the Tour Manager.
Once a specific tour departure is confirmed to run, all deposits and payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. Full payment will be due immediately upon registration, so before committing to the tour you may wish to explore your flight options. We can hold a space for you for up to 48 hours while you do so. Please contact the WINGS office to discuss your travel plans and any extras.
When registering on a Guaranteed Departure, you must complete the online reservation & release forms and you’ll be charged the non-refundable 10% deposit (payable by credit card) to secure your place. Next, we’ll quickly issue your invoice for the balance of the tour price (may be eligible for 4% discount if paid by ACH or wire transfer), which will be non-refundable and non-transferable upon receipt. No refunds are possible after tour confirmation. You'll be able to move forward with booking your flights as soon as the Tour Manager sends you the details for doing so.
If a tour is marked as "Confirming Soon", this means the tour has been invoiced and will confirm withing the next couple weeks, at which point it will become a Guaranteed Departure.
Tours displayed as “Waitlist Only” are at present fully booked. If you would like to join the waitlist, please register for your tour of choice in the normal way but select "Waitlist" as your payment method. We’ll acknowledge your registration and your position in the waitlist. It's possible you may be the first on the waitlist.
Should space open up we will contact you with instructions to complete your registration, which may only involve collecting a deposit if you haven’t already left one. If the tour has not yet been confirmed to run (see Tour Confirmation), you will have 10 business days after we contact you to complete this process. After 10 business days, we’ll move on to the next person on the waitlist. Note: tour openings that occur after a tour has been confirmed may have different and more restrictive requirements.
Tours displayed as “One Space Remains” have at present only one opening. If a couple would like to register, both will be placed on the waitlist pending the opening of a second space.
We are often asked how likely is it that a waitlisted space (or spaces) will clear. There is no simple answer but experience shows that the first one to three people on the waitlist for a tour due to depart six or more months out are often accommodated. Tours that depart within two months are less likely to accommodate anyone from the waitlist (though last minute cancellations do occur).
A tour is considered a Guaranteed Departure once it has been confirmed. Confirmation of a tour means that we have issued invoices for the tour balance, received final payment from all participants, and are confirming that the tour will go.
Confirmation of a tour typically occurs approximately 84 days prior to tour departure, however may occur earlier if the tour is well-subscribed.
Tours that are confirmed to run and have space available are featured on our home page.
Most WINGS tours are considered "All Inclusive", meaning the price includes all ground transport and internal flights as noted within the tour itinerary, accommodation, all meals unless otherwise noted, a drink with meals (including a beer, and sometimes wine, at dinner), tour materials, and the services of the leader(s). Routine tips for included meals, porters, drivers, and other service providers are also included. Gratuities for WINGS leaders are at your discretion.
In a few cases (mainly some cruises), WINGS pricing covers all aspects of the tour except meals and lodging, which may be paid directly to the cruise line.
Airport transfers are included in most WINGS tours, but can vary from tour to tour. Consult your Tour Manager if you have specific questions about these arrangements.
The following items are NOT included in the tour price: passports, visas, departure taxes, immunizations, excess baggage charges, optional excursions, telephone calls, flights/transportation to/from the tour destination, laundry, room service, snacks, or anything of a purely personal nature.
Details on Single Room Supplement can be found in our Terms.
You can pay both your deposit and invoice via check, ACH transfer*, bank wire/transfer, or credit/debit card. Final payments by check, bank wire/transfer, or ACH are eligible for a 4% cash discount. This will be listed on your invoice for the tour balance.
Invoices are usually emailed approximately 3-4 months prior to tour departure. Please note that well-subscribed tours are sometimes invoiced on an earlier schedule. Your invoice will include instructions on how to pay as well as the payment due date. The payment due date is typically also the official confirmation date for the tour.
Some cruises or private tours will have alternative payment instructions, so please consult the Tour Manager.
* An ACH transfer is an electronic fund transfer made between banks and credit unions across what is called the Automated Clearing House network. It essentially mimics a traditional check, using your account number and routing number. You can submit an ACH transfer using our secure online payment form. This option is currently for US account holders only.
WINGS will deduct 4% from most WINGS invoices for the tour balance (at final invoicing time) if payment is made by personal or cashier’s check, ACH transfer, or bank transfer/wire, and if the payment is received in the WINGS office by the “payment due” date noted on the invoice. All payments for WINGS tours are in USD.
The Fine Print
We advise that you wait until Tour Confirmation to make your travel arrangements. Details on arrival and departure timing for flights will be given at that time.
If you purchase airline tickets or make other tour-related arrangements before tour confirmation you will be responsible for the cost of any changes to your tickets or arrangements should we find it necessary to cancel or alter the tour before our confirmation date. If you are considering an early ticket purchase in spite of the risk, we recommend that you discuss your intention with your WINGS Tour Manager so we are aware of your plan.
Once the tour is confirmed and you’ve begun the process of looking for flights we can discuss any extra nights you might need pre- or post-tour.
When you have purchased your flights or other travel arrangements, please forward the full details to your Tour Manager.
After Tour Confirmation, your Tour Manager will provide you with specific instructions on how to plan your flights.
You may find it necessary to arrive early or depart later. After Tour Confirmation, you can consult with your Tour Manager on the possibility of arranging any pre-tour or post-tour accommodations.
Most tours include transportation from the arrival airport to the group hotel and to the departure airport at the end of the tour. Those specific instructions will be furnished with your Final Information packet, about 3-4 weeks prior to tour departure.
Travel Agency Assistance:
It is the participant’s sole responsibility for checking foreign entry requirements and when necessary, obtaining a visa from the appropriate embassy or consulate. Alternatively, a visa service can be convenient; for a fee they will handle everything to obtain your visa or expedite your passport. There are many online options for visa services.
Having the correct documentation in place before your trip is essential and visa requirements vary notably by destination and/or citizenship of the traveler. WINGS will provide details about obligations known to us at the time, but regulations can change with little or no notice.
Please notify your Tour Manager if you have a significant dietary restriction, and also note this on your registration form. Some destinations are more accommodating than others, and it is helpful for us to know early if there will be difficulty in finding appropriate food options. Your tour leader will be notified of your dietary restrictions so they may source alternative options when possible.
We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food.
Each of our tours will have a different pace, be it from hiking, driving, or early mornings. Please consult the Tour Information on the individual tour’s webpage. Additional general detail is included in our About WINGS document.
Please see Restrictions on Tour Participation in our About WINGS document for details.
WINGS highly recommends that you purchase travel insurance for your tour. Such insurance offers protection from trip cancellation, interruption, illness, and other unforeseen circumstances. Keep in mind that some providers have time restrictions around purchasing for various coverages, such as pre-existing conditions, so we recommend contacting your travel insurance provider soon after your tour registration to find out their policies.
For your convenience, we can recommend travel protection through Travelex Insurance Services. For more information on the available plans or to enroll, click here or contact Travelex Insurance Services at 800-228-9792 and reference location number 03-0082.
For UK-specific companies, a couple of good options are P J Hayman & Company Ltd (www.pjhayman.com) or Staysure (www.staysure.co.uk).
Please contact your insurance agency with any insurance-specific questions.
Some of our tours require the purchase of travel insurance. Your Tour Manager will be in communication with you if this is the case.
Refunds for cancellations by the client are made according to our cancellation policy.
Your Tour Manager will first be in touch with you 1-2 business days after you submit your registration for the tour. You will receive a reservation acknowledgment email with more details about your trip.
Invoicing – Your Tour Manager will email your invoice approximately 3-4 months prior to departure. If the tour is well-subscribed, this may occur earlier. Your Tour Manager will be in touch with you if that is the case.
Tour Confirmation – Assuming all payments are in, 2 weeks after invoicing your Tour Manager will confirm the tour. At this time, you will receive details for planning your flights and other necessary information for travel.
Final Tour Information – You will receive your final tour documents approximately 3-4 weeks prior to tour departure via email and mail. With these documents, you will receive information about arrival to your destination, airport transfers and getting to the first night lodging, a list of participants, a field checklist, and other reminders for your trip.
WINGS has arranged private tours around the world, from one day to more than 30 days, and for groups of one to 20 participants. We can organize trips over any of our itineraries, or arrange tailor-made tours.
As a general rule, planning for a private tour should begin as early as possible in order to ensure leader availability. Before inquiring about your private trip, please have a general framework in mind, such as dates, location, and number of participants, so we can begin working on your quote.
For more details, or to submit a private tour query form, please see here.
We know many UK-based clients previously joined our tours through our sister company Sunbird, who formally closed their doors a few years ago. Luckily, almost all the Sunbird tours and leaders have migrated fully over to WINGS.
We wish to make the transition to working directly with WINGS as straightforward as possible, so have compiled a list of questions and answers from a UK perspective. If you have any questions about any of the points mentioned, please let us know.
If you have never taken a birding tour, you might want to look at our introduction to birding tours.