Talk to members of your local bird club and anyone else who is a frequent traveler. Chances are good that you know someone who has taken guided tours. Personal recommendations can be very helpful. If you've never gone on a tour, start with a relatively short excursion in North America to see how you like the experience, rather than leap into a three-week marathon trip to some exotic country. You should also consider the pace and intensity of the tour.
Some trips are relaxed and others are gung-ho.
Start off with an easy trip and plan for a more challenging one later. The tour company can describe the pace of the trip for you. Questions to Ask the Tour Company Usually a bird-tour company will maintain an office staffed with people who know the tour business. If you can't find out what you need to know by reading the published information about a tour, call the office and ask questions. Often it's wise to avoid a company's very first trip to a region.