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The Selva Maya (Maya Forest) is the largest contiguous forest in the Americas after the Amazon. With hundreds of bird species that call it home, as well as hundreds more migrants, the birding is endless. The iconic, and regionally endangered, scarlet macaw nests here and raises its young. The region is also known for its culture because here we find many interesting and cool Mayan ruins (think Return of the Jedi). This will be a particularly great trip for birds AND culture. But let's not forget the coffee! There's that too. (As well as a couple of nights on the largest barrier reef in the hemisphere!)
*Please check back for more details to be added to this itinerary!*
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Belize City (BZE), shuttle across Belize, cross border to Guatemala, and overnight outside Fores, Petén.
Day 2: Up early to drive to visit community coffee cooperative and bird in their coffee farms. Lunch with community members to learn about their history, coffee production, and conservation in the region. Afternoon to visit wildlife rehabilitation center. Overnight outside Flores.
Day 3: Early birding around hotel. After breakfast, drive to the town and Mayan ruins of Uaxactún where we will be able to sleep among the ancient temples (well, very near them) for two nights. While in Uaxactún, we will be supporting a successful community forest conservation project—Organización de Manejo y Conservación Uaxactún (Conservation and Management Organization of Uaxactún). We lunch at a locally-owned restaurant and in the afternoon get a chicle harvest demonstration, a guided tour of ruins with explanations of solstice and Mayan beliefs, and of course we're birding the whole time. Overnight in Uaxactún at their new tourism cabañas.
Day 4: Early birding in Uaxactún among the pyramids with great local bird guides (and probably some howler monkey friends!). After lunch, we'll have a tour of the sustainable forestry initiative in Uaxactún and learn how important their work is in protecting part of UNESCO's Mayan Biosphere Reserve. That evening, we'll bike (or drive) to the observation tower where we can see the Maya Forest from above and probably spot a few parrots flying by. Overnight in Uaxactún. (Optional night-birding for owls and other nocturnal species.)
Day 5: Early birding among the Mayan ruins before breakfast. After breakfast, we'll visit the collection and processing center for xate* and get a demonstration of doll-making. We'll then load up and head to San Ignacio, Belize (not far from the border). After check-in at our hotel, we can go birding in Cahal Pech Mayan ruins nearby. Overnight in San Ignacio.
*Xate is a plant whose leaves are harvested and sold to use in floral arrangements. Xate production is a sustainable use of non-timber forest products to keep a forest standing. Join the trip to learn more!
Day 6: Leave early for birding at Oxmul, a family-owned organic coffee finca where we will also have breakfast, taste coffee, and see how it is produced. We'll then head to Belize City to catch a water taxi to Caye Caulker, a small island on Belize's barrier reef. After check in, we'll have a free afternoon and evening. Overnight in Caye Caulker.
Day 7: Early birding in Caye Caulker to get some shorebird species on our lists. The afternoon is free for enjoying the beach, snorkeling the second largest barrier reef in the world, or whatever you want to do! That evening we'll have a goodbye dinner. Overnight in Caye Caulker.
Day 8: After a leisurely breakfast, we'll head to Belize City to say goodbye to Belize.
Date: January, 2027 (exact dates TBA)
Cost: TBA
Registration: TBA
Difficulty level: Easy-Moderate
We'll be birding on mostly flat ground, but we will walk a lot and have the opportunity to bike.
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