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Encounters and Barna Takats - Who are we?

When talking about Encounters we are talking about Barna. He is the founder of Encounters; he is guiding personally all the group trips and he will be your consultant if you decide to choose Encounters for your upcoming wildlife adventure.
 
He is from Hungary, but lives in Mexico now. Visited close to hundred countries looking for different species of wildlife. He guided and/or set up trips to all continents, including Antarctica. He is a technical and cave diver, so he guides trips really everywhere. Sharks, whales, orcas underwater, polar bears or leopard seals at the polar regions, orangutans, gorillas deep in the jungles… Joining one of Barna´s expeditions for sure will be a life changing experience.
 
In the last ten years Encounters developed great relationships with the best providers, local tour operators and nature guides to be able to set up wildlife-oriented trips anywhere in the world. If none of our guided trips suit your needs, or the timing is not right (or we are full, which happens since we do limit group size) just send an email to Barna, tell him what you are interested in and most probably he will be able to help you. Either by simply sharing his experience, or even getting you in touch with the right people, or organizing the whole trip for you to get the most out of your trip.
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Around the world and around the clock one thing never changes: Barna is always wearing one of his trusty DOXA dive watches!
The cooperation with this historic Swiss watch brand started in 2021, and means a whole new type of adventure for Barna. Check out my favorite watch in the world!

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Testimonials
​​Encounters is not a traditional tour operator or a travel agency 
Encounters is an idea, a dream. It is an approach towards Nature, Culture and our amazing Environment. Encounters is simply the name of our effort to share all of this with the people around us. Share it with our friends, family and if it happens that way, with you as well.​

We appeared in
Amazing bug hunt!
"After searching for a tour that would allow me to observe mainly arachnids in the Quintana Roo state, I found the Bug Hunt tour on the Encounters website. I was able to book this tour during my time in Mexico. The owner was very responsive to messages. He provided a detailed itinerary of the tour ahead of time. The price was very reasonable for the services provided. Included in the tour was pick up from my hotel, transportation, flashlights and of course a knowledgeable guide. The owner/guide is very knowledgeable and respectful of the area. We searched for any wildlife we could find in a jungle nature reserve. During a 2 hour span we were able 2 find a snake, two large scorpions, a wolf spider, a whip scorpion, several frogs, a leopard gecko, and my favorite, an adult tarantula( plus a few small ones). My experience during this tour was something I would never be able to have had with many of the cookie cutter tours available. When I am able to return to this area, I would not hesitate to book another tour with Encounters."
Jayne - March 2019

Amazing encounters with whale sharks and manta rays
"Barna is genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met and really puts alot of effort into his trips! The organizational aspects are top notch, from the hotel pickup to boat transfer to the ride out to the site. Everyone involved was super friendly. Lunch was also provided. We had multiple opportunities to swim with the whale sharks and were lucky enough to have manta rays also feeding right next to them! Swimming next to a 25-30' whale shark is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had!"
Samantha - October 2018

Encounters for an Amazing Trip
"Encounters is the best way to book your fun, amazing, and once-in-a-lifetime encounter. They put together the trips and think of every little detail to make your experience the best it can be without any stress. I have booked three trips with them from diving with Bull Sharks in Playa del Carmen to hanging out with Manta Rays in Socorro. I will continue to use Encounters for many years to come."
​Rachel - March 2018