Reviews of Big Sky Safaris (Travel Agency)

June Smith

Dr. Tong is the greatest!!! I had the pleasure of spending two days with her in May exploring Missoula and the surrounding area. Dr. Tong listened to my requests as to my interests, adopted some of my ideas & made suggestions that incorporated & improved upon them. We spent a day at the Bison Range and not only stood 20 feet away from a bison but observed a golden eagle, pronghorns, birds & ducks too many to mention here that I had never experienced in the Northeast. I highly recommend booking a tour with Wenfei. She is well versed in her knowledge of wildlife, photography & local dining spots. You will be impressed with her academic background, local knowledge & enthusiasm!!!

Rachael Wells

Wonderful tour and time! We feel so lucky to have found Dr. Wenfei Tong! From the moment I reached out to check her availability, I knew this was going to be a great experience. Wenfei was such a joy to coordinate with, learn from and talk to and be with for an afternoon that we left her feeling as if we now have a new good friend. She has the rare combination of deep knowledge and expertise about the area and nature and wildlife broadly, along with a natural love for people and ease at communicating and connecting with anyone (even people like us with very little prior knowledge about wildlife and wildflowers, etc.). Rather than push any particular itinerary, before we even booked, Wenfei went out of her way and took the time to talk with us in detail before coming up with two fantastic options with lots of specified detail and stops for how we could spend our time with her. She considered the weather for the day in question, our backgrounds, interests and past travel experience, and was entirely flexible before we booked and even during the afternoon with her - her goal being making our time with her the most positive and interesting experience possible for us. We ended up going on a hike next to a mountain creek's gorgeous cascades waterfalls and tons of wildflowers, and seeing and learning lots about birds. We also drove out to a spot we never would have found on our own, to get to see the most adorable burrowing owl keeping watch nearby her eggs soon to hatch any day now. We loved talking with Wenfei, whether it was about what was in front of us, or Montana at large, and so much more! It was a real treat having her as a guide and being with her for several hours. She then again reached out after our tour to send a beautiful photo of our time together, and type up some of the information she shared with us live (e.g., book recommendations). I plan to come back to the area with my kids next time and take her tours again and again! She can do all kinds of activities (hiking, river floats, etc.), but also tours by car if the weather isn't going to be great. Don't hesitate -- just reach out and she will definitely come up with the perfect experience for you too. Thanks so much again, Wenfei!

Celeste Peterson

We had an absolutely amazing time with Wenfei this summer. She took my two girls (age 3 and 7), my husband and I on a multi-day tour around some of the best sights in Western Montana. She knew exactly where to go to see everything from a baby pronghorn trotting with it mother, to huge bison rolling in the dust to golden eagles soaring before snow -capped mountains. Although we had destinations (Bison refuge, the Rocky Front range), the journeys in the car to these places with Wenfei were just as exciting. Along the way, Wenfei told my family stories about wildlife, local history and was always pointing out new wildlife and birds. . She was great with my kids and knew exactly when everyone needed a break to get a huckleberry shake. Her enthusiasm was infectious and by the end of the trip, my kids were making their own bird lists. She’s also quite a talented photographer and was helpful in getting me to get some wonderful photos of the scenery. Overall, Wenfei was an outstanding guide and really cared about giving us the experience we were looking for. It was one of the best vacations of my life!

Aileen Nielsen

We had a great time with Dr. Tong when she took me, my husband, and our three month son around on several full-day tours in the Missoula area this June. We saw abundant wildflowers atop mountains, ample wildlife (I am a city girl who cannot remember the names to save my life...but we saw a TON), and also explored some really quiet/remote areas in nearby reservation land. I think we most enjoyed the tour Dr. Tong gave us of the national bison range, where she told us all sorts of fun stories from when she did fieldwork there, including rattle snake encounters. You cannot hope to find a more knowledgeable field guide anywhere, and I strongly recommend spending several days with Dr. Tong if you are lucky enough to visit Missoula! Also the donut shop on the drive out of town is a must-visit part of her tours, and we went every morning on our way out of town.