“Steven An is one of the best birding guides and tour leaders anywhere in the world. He gets my strongest recommendation.
I am an avid birdwatcher, currently in the top 50 worldwide for 2024 species seen, and have used guides around the globe. What makes Steven special is he is outstanding at finding the birds, listens well to his client’s targets and wishes and designed an excellent 6 day custom tour for East China. His English is excellent. There was no language barrier.
Some of the best bird finders can be the worst tour leaders. There are no compromises with Steven. He is very pleasant and enjoyable to be with. His ability in locating birds is top notch. He listened to what I wanted and designed a great tour. He was able to adapt to a rain-out at TianmuShan, implemented a new plan, and put me onto the endangered Crested Ibis. We saw 154 species, including 122 life birds. Got the critically endangered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush – outside of breeding season which is nearly impossible.
His protégé, Elan James, is also highly recommended. Elan has ears like an owl and eyes like a falcon. He was a real asset on this tour. I have no reservations about future tours with Steven and Elan either individually or as a team.
I would especially recommend them to Mandarin speakers with limited English skills who need support to explore outside of China. Their language and birding skills are a unique combination.
Highly recommended. We are already planning another trip in September. “
Cheers,
Bud
