Guatemala
An introduction to Central America
Saturday 4 - Wednesday 15 July 2009 (12 days)
Guatemala is a small, bird-rich country which has just opened its doors to eco-tourism and wildlife holiday companies. Our trail-blazer tour follows an excellent reconnaissance trip Tim Earl did last year. Many of the species encountered in Costa Rica or Mexico, including Resplendent Quetzal and Great Curassow, can be seen in Guatemala (although lists are still catching up the bigger named countries) at a lower price.
Accommodation, food and roads are all good although some of most interesting journeys will be made in small boats. We visit three ancient Mayan sites, two of which will be almost deserted - left to the birds and Howler Monkeys which we should see in profusion.
Our visit is timed for the green season when birds should be in their brightest breeding plumage.
One of the highlights will be three nights spent in the astonishing world heritage site of Tikal where Mayan ruins and reconstructed temples vie with wonderful birds and mammals.
Itinerary
Day 1
We take an indirect flight from London to Guatemala City, arriving in the evening. A one-hour transfer will see us in a small but comfortable hotel in Antigua.
Overnight Antigua
Day 2
With its architecture, culture and unique setting, Antigua, Guatemala, quite simply, is the most charming city in all the Americas. We will see the city on our way out to enjoy a couple of sites on our way to Panajachel and our first boat trip.
Rincon Suizo is a Swiss-style cafe which backs onto a productive area of forest about an hour out of Antigua. Here we start our introduction to central American birds with a range of more common species such as Rufous-collared Thrush, Amethyst-Throated and White-eared Hummingbirds, Brown-backed Solitaire and Bushtit plus a few crackers. These include Steller's Jay, Painted Whitestart, Pink-headed and Red-faced warblers.
If time permits we will stop at Corazon del Bosque, a similar stand of forest, on our way to the ferry at Panajachel on Lake Atitlan where we catch the boat to our hotel just outside Santiago
Overnight Santiago
Price: £ 2,995
Single supp.*: £ 275
Deposit: £ 400 per person
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of accommodation as detailed above, all meals in Guatemala, return flight London - Guatemala City*, internal flights, airport taxes, surface transport as described, incidental tips, admissions and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, drinks, optional tips to the local guides, and other personal expenses.
*For an ex-international flight cost (Guatemala City/Guatemala City), please deduct £ 595 from the tour cost.
Leaders: Tim Earl and local guides
Lake Atitlan is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Our hotel overlooks the lake, in an amazing setting with the crystal blue waters of the lake surrounded by the three lofty peaks of Toliman, San Pedro and Atitlan Volcanoes, we will rub our eyes as we watch birds in the early morning.
Our main activity today is a walk up San Pedro Volcano. The base is reached by boat and short minibus ride to an interpretation centre where we will meet a local guide. He will lead us part-way up the volcano watching birds as we go. The path is steep but we take it slowly making frequent stops along the way hoping for species such as Lesser Roadrunner, Rusty Sparrow, Grey Silky-flycatcher, Yellow-throated Brushfinch and Rufous-browed Peppershrike. Stunning views across the lake will be enjoyed as we eat our picnic lunches.
Returning to the village of Santiago those who want to will make a short souvenir stop. Birding at the hotel could produce Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black-vented and Bar-winged Orioles.
Overnight Santiago
Day 4
We leave the hotel by bus this morning and drive the short distance to Los Tarrales Reserve, where we stay in converted colonial coffee-plantation farmhouse. Here we will explore the grounds familiarising ourselves with birds such as Cinnamon Hummingbird, Giant Cowbird and the stunning White-throated Magpie Jay. We will lounge in the gardens over lunch watching numerous species attracted to feeders. Later in the afternoon we will take a stroll around a circular route at the base of Atitlan Volcano looking for Azure-rumped Tanager and Rufous Sabrewing among many other key species.
Overnight Los Tarrales
Day 5
The day will be spent on the slopes of Mount Atitlan in the hope of finding Horned and Highland Guans, Resplendent Quetzal (after which the Guatemala currency is named), King Vulture and Long-tailed Mannakin. We will take a picnic lunch.
Overnight Los Tarrales
Day 6
After some final early-morning birding at Los Tarrales, we return to Guatemala City for our flight to Flores, in the north of Guatemala, the heartland of a Mayan civilisation. In the late afternoon we reach our hotel on the shores of Lake Peten Itza. Here we can hope to see common species such as Little Blue and Green Herons, Pied-billed and Least Grebes, Northern Jacana and a host of bats and frogs... from our rooms.
Overnight Lake Peten Itza
Day 7
After a short spell of early morning birding we leave by minibus for Sayaxche to spend the day afloat and birding the ancient Mayan town of Ceibal. Access is by boat and a picnic lunch will be provided. The boat slows for birds which could include Laughing Falcon, Roadside Hawk and Olive-throated Parakeet but it will be Ceibal where we get the highlights. The site is overgrown with rainforest and we will have a huge array of birds to sort out. These will include woodcreepers, hummingbirds, tanagers and a myriad of flycatchers, Slaty-breasted Tinamou if we are quiet and Squirrel Cuckoo (is it a bird or a rodent?) all set in the fascinating ruins of the town. Howler Monkeys have taken over the site and with luck we will see Spider Monkeys too.
We return through Sayaxche and onwards into the Passion River channels to Chiminos Lodge, an amazing overnight stop.
Here all cabins are in deep jungle on an island in the river. Some have bathrooms shared between two bedrooms. Dinner will be in the lodge restaurant overlooking the river.
Overnight Chiminos Lodge
Day 8
We wake to the early morning howls of monkeys and make an early start to visit the Mayan site of Aguateca before it gets too hot. The bird life is similar to Ceibal but no two sites are the same in Central America and our list of birds see will continue to grow, perhaps with raptors such as Grey Hawk and Swallow-tailed Kite which hang around the ruins.
Lunch will be back at the lodge from where we will set off back to Sayaxche and a minibus transfer to Tikal, the most amazing Mayan sites in Guatemala.
Overnight Tikal
Days 9 & 10
We will spend these two days exploring different parts of this ancient city looking at its numerous birds, including Montesuma Oropendola, Keel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-collared Woodpecker, White-crowned Parrot, Great-crested Flycatcher and Black-hooded Siskin. In reality, such lists are only an indication of the 300 or more species we will see on this trip.
Two further nights Tikal
Day 11
We will leave Tikal in the morning to catch a flight back to Guatemala City where we will have lunch before catching the late afternoon flight to the USA and onwards to Heathrow, arriving on Day 12.
Accommodation
We stay in quality hotels and lodges with all rooms en suite, except at Chimonos Lodge where some rooms have shared facilities
Altitude and walking: The highest we go to on this tour is a maximum of 6,000 ft, at Mt San Pedro and Atitlan Volcanoes. There will be moderate walking on a number of days as we explore volcanoes and Mayan ruins. Strong shoes / boots and walking sticks are recommended.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients