Guatemala Lowlands & Pacific Slope Photography Tour

Guatemala Lowlands & Pacific Slope Photography Tour

Day 1: Arrival – Guatemala City

Meet and greet our staff, then transfer to your Guatemala City hotel.

Day 2: Guatemala City – Flores – EBG

Early flight to Mundo Maya International Airport, located in the northern province of Peten.

After arrival, you will continue towards Las Guacamayas Station. On route, you will have several opportunities for bird photography.

Arrive at Paso Caballo community to board the boat to take a trip on the San Pedro River towards the station.

Welcome and check-in, then you will have time to explore the lodge surroundings, especially the hummingbird feeders.

Lodging at EBG

Day 3: EBG

Enjoy this fascinating birding tour in the Scarlet macaw’s sanctuary and prepare to discover the natural world of more than 260 species of resident’s birds

With abundant wildlife such as spider monkeys and howler monkeys (saraguate).

Occasionally tapirs, crocodiles, and a great variety of birds, among those we can mention the scarlet macaw, toucans, blue herons, parakeets, and many more…

7:00 am. Leave from Flores to Paso Caballos for a trip of approximately 3 hrs.

The whole road proposes an excellent birding opportunity to watch some birds in open areas, secondary forests, and ponds, such as Flycatchers, Hawks, Herons, and Kingfishers.

Arrival in the community of Paso Caballos. We will board a boat that will carry us through the San Pedro River towards Las Guacamayas Biological Station (aprox.20 minutes).

Birding on the route, we can find species such as Herons, Kingfishers, Limpkin, Parrots, Grey-necked Wood-rail, Northern Jacana, and many more.

At your arrival, you will be received by the EBG staff. They will introduce the station’s activities, solid waste management, research programs, conservation, and social projection.

Lunch and at 3:00 pm, a birding tour around the base station ends at Las Guacamaya’s lookout.

Day 4: EBG

El Peru Archaeological Site

5:00 am. time for a coffee (breakfast on route). You will board our boat for a birding tour through the archaeological site El Peru, where we will visit the most important nesting area of the scarlet macaw (Ara Macaw) in Guatemala.

Here youe can find interesting species such as Ocellated Turkey; Bat Falcon; Scarlet Macaw; Black-and-White Owl; Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Lovely Cotinga, Rose-throated Tanager; Green-Backed Sparrow, among others.

Note: You can spot Scarlet Macaws from February to May

Nighttime aquatic excursion: Explores the stream Sacluc, our experienced guide accompanies us for the nighttime aquatic tour.

With the support of a flashlight, our guide illuminates the nighttime creatures that live here, including the crocodile petenero (Crocodylus moreletii), bats, birds and more.

Day 5: EBG – Tikal

Las Guacamayas – Tikal National Park

After breakfast transfer to Tikal National Park, On route you will stop in Flores to have lunch. Quick stop at El Remate to do some birding.

Sunset tour in Tikal National Park

Day 6: Tikal

Tikal National Park

Early birdwatching Tour within Tikal National Park, Tikal is part of the nucleus areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, with a high level of conservation activities and research.

The monuments, remnants of the ancient Maya culture located in the middle of luscious jungles, are ideal places for birdwatching.

Here you will find interesting species such as Ocellated turkey, orange-breasted falcon, Yucatan Jay, Black Catbird, Rose-throated Tanager, Great Curassow, White-fronted Parrot; Mealy Parrot.

Also, the Crested Eagle, ,Slaty-tailed Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher; White-bellied Wren, Montezuma Oropendola and many hummingbirds among others.

During migratory season flocks of warblers, tanagers and others makes this destination a fantastic tropical paradise.

Day 7: Tikal

Arrival – Antigua Guatemala

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

Overnight Antigua Guatemala

Afternoon transfer to the airport.

18:30 hrs, local flight from Flores to Guatemala City.

19:30 Hrs, meet & greet at the airport and transfer to your hotel– Guatemala City – Antigua

Day 8: El Pilar

El Pilar Farm – Antigua Guatemala

Morning birdwatching at Finca El Pilar located 10 minutes away from Antigua.

The vegetation of this reserve is mainly constituted by coffee, pine and oaks, settle at an altitudinal range from 1,710 to 9,500 feet above sea level.

One of the main attractions in El Pilar farm is in the zone of hummingbird’s feeders where it is possible to spot a wide variety of hummingbird’s species that inhabit the area feeding oneself at the same time which represents a great opportunity for birdwatchers.

Lunch in a local restaurant in Antigua

14:00 hrs, you will start the thrilling cultural tour of Antigua visiting the magnificent churches, ruins and museums that combined with the old cobbled streets keep the stories and legends of those colonial times.

Undoubtedly you will enjoy and which will make your morning unforgettable.

You will be visiting the most important areas of Antigua like La Merced Church, Central Park, the Santa Catalina Martir famous Arch of the 5th Avenue, and much more.

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 9: Antigua Guatemala – Patrocion Private Nature Reserve

After breakfast, transfer towards Patrocinio Nature Reserve in the province of Retalhuleu on the south coast of Guatemala (3:30 hrs approx).

The reserve is part of the IBA Santiaguito Volcano, an essential site for range-restricted birds of the North Central American Highlands and the North Central American Pacific Slope.

You will descend from Antigua Guatemala through sceneries framed by the Fuego and Acatenango volcanoes.

Then, you will take the Pacific International Highway (CA-2), a route adorned by the road sales of colorful tropical fruits.

At the arrival check-in, time for lunch and a rest.

Afternoon for a birding walks through the reserve trails to discover the birds of the pacific of Guatemala.

Lodging at Patrocinio.

Day 10: Reserva Patrocinio

The altitude of the Patrocinio Private Nature Reserve ranges between 800 and 850 meters above sea level within the subtropical rainforest.

A little more than 185 species have been documented in Patrocinio.

A network of trails designed to enjoy bird watching is distributed within the property, in addition to a tower that provides excellent views over the canopy.

Early birding through the trials and the observation tower.

Some of the birds that you can observe here are White-bellied Chachalaca, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Rufous-browed Wren, Long-billed Starthroat, White-fronted Parrot, Green Kingfisher, Berylline Hummingbird, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet.

Also, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pacific Parakeet, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Rufous-and-white Wren, Scrub Euphonia, White-faced Ground-Sparrow, Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Chestnut-capped Warbler, Common Pauraque, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Northern Bentbill, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Rufous Sabrewing, Highland Guan, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Canivet’s Emerald, Rufous-browed Wren, among others.

Day: 11: Reserva Patrocinio – Los Tarrales

Early birding around the bird’s feeders.

The Patorcinio Nature Reserve is a fantastic destination for bird photography as bird feeders have been strategically placed to attract birds.

Breakfast and check out. Then continue towards Los Tarrales Reserve(2:00 hrs. approx)

Lunch and rest before starting a birding walk around the lodge and the bird’s feeders.

Lodging at Los Tarrales Reserve.

Day 12: Los Tarrales

After breakfast, board the transport to visit higher reserve areas through coffee plantations and forests to search for colorful neotropical birds.

Return for lunch and rest.

During the afternoon, you will explore the waterfall area for birding and the possibility of a refreshing bath.erva Patrocinio – Los Tarrales

Day 13: Los Tarrales – Antigua Guatemala

Explore the surroundings of the lodge, you will continue looking for a good shot of neotropical birds that inhabit the reserve.

During the afternoon transfer to Antigua Guatemala

Day 14: Free Day Antigua Guatemala

Explore Antigua Guatemala at your own pace

Day 15: Back Home

Transfer to La Aurora International Airport to take your flight back home. End of your Guatemala Lowlands & Pacific Slope Photography Tour.