Parc national du Lac-Skadar : Visite d'observation des oiseaux et de photographie

Dear Morten, We appreciate your opinion and we are sorry you haven't raised this issue with us directly as we would have been happy to refund you on the spot after knowing your expectations haven't been met. However, this gives us the opportunity to explain to you, and all our future travellers, a few things. First of all, your tour was done on 25th of May starting at 6:45, a very windy morning. These definitely aren't the best conditions for birdwatching and this was explained to you at the beginning of the tour. That is one of the reasons why we never promise seeing specific bird species, or the numbers of them seen, and the reason why your statement that we somehow trick people with this tour, isn't valid. What we can always promise is that you will see around 15 to 20 species at any given time, which was confirmed to me that you did by Petar, your birdwatching guide. I understood from the talk with the guide that you were disappointed for not seeing pelicans. I also know that many people who choose to do the birdwatching tour aim to see them as well. However, Dalmatian pelican is an endangered species on Lake Skadar with a population of only around 250 of them. Along with other obvious reasons we do not go into their birding and nesting areas as this is strictly forbidden, against the law and the moral policy our company holds. We also do not go to any other areas where we know there are nests of birds, which I assume by your comment / specific place mentioned, is where you went with the other company. Additionally using speedboats is forbidden by the National Park Lake Skadar, and if you did go with one, which is again my assumption based on your comment, you have done so against the law of National Park Skadar Lake and against the moral principles of a nature lover which you should represent. I also want to note that Petar is a passionate birdwatcher himself and always gives 100% to find different species, and even specific bird species as mentioned in previous reviews. We can proudly say that he is a great guide and provides excellent commentary during the tour both for birds, history, nature etc. After saying this, I understand not seeing as many bird species as you wanted was disappointing but the tour itself didn't deserve 1*. A few reasons: shared tour + early departure time at 6:45, is only organised by us, even with a minimum of 2 people. The others will go out with a minimum of 6 people. Also, the boat is for a small group of up to 8 people (it was 5 of you), professional birdwatching gear is provided, and a great, passionate guide is with you to make this experience even better. All the other travellers from the same date and tour, gave us a 5* review so I would give myself the right to say that your opinion was biased, and probably made after the talk with our competitors, as they are the only ones who would benefit from a 1* review. I would've loved if you mentioned their name and don't see why you didn't. Also, your note about this not being the best area for birds - this is far from reality. Our future birdwatchers can simply stroll through the comments of other people doing this tour on TripAdvisor and other platforms, and see how far from reality it is. (I assume this was something the other company instructed you to say too ;) ) And yes, I can definitely agree that if your only aim was to see as many bird species as possible without the personal touch of a guide, and while breaking the law, other company was definitely a better fit for you. We will copy paste this answer to all the platforms you have left your review at, and again, thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain a few things to our future travellers. Sending you warm regards from Virpazar, Milica, Manager of Kingfisher

Hello Neil, Thank you so much for your wonderful recommendation! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the early start and found our captain/guide knowledgeable about the best birdwatching spots on Lake Skadar. It’s great to know you had a memorable experience spotting the amazing birdlife with us. We hope to welcome you back for more adventures on the lake soon! Warm regards, Milica, Kingfisher team

Dear Karin, Thank you so much for your thoughtful 4-star review and for choosing our early morning birdwatching tour on Lake Skadar! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the stunning beauty of the lake and its canals. We appreciate your honest feedback regarding the guide and the boat setup. We’re sorry the guide wasn’t as knowledgeable about birdwatching as you had hoped, and that the seating arrangement made it less comfortable for observing birds. Your comments are very valuable and will help us improve both our guides’ expertise and the boat experience for future guests. We hope despite these points, you took away some wonderful memories of the lake’s incredible wildlife and scenery. We’d love to welcome you back for another visit and provide an even better experience! Warm regards, Milica, Kingfisher Team