Guatemala Highlands & Tikal Birding Tour

Tour Dates

All Year Round

Departure

Guatemala City  Airport

Return

Guatemal City Airport

Day 1: Arrival – Antigua Guatemala

Meet & welcome at the Airport Terminal La Aurora (Guatemala City) and transfer to La Antigua, Guatemala.
Overnight Antigua Guatemala

Day 2: El Pilar Farm – Antigua Guatemala

Morning bird watching at Finca El Pilar is based 10 minutes from Antigua. Coffee, Pinus, and oaks mainly consist of this reserve’s plant life, settling in an altitudinal range between 1,710 to 9,500 ft. Above sea level.
One of the significant points of interest in El Pilar farm is hummingbird feeders. It is possible to find numerous hummingbird species in the area feeding themselves together, addressing a fantastic chance for birdwatchers.

Lunch break in the local restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala.

2:00 pm, time to start the exciting cultural excursion of Antigua, visiting churches, ruins, galleries, and museums that, together with old cobbled roads, keep the stories and tales of the colonial era that you will undoubtedly like.

Lodging in Antigua, Guatemala.

Some of the birds that you can spot at this destination are:

Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated Mountain-Gem, Bushy-crested Jay, Hooded Grosbeak, Elegant Euphonia, Singing Quail, Golden-crowned Warbler, Bar-winged Oriole, among others.

Day 3: Antigua Guatemala – Tecpan – Lake Atitlan

6:00 am. Travel from Antigua Guatemala towards the Tecpan region.

Morning meal in Tecpan.

Birding tour in Tecpan Reserve looking for  endemic species of the Northern Central American highlands like Pink-headed Warbler, Blue-throated Motmot, and Rufous-browed Wren.

Throughout the migratory (winter season) period, you can find Townsend’s, Wilson’s, Black-and-White, and Red-faced Warblers along with the resident Slate-throated Redstart, Pink-headed, Crescent-chested, and Olive Warblers, and also Hutton’s Vireo.
Noon transport to Lake Atitlan.
Accommodations in Lake Atitlan

Day 4: Lake Atitlan – Paquisis – Los Tarrales Private Reserve

Morning boat trip towards San Pedro La Laguna where we take a pick-up truck that will take you to the entrance of Paquisis volcano.

Here we are going to start our hike for the quest of Horned Guan as well as other fascinating species like Prevost’s Ground-sparrow, Amethyst-throated Hummingbird, Slender Sheartail, Rufous Sabrewing Violet Sabrewing, Bushy-crested Jay, Olive-sided Towhee, Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Mountain Trogon, Bar-winged Oriole and Ocellated Quail among others.

A meal might be offered on the way (boxed lunch).

Return to ht lodge for check out, transfer to Los Tarrales Reserve, and birding within the lodge in the afternoon.
Accommodation at Los Tarrales Reserve

Day 5: Los Tarrales Private Reserve

Time for Coffee and transfer La Isla area in the quest of Azure-rumped Tanager, Rufous Sabrewing, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Tody Motmot, Quails, and doves, among other species of the highlands. Breakfast at the place (boxed breakfast).

Afternoon birding tour around La Laguneta, this area offers an excellent opportunity to find species such as White-bellied Chachalaca, Yellow-naped Parrot, and Rufous-breasted Spinetail.

Accommodation at Los Tarrales Reserve.

Day 6: Los Tarrales – Flight to Flores – Tikal National Park

Time for coffee and transfer to La Rinconada area. It is possible to find species such as Long-tailed Manakin, Cinnamon Hummingbird, and Rufous-naped Wren.
Return to the lodge for breakfast and check out.

Transfer from Los Tarrales Reserve to La Aurora Internationa Airport to take a short flight to The Mundo Maya International Airport in Flores Peten.
Arrival to Peten and transfer to your lodge inside Tikal National Park.

Accommodation in Tikal National Park

Day 7: Tikal National Park

Early birding Tour inside Tikal Park, Tikal belongs to the nucleus sections of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, with a high level of preservation actions and investigation.
The ancient monuments, remnants of the Maya culture based in the heart of luscious jungles, are perfect locations for birding.

Here we are going to find species which include Ocellated turkey, orange-breasted falcon, Yucatan Jay, Rose-throated Tanager, Great Curassow, White-fronted Parrot; Mealy Parrot, Crested Eagle, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher; White-bellied Wren, Montezuma Oropendola, and many hummingbirds among others.

Flocks of warblers, tanagers, and others make this spot an incredible tropical paradise throughout the migratory period.

Return to the lodge for lunch, a short break, and continue your expeditions with a noon archaeological and birding tour.

Accommodation in Tikal lodge

Day 8: Tikal National Park – Flight to Guatemala City

Tikal second morning Birdwatching and Archaeology tour.

Lunch at Tikal National Park.

Afternoon transfer towards Mundo Maya Airport with a birding opportunity at the shore of Lake Peten Itza.

18:30 hrs, local flight from Flores to La Aurora International Airport.

19:30 Hrs, meet & greet at the airport terminal and transport to your hotel

Lodging in Guatemala City.

Day 9: Back Home

Transfer to La Aurora International Airport on time to catch your flight back Home