The Birds of Guatemala Lowlands

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Day 1: Flight to Flores

17:15 HRS. Domestic flight from Guatemala City to Flores

18:00 HRS. Meet & greet at Flores airport and transfer to your hotel (15 minutes)

Dinner and lodging at Hotel in Flores

Note: You should arrive at Guatemala International Airport by 14:00 hrs. to take a domestic flight to Flores at 17:15 hrs.

Day 2: Las Guacamayas Biological Station

Enjoy this fascinating birding tour in the Scarlet Macaw´s sanctuary and prepare to discover the natural world of more than 260 species of resident birds.

With abundant wildlife such as spider and howler monkeys (saraguate), occasionally tapirs, crocodiles, and many birds, we can mention the scarlet macaw, toucans, blue herons, parakeets, and many more.

6:00 am. Leave from Flores and continue for approximately 3 – 6 hrs.  The whole road proposes an excellent birding opportunity.

Here you can watch some birds in open areas, secondary forests, and ponds, such as Flycatchers, Hawks, Herons, and Kingfishers.

Arrival to the community of Paso Caballos. Here you will board a boat that will carry us through the San Pedro River toward Las Guacamayas Biological Station (aprox.20 minutes).

Birding on the route, we can find species such as Herons, Kingfishers, Limpkin, Parrots, Grey-necked Wood-rail, Northern Jacana, and many more.

On your arrival, you will be received by the EBG staff.

Lunch and afternoon birding tour around the base station ending at Las Guacamayas lookout.

Dinner and lodging at Las Guacamayas Biological Station

Day 3: El Peru Archaeological Site

6:00 am. Time for breakfast. Then you will board a boat for a birding tour through the San Pedro River and then the archaeological site of El Peru.

Here you will visit Guatemala’s most important nesting area of the scarlet macaw (Ara Macaw).

You can find exciting species such as Ocellated Turkey; Bat Falcon; Scarlet Macaw, Black-and-White Owl; Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Lovely Cotinga, Rose-throated Tanager; Green-backed Sparrow, among others.

Note: Scarlet Macaws are possible to spot from February to May

Late lunch and rest in the afternoon (Optional artisanal fishing tour in San Pedro River)

Nighttime aquatic excursion: Explores the stream Sacluc. Our experienced guide accompanies us for the nighttime boat tour.

With the support of a flashlight, our guide illuminates the nighttime creatures that live here, including the crocodile petenero (Crocodylus moreletii), bats, birds, and more.

Dinner and Lodging at Las Gucamayas Biological Station

Day 4: Las Guacamayas / Tikal National Park

5:00 am. Time for a coffee and birding tour through the biological station

Breakfast and transfer from EBG to Tikal National Park

Lunch in El Remate and then continue to Tikal National Park for a Sunset Birding tour

Dinner and lodging at Tikal National Park

Day 5: Tikal National Park

Early birdwatching Tour within Tikal National Park, Tikal is part of the nucleus areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, with a high level of conservation activities and research.

The monuments, remnants of the ancient Maya culture located in the middle of luscious jungles, are ideal places for birdwatching.

We will find exciting species such as the Ocellated turkey, orange-breasted falcon, Yucatan Jay, Black Catbird, Rose-throated Tanager, Great Curassow, and White-fronted Parrot.

Also, Mealy Parrot, Crested Eagle, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers; White-bellied Wren, Montezuma Oropendola, and many hummingbirds, among others.

During migratory season flocks of warblers, tanagers, and others make this destination a fantastic tropical paradise.

Day 6: Yaxha National Park / Antigua Guatemala

After breakfast, transfer to Yaxha National Park. Then You will start our birding tour through the trails and causeways of this fantastic reserve located at the shores of the lake of the same name.

The forests inside are exceptionally well-preserved. The Yaxha Lagoon is one of the most important water systems in the Maya Biosphere.

This location in the middle of the tropical rainforest has reported 150 bird species, 40 species of mammals, 14 amphibious, 45 reptiles, and 22 species of fish.

Here we can find species such as Crane Hawk, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Brown Jay, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Blue Bunting, and many more.

Afternoon transfer to Flores Airport in Time to take your domestic flight to Guatemala City

18:30 hrs, flight to Guatemala City

19:30 hrs, meet & greet at the airport and transfer to Antigua Guatemala (1 hour)

Dinner in a local restaurant.

Lodging in Antigua Guatemala.

Day 7: Antigua Guatemala

Transfer to San Cristobal el Alto early in the morning to start the birding day tour.

Breakfast in a local restaurant with stunning views of the volcanoes.

Then continue birdwatching at Finca El Pilar, located 10 minutes from Antigua. This private area protects habitats ranging from 5000 to 8000 ft in elevation.

Then continue birdwatching at Finca El Pilar, located 10 minutes from Antigua.

This private area protects habitats ranging from 5000 to 8000 ft elevation, including dry forest in the lower altitudes and oak-pine and cloud forest at higher elevations.

Day 8: Tecpan Day Tour

6:00 am. Departure from Antigua Guatemala toward the Tecpan area

Breakfast in Tecpan

Bird watching tour in Tecpan Reserve will find interesting endemic species of the North Central American highlands like the Pink-headed Warbler, Blue-throated Motmot, and Rufous-browed Wren.

During the migratory (winter) season, you will find Townsend’s, Wilson’s, Black-and-White, Red-faced Warblers, and the resident Slate-throated Redstart, Pink-headed Crescent-chested, and Olive Warbler, as well as Hutton’s Vireo.

Afternoon tour at Iximche Archaeological site:

Iximché was a Maya Cakchiquel city founded in 1463, less than a century before the arrival of the Spaniards, which played a decisive role in the Spanish conquest of this region of Guatemala.

In temperate pine forests, you see the traces of this city.

Even today, its four ceremonial plazas, with their temples and ball courts, host ceremonies for the Mayan gods.

Day 9: Back Home

Transfer to the airport in time to catch your international flight back home.

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