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The departments of Alta Verapaz and Baja Verapaz—together called the Verapaces—are known as the home of the Mayan Q'eqchi' people, coffee and cardamom farms, and the national bird, the resplendent quetzal. Lazy rivers slice through tree-covered mountains creating wonderful habitat for many different endemic, resident, and migratory birds. We will visit two coffee cooperatives that have supported hundreds of rural Guatemalan families in creating sustainable livelihoods for themselves. And we will taste some really great coffee after we see how it is harvested and processed. We will also visit the national park, Semuc Champey, where the Cahabón River plunges beneath the ground and creates a series of beautiful pools for swimming above it. Oh, and the birds are out of this world!
Resplendent quetzal photo credit, Rudy Botzoc
*Please check back for more details to be added to this itinerary!*
Itinerary*
Day 1: Arrive at Guatemala City (GUA) and drive through scenic eastern Guatemala to Baja Verapaz. Overnight in Baja Verapaz.
Day 2: Early birding in Ranchitos del Quetzal with our fantastic guide, Rudy Botzoc (also with hopes of seeing a quetzal!). Afternoon birding at a coffee cooperative outside of Cobán, Alta Verapaz. Overnight in Cobán.
Day 3: Early departure for a nearby village with breathtaking scenery and delicious coffee. We'll bird that morning, have breakfast and lunch with the cooperative, and tour the cooperative and taste coffee, learning how this cooperative has grown and how important coffee production is to people in this region. We'll see some great birds! Return to Cobán and overnight in Cobán.
Day 4: Early birding before breakfast (optional), then we check out and head to the incredible natural area of Semuc Champey. We'll bird Semuc, have lunch there, and spend some time enjoying the river. We'll stay at a small ecolodge near Semuc. Owling is a possibility that night. Overnight near Semuc Champey.
Day 5: Early birding around ecolodge, birding in the morning and afternoon at a nearby park. Return to lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: We'll get up early for birding around the ecolodge (optional) then have breakfast. After that, we'll head back to Baja Verapaz and Ranchitos del Quetzal again for another shot seeing a quetzal. Dinner and overnight there.
Day 7: Early birding at Ranchitos del Quetzal (optional) and breakfast. We then leave for Antigua, Guatemala's former capital and a beautiful colonial town with colorful people and scenery. We'll have a free afternoon to explore the city and that night will have the goodbye dinner. Overnight in Antigua.
Day 8: After a leisurely breakfast, we'll head to Guatemala City to say goodbye to the Land of Eternal Spring.
*Please note that this itinerary may change slightly due to uncontrollable events such as weather.
Date: December, 2026 (exact dates TBA)
Cost: TBA
Registration: TBA
Difficulty level: Moderate.
We may be walking up and down steep hills on uneven terrain.
Limit: 8 people
White-faced ground sparrow photo credit, Rudy Botzoc
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