Trust is the whole point.
Anyone can print “birding guide” on a business card. We exist so you never have to gamble your one week in the field on it. Every guide is verified by working naturalists; every payment is held by the platform until you travel.
How a guide earns the badge
- Identity: A government-ID check, verified electronically or by our reviewer, never self-attested.
- Background & expertise: Years guiding, regions worked, and specialty knowledge: the experience behind the profile.
- Licences & documents: Country-specific guiding licences and certifications, uploaded and reviewed against each country’s requirements list (ICT, SERNANP, MINTUR…).
- Naturalist sign-off: A working naturalist on our team reviews every application, and the badge itself lists exactly which checks were completed and when.
How payments work
- Payments processed by Stripe; guides never see your card.
- Guide day trips are held in full until you travel; multi-day tours and lodges may release part of your deposit earlier to hold your space; always shown before you pay.
- Cancellation terms shown before you pay and on your booking confirmation.
- If a guide cancels, we return your payment in full to the card you paid with; how long it takes to appear is up to your bank.
Reviews you can believe
- Only travelers with a completed booking can review.
- Guides can respond, never edit or remove.
- Specialty tags ("great ear," "found all targets") come from a fixed vocabulary; no keyword stuffing.
- Reported reviews are checked by a human moderator, removed only for cause, never for being critical.