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Day 1: Arrivals to Guatemala City International Airport (GUA) and transfer to hotel in time for early dinner. Spotlighting nearby for Fulvous Owl and Mexican Whip-Poorwill.

Day 2: Early Transfer to Finca Caleras de Chichavac, where special tropical highland pine-oak forest holds the elusive Pink-headed Warbler, along with Mountain Trogon, Guatemalan Pygmy Owl, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Olive Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Red-faced Warbler, Gray Silky Flycatcher, Singing Quail, Hutton’s Vireo and Crescent-chested Warbler. After spending the morning at the reserve we will drive towards Sibinal, a small town in the foothills of Tacana Volcano. We may have time for some birding in the evening. Overnight in Sibinal.

Day 3: Tacana Volcano is one of the few places in the country where one can drive up to 3000m of elevation and reach suitable Horned Guan habitat without having to leave the vehicle! We will have a full day in search of the enigmatic Horned Guan visiting various spots where it can be seen. Other birds we might encounter include Black-throated Jay, Steller’s Jay, Pink-headed Warbler, Pine and Black-capped Siskin, Yellow Grosbeak, Rufous-browed Wren, Blue-throated Motmot, and Slaty Finch. We will also have our first attempts for two somewhat unpredictable specialties: Wine-throated Hummingbird and Maroon-chested Ground-Dove. Overnight in Sibinal.

Day 4: After morning birding, drive to the Los Cuchumatanes Mountains in Huehuetenango. During the afteroon we will be birding in search for Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Garnet-throated Hummingbird, Pine Flycatcher and Black-capped Siskin, then after dark have our first attempt to see Unspotted Saw-whet Owl. Overnight at Todos Santos.

Day 5: A full morning spent in the Cuchumatanes Mountains in search for the exquisite Goldman’s Warbler, Ocellated Quail, Garnet-throated and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds also Amethyst-throated Mountaingem, Rufous-collared Thrush, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, and several other species. In the afternoon at Puerta del Cielo National Park, we will have a second chance for Ocellated Quail and other specials we could be missing, including more spotlighting chances for Unspotted Saw-Whet Owl and Flammulated Owl after dark.

Day 6: Drive to Santiago Atitlan, then birding the slopes of Toliman Volcano this afternoon for our first crack at Slender Sheartail, Belted Flycatcher and Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird. Overnight in Santiago Atitlan.

Day 7: Mirador Rey Tepepul located in the foothills of Atitlan Volcano is an excellent reserve to search for the endemic Azure-rumped Tanager along with Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Green-throated Mountaingem, Rufous Sabrewing, Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush, Crested Guan, Bar-winged Oriole, Yellow-backed Oriole, Long-tailed Manakin, Northern Emerald Toucanet, Tody Motmot, Hooded Grosbeak, Spotted Wood-Quail and many other exciting specials. We will also hope to see Resplendent Quetzal here, with birds in Guatemala sporting much longer tails than the more commonly-seen subspecies in Costa Rica! Overnight in Santiago Atitlan.

Day 8: Another morning in Mirador Rey Tepepul before driving to our lodge at Los Tarrales Reserve, located on the lower slopes of Atitlan Volcano towards the coast. Afernoon birding around our rooms may produce White-bellied Chachalaca, Yellow-winged Tanager, Cinnamon, Beryline and Blue-tailed Hummingbirds, Spot-breasted and Altamira Oriole, White-winged Tanager, Yellow-naped Parrot, Common Tody Flycatcher, Lineated Woodpecker and many other foothill specialties. Overnight at Los Tarrales.

Day 9: Morning birding around Los Tarrales in search for Long-tailed Manakin, Red-throated Ant Tanager, Blue Seedeater, Painted Bunting, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Guatemalan Tyrannulet, White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Turquoise- browed, Lesson’s and Tody Motmots, Highland Guan, Thicket Tinamou, White Hawk, King Vulture. After lunch we will drive back to Guatemala City for overnight.

Day 10: The main tour ends this morning with transfers to Guatemala City International Airport (GUA). Those continuing on the extension will fly north to Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS).

MAYAN BIOSPHERE EXTENSION

Day 1: After our short flight from Guatemala City to Mundo Maya, we will drive to El Remate Peten. After dinner we will go spotlighting in search of Middle American Screech-Owl and possibly Striped Owl. Overnight El Remate Peten.

Day 2: The Mayan Biosphere is the largest untouched lowland rainforest north of the Amazon, and today we will explore the southern portion around the ancient city of Tikal, now protected by a UNESCO-listed national park. Our morning will start at an abandoned airstrip (now unused for thirty years) which is covered in secondary vegetation hosting Pheasant Cuckoo, Mangrove Vireo, Yucatan Flycatcher, Rose-throated Tanager, Gray-throated Chat, Ocellated Turkey, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Great Currasow, Great Tinamou and White-bellied Wren. In the taller rainforest we hope to see Orange-breasted Falcon at the most accesible nesting spot for this scarce neotropical raptor, along with Bicolored Hawk, Double-toothed Kite, Little and Slaty-breasted Tinamous, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, and Tody Motmot. Overnight El Remate Peten.

Day 3: Full day in Yaxha National Park, another very biodiverse site in the Mayan Biosphere . The avifauna here is very similar to Tikal, but species like Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Yucatan Jay, and Rose-throated Tanager are easier here. Full morning bird around the archeological site and nearby forest in search for missing targets. Overnight El Remate Peten.

Day 4: Switching to the Santa Ana Savanna this morning, we will target Yucatan Bobwhite, Black Catbird, Rufous-breasted Spintail, Botteri’s Sparrow, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, plus Vermilion and Fork-tailed Flycatchers. It heats up quickly in this habitat, so we will be back at the hotel for checkout and drive to Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS) where the extension ends around midday. NOTE: There are regular flights to either Cancun in Mexico, or back to Guatemala City. For those choosing the latter option, we can help arrange the domestic flight and a hotel in Guatemala City as required for an additional cost. We can also arrange a two-night pre-tour extension for Bearded Screech Owl and/or a three-night continuation to Honduras targeting Honduran Emerald, Green-breasted Mountaingem and Red-throated Parakeet before or after the tour – please let us know if you are interested at the time of booking. 

Tour details