ABOUT OUR COMPANY

Ecotours-Kondor EcoLodge Ltd. is the only registered and original birdwatching, wildlife and nature tour company in Hungary using the Ecotours name legally & officially

Ecotours was set up by Gabor Orban during the 90’-ies and became so successful that there are some others who set up web sites and copy not just our itineraries, text, pictures and what we do, but even started to use very similar names to ours on their websites (beware names such as GreenEye Ecotours, Ecotours Wildlife Holidays, etc.) without having a registered company,  without being members of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce or paying taxes and social security after their employees in our country. There are many people and so called companies who offer their services illegally. Unfortunately some major UK and US companies also make the mistake of working with some of these so called companies who in reality have only a website, usually not much more.

Before you book a tour either directly or through a UK or US company we suggest to check which local company will be your local service provider.

We suggest to check the followings details:

1. Registered name in Hungary                Ours: Ecotours-Kondor Ecolodge Ltd.
2. Chamber of Commerce Registration   Ours: 03-09-108065
3. Hungarian Tax Number                         Ours: 11970828-2-03
4. European VAT Number                          Ours: HU11970828
5. National Guiding licence number
   Gabor Orban -managing director, official zoologist and general tour guide (Nr.: 003818 and also 800672)
   Andrea Katona – managing director, official cultural tour guide (Nr.: 700453)

We are also the only Natural Showroom of Swarovski Optics products in Hungary. You can come and try top quality products at our Kondor EcoLodge at a natural environment and hire or buy your Swarovski at us.

We also have a base in Latin America from where we organize various Birding, Mammal, Butterfly, General Wildlife, Nature & Culture and Photography tours to Latin America, plus to some other Worldwide destinations.

OUR ECOTOURISM

Our ecotourism aims at providing superb natural holidays for birders, butterfly enthusiasts and people with a general interest in nature in a way that respects the natural environment and contributes to its protection. During our holidays we aim at building the best possible relations with the locals, trying to make them interested in protecting their own environment and to bring them benefits by using the local services they provide. We also work together with some of the National Parks in Hungary and other countries in various ways, ranging from simply passing on our observations, records, to organizing and running butterfly and bird monitoring projects. Since we have our own Kondor EcoLodge in the middle of the Kiskunsag National Park we work strongly together with the National Park putting out hundreds of nestboxes by the help of our Czech & Slovakian friends. These projects are very successful, most of the boxes are occupied by Rollers, Scops Owls, Little Owls and Hoopoes. We also support local communities by fostering an interest in protecting their immediate natural environment, for example involving schools in Transylvania with Tengmalm’s Owl nestboxes, where the children are the “owners” of the boxes. 

HOLIDAY / CUSTOMER CARE

We believe that the reason why Ecotours Ltd. became Britain’s most preferred ground agent in Eastern Europe and beyond is mainly due to our customer care and our knowledge in the field, our individual style and precise work in preparing for the tours. Besides preparing a daily itinerary for each guest we provide on board cappuccino and chocolate biscuits and regular comfort stops. In the evening after supper when we complete our checklists we often give a slide show of the days specialities. This helps us identify any mystery species and reinforces ID characteristics. Very educational and totally optional! Our guides are often highly ranked in their specific field, but still, they make sure all levels of interest are catered for, and the pace of the tours pleases all participants. Clearly we are not twitchers, rather ordinary people who love to be out enjoying nature and experiencing what is there. However, thanks to our extensive network of relations we are always aware of the current bird movements, and this allows us to select where to go, optimize species seen and hopefully optimise time spent travelling. We aim to use friendly little inns, hotels with local character and excellent cuisine. Meals are carefully selected and the packed lunches are often constructed by the participants of the tour for themselves to ensure the choice of sandwiches is to personal taste. However, we sometimes have indoor, hot lunches, depending on our route and weather conditions. We usually provide hot drinks and biscuits during the day at no cost. Our minimum number to  run a tour is usually 5 or 6 passengers. For groups of over 8 passengers we favour an 18 seater a/c Mercedes mini-coach with driver. It has a luggage trailer as well. For small groups we use an a/c minibus driven by the Ecotours Guide.

HISTORY

Our company was formed with the intention of popularizing Hungary as a perfect ecotourism destination both for amateur naturalists and for those with a more academic interest in plant and animal species, habitats and geology. The key figure who started our company, Ecotours Ltd. was Gabor Orban. He participated in his first Birding Camp during the seventies and became engaged in birding instantly. Later he broadened his interest in zoology, botany and geology as well. During the eighties and nineties he lead several tours in Hungary, Great Britain and Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Spain, etc.) while he was a biology and geography teacher. He qualified in zoology in 1994. He has worked and travelled in the US visiting more then 20 national parks. Returning to Hungary he became a licenced professional birdwatching and nature guide and set up Ecotours Ltd. in the 90's. Since 2006 each year he spends 6 months in Latin America, 6 months in Eastern Europe, based at Kondor EcoLodge, Kiskunsag, Hungary, www.kondorecolodge.hu . He is leading various birding, nature and culture, butterfly and photo tours Worldwide. His passion is to share his knowledge about nature and culture of different countries with his groups.

During the years Ecotours developed into a strong company with several knowledgable and enthusiastic guides, each specialized in their own fields.

One of Ecotours' key partners is BirdLife Hungary (MME). We were the official Tour organizers of the 15th International Conference of the European Bird Census Council, 2001 and the Owl Conference in 2003. We also support worldwide protection of wildlife and habitats by donations to WWF and in UK to the Butterfly Conservation Society. We have run several Butterfly monitoring projects with BC EIG.

Ecotours has been present as an exhibitor at the British Birdwatching Fair since 2000 and also at the American Birding Expo since its exsist. Gabor had dozens of lectures about natural values at different destinations during many years.