Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I’m truly sorry to hear that you were disappointed. Sadly, our native honeycreepers have been decimated by avian malaria, carried by mosquitoes, and we have to drive above the mosquito line to find them—an unfortunately incompressible amount of driving time. We also drive to the summit of Haleakala for a chance at finding Nene, Pueo, and/or Chukars. Our efforts are sometimes unrewarded, as wildlife has a will of its own, but we feel it is our role as birding guides to at least try to find them for you.

As for our rates, they simply reflect the astronomical cost it takes to run a permitted tour in a National Park and on Maui, and the extremely sharp increase in costs of doing business, as well as livable wages for our guides, consistent contributions to local environmental organizations, and higher quality local & organic food for our picnic lunches. We also limit the number of participants to 8 instead of the 11 we can fit in our vehicle. All these efforts to provide superior service and a unique experience come at a cost that we have no choice but to share with our guests if we are to remain in business. Our rates are roughly aligned with the state's official transport rates and many regular tour companies that cram up to 24 passengers in their vehicle.

This being said, I am very sorry that the trip fell short of your expectations, but we are grateful for the opportunity to improve—we will do our best to give more detailed information in our pre-tour communication, and we will always strive to spend as much time as the day allows at the viewing spots. Mahalo nui loa!

Mahalo nui loa for the praise for our guide Wendy! She is the best, so happy she showed you a good time around the island :-) Aloha!