Dates and Cost

January 10-19, 2012
$3250 ($625 single supplement)

Images

About This Trip

The aquamarine waters and dreamy soft white sand beaches that surround the Yucatan Peninsula have made it a famous vacation destination. This sublime beauty makes for a birding destination that is hard to resist! For some, this is about as far afield as they venture. Unfortunately for them, they’ll be missing out on the fascinating history, rich culture and great natural diversity that can be found by roving a bit farther afield. Our goal on this itinerary is to travel to a broad selection of the best birding habitats, including mangrove estuaries, beautiful beaches, dry tropical forest and dense lowland jungle. We also visit some of the magnificent archeological ruins, enjoy unique regional cuisine and explore the world of the Mayan culture, which is still alive and well throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.

The three Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatan make up the region that is most often referred to as ‘the Yucatan’. Geologically speaking, the Yucatan is an expansive limestone peninsula that extends northward into the Gulf of Mexico and eastward into the Caribbean Sea. To the south lie Guatemala and Belize. It is generally quite flat with elevations not much over sea level except for the hilly Puuc region in the western portion of the peninsula.

The Yucatan is home to nearly a dozen regional endemics (including four that are found only on Cozumel Island) and a large number of other interesting tropical species and water birds generally found much further south. Some of the must-see birds on the tour are Rufous-necked Woodrail, American Pygmy Kingfisher, American Flamingo, Yucatan Flycatcher, Yucatan Vireo, Yucatan Woodpecker, White-bellied Wren, Orange Oriole, Ruddy Crake, Rose-throated Tanager, Yucatan Jay, Yucatan Wren, Yucatan Bobwhite, Mexican Sheartail, Gray-throated Chat, and Black Catbird. On an average trip, we can see somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 species.

Aside from the varied habitats and rich birding, the Yucatan is at the heart of ancient Mayan culture and history. Aside from the more famous sites, such as Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum, there are hundreds of smaller, less visited sites throughout the peninsula. There is evidence of the Mayan culture everywhere one travels. Also, very evident, particularly in the state of Yucatan, are the old haciendas that dot the countryside. Almost every town in the Yucatan was developed around the main hacienda and henequen was the lifeblood of these grand estates.

The trip starts in the state of Quintana Roo on the eastern side of the peninsula, home to the famous resort area of Cancun, which we do our best to avoid, except for flying into the airport. Our first night is spent in the most mellow seaside town of the Riviera Maya, Puerto Morelos where we bird the next morning in the dense jungle, followed by a visit to the impressive seaside ruins of Tulum. Our route then heads south to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, where we will explore the edge of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and get a wonderful taste of life in a town that is a true melding of Mayan and Mexican cultures. Leaving Felipe Carrillo Puerto, we drive through the heart of the Zona Maya to the colonial city of Valladolid, where we visit the plaza before making our way to the sleepy coastal town of Rio Lagartos. We’ll pick up the endemics in the coastal thorn scrub before taking a boat trip in the estuary to see the flamingos and more. From the coast, we head to the elegant Hacienda Chichen, adjacent to the famous ruins. In the Puuc region, we explore the magnificent ruins of Uxmal, and the San Simon road for both birds and Mayan history. And in Celestun, we bird in the Biosphere Reserve and pick up a few last species before spending our last night in the elegant city of Merida.

Accommodations

We stay at a range of hotel types on this trip. From a nice, basic hotel in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and simple, but comfortable seaside hotels in Puerto Morelos, Rio Lagartos and Celestun to the upscale Hacienda hotels at Chichen Itza and Uxmal and a fine Merida hotel on our last night. The regional cuisine of the Yucatan peninsula is prominently featured during the trip, as well as excellent seafood.

To book your trip or for more information, please contact us by email or call 888-383-0062.