Honduras Birdwatching Expedition

Tour Dates

All Year Round

Departure

San Pedro Sula Airport

Return

San Pedro Sula Airport

Day 1: Arrival at San Pedro Sula Airport – Transfer to Lodge at Pico Bonito

Pick-up and ground transfer towards Pico Bonito Lodge, the well-known bird watching destination inside 270,000-acre Pico Bonito which is one of the National Parks with the richest biodiversity in Honduras.

After our arrival, we will have time to unpack, refresh and have the first encounter with the birds of Honduras walking through the lodge grounds previous dining.

Dinner at The Lodge at Pico Bonito.

Day 2: Birding at Pico Bonito Lodge

Will start at 6:00 AM, having an early breakfast. After meals we will enjoy a birding experience through the Lodge grounds and gardens, discovering several bird species which are typical during the morning time. We will climb to the top “Toucan Tower” a fantastic observation platform that provides a bird’s eye view of the woodland canopy.

During the entire morning hours, we are going to bird areas of tropical, secondary and gallery woods and planting locations over the Rio Coloradito.

Lunch at Pico Bonito.

During the afternoon, following lunch break and a break, we will go birding across the Lodge’s loop pathway system looking for the more forest interior birds this rainforest heaven is offering.

Besides the Toucan tower system in the trail’s starting point, this route provides a raised ridge platform, which looks over the Rio Coloradito and encompassing wooded slopes. Equally, we will visit observation Tower #3 on the way, established among a location of bird-rich secondary tropical forest and a significant farming area.

Besides this excellent viewing from The Lodge’s towers, this path goes by some overlooks across the Rio Coloradito, and visualizations of several Raptor species can be achieved right here.

Dinner at Pico Bonito

Day 3: Cuero y Salado Wildlife Sanctuary

Cuero y Salado Sanctuary is called for the Cuero and Salado Rivers which here connect with the sea, The Sanctuary includes more than 35,000 acres of coastline rivers, lagoons, mangroves, and forests, which are home to assorted wildlife which includes  West Indian Manatees (Trichechus manatus), American Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus), Spider and White-faced Monkeys (Cebus capucinus), Lesser Anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla) and a range of birds going above 350 species.

After early breakfast, we will leave towards the wildlife refuge, having access to this rural region by a small motorized train, which will take us along an old track through bird-rich open grassland, wetlands and farming spots.

As soon as in the Sanctuary, we are going to explore the different marine and woodland environments from the small, motorboat.

We get back to the Resort after our bird watching excursion; we have a late meal and the evening for an additional bird watching through the Lodge’s backyards.

Dinner at Pico Bonito

After dining, we are going to be led across the Lodge’s gardens and planting locations where Spectacled Owl, Mottled Owl, Black-and-White Owl, Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Northern potoo, and Great Potoo may be discovered.

Also, the reserve is an exciting destination for amphibian and another tropical species.

Day 4: Aguan Valley – Honduran Emerald Hummingbird

We will start this bird watching visiting the dry forest habitat with an early breakfast at the Resort, and departure will be by 4:30 AM.

The target bird in this birding tour is the unique but critically vulnerable Honduran Emerald Hummingbird that survives only in remaining areas of dry forest located at the south of Pico-Bonito Reserve.

Although endangered, the Honduran Emerald Hummingbird is considered very common within its habitat. As such, regardless of season, our chances of seeing the Honduran Emerald are excellent.

Our ride into this biome can be equally exciting because of the surprising number of bird species that inhabit the dry forest habitat. Along the way, we will also visit localized wet areas within this arid region.

These spots can be a paradise for wading birds and another species.

We will enjoy lunch in the nearby ranching town of Olanchito, and return to the Resort by 4:00 PM.

Dinner at Pico Bonito.

Day 5: Transfer to Panacam Lodge

Pick-up and ground transport to Panacam lodge placed within Azul Meambar National Park, a reserve that inhabits several of the Honduras specialties.

On route, we will visit the Lancetilla Botanical garden; this garden is the home of about 350 bird species.

After a birding break, we will continue towards Panacam Lodge with a lunch break on the route, at our arrival will have time for check-in and to unpack and take pleasure in some light birding of the Lodge grounds before dining.

Dinner at Panacam Lodge.

Day 6: Azul Meambar National Park & Lago de Yojoa                                               

Morning bird watching in Azul Meambar National Park, this park is situated in the eastern section of Lake Yojoa and protects 478 square Kms and contains great biodiversity of species and environment of the tropical forest.

After a lunch break, we are going to continue birding around Lago de Yojoa in the quest for more birds.

Return to the lodge for dinner and rest.

Day 7: Santa Barbara

Early transfer and bird watching inside the cloud forest and coffee plantations of Santa Barbara National Park.

The cloud forests of Santa Barbara is the place to find a fantastic variety of flora and fauna and are probably the more accessible spot in Honduras to discover this natural environment. It had been recognized on 1 January 1987 as a Nationa Park and covered a space of 121.3 sq. km, and it has an elevation of 2,777 meters above sea level.

Return to the Lodge for some birding

Dinner at the Lodge

Day 8: Transfer to San Pedro Sula Airport

After Breakfast check out and transfer to San Pedro Sula International Airport to take your flight back home.