Emblematic Testimonial by Emil and Lily Vacek

Emil and Lily Vacek • May 27, 2026

David made us feel very safe. He was a most wonderful host and we felt like we have always known him. He introduced us to his country, culture, people and, of course, all those wonderful birds he promised he would.

by Emil and Lily Vacek

NSTAGRAM: @emilv_photography, @lily.vacek


"We love birds. Bird photography is our passion. We have watched a lot of YouTube videos about Colombia's nature and birds and wished we could go there. We were a bit worried about the safety since a lot of people in Canada do not think Colombia is a safe place to go to. Emil (emilv_photography) and I (@lily.vacek) decided to book a private bird photography tour with David Casas of Retorno.phototours and hoped for the best.


David made us feel very safe. He was a most wonderful host and we felt like we have always known him. He introduced us to his country, culture, people and, of course, all those wonderful birds he promised he would.



He was very professional, knowledgeable about the birds, locations and worked very hard to find us all the birds that were listed on the Emblematic photo tour. All locations that we visited with David offered lots of birds and we had plenty of time to photograph each and every one of them numerous times.

The icing on the cake was the photo opportunity at La Florida Bosque when Ornate Hawk Eagle showed up in the tree looking for food. David and Emil climbed to the top of the very steep hill to be closer to the bird and got the photos and videos that were out of this world. Thank you David.We would love to go back to Colombia and join David on another photo tour soon. David truly knows how to take care of his guests that are looking for unique bird photography experience".


By Cielo Millán Álvarez May 27, 2026
"Llevo más de tres años realizando viajes icónicos por Colombia haciendo tours fotográficos de aves y naturaleza con retorno, lo que me ha llevado a conocer excelentes lugares del país donde he cumplido con todas las expectativas propuestas en las especies que hemos ido a buscar para fotografiar.
By Carlos Pache May 27, 2026
"Mi primera experiencia con David,de RETORNO, fue simplemente espectacular.
By Akhil Vinayak Menon May 27, 2026
“I recently joined Retorno Photo Tours on a bird photography trip to Colombia, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish.
By Gilberto López Espina May 27, 2026
"We did a trip with David and Retorno in July of 2025 and our expectations were beyond exceeded.
By Murali Subramanian May 27, 2026
"We did a trip with David and Retorno in July of 2025 and our expectations were beyond exceeded.
By Paul Janosi May 27, 2026
Colombia is a must-visit destination for bird photographers. The country offers stunning scenery, vibrant culture,and exceptionally warm, welcoming people.
By Frederic Izquierdo May 27, 2026
Last November, I went on a week-long tour with Retorno Photo and I could summarize it with great birding, great company and good food.
By Michael Vodiansky May 27, 2026
Our bird photography tour in Colombia from Medellín to Cali was outstanding from start to finish.
By David Casas May 27, 2026
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