This tour highlights some of the best birding sites available in these two Central American countries, each with their own spectacular natural beauty and diverse avifauna. During the tour we will visit Pacific slope cloud forest and semi-deciduous forest in El Salvador, pine/oak forest in several places, various cloud forests in the western highlands of Honduras, an inland lake and its wetlands, thorn scrub forest, and lastly the lush Caribbean lowland forest in Pico Bonito National Park.
Day 1: San Salvador to Los Volcanes National Park
From San Salvador we will have a two hour transfer to our luxurious and newly built campground in Los Volcanes. This is extremely comfortable platform camping with large tents, cots, and private bathrooms with platform access on a level area. You can almost bird in bed from your private and cozy tent platform nestled in the forest! We are, however, still camping at an altitude of 6,500 feet, and it will be chilly at night. There is a dining area and all meals will be prepared fresh by local Salvadoreņas. It will be difficult to decide if the birding or the papusas are better. Night: Los Volcanes.
Day 2: Los Volcanes N.P.
We will have the opportunity to do some dawn birding around camp before breakfast. We will then spend the day birding the trails and other areas of this park where some 162 species have been recorded. Los Volcanes is a complex of three inactive volcanoes (Volcan Cerro Verde, Volcan Santa Ana or Ilamatepec and Volcan de Izalco). The area has a variety of habitats and breathtaking scenery. Lower slopes contain semi-deciduous forest and coffee farms while the peak is covered in lush montane forest. We will be in search of species such as the White-faced Quail-Dove, Crescent-chested Warbler, White-winged Tanager, Emerald Toucanet, Spotted Woodcreeper, Green-throated Mountain-Gem, Rufous-browed Wren, Rock Wren and Yellow-throated Brush-Finch. We will have lunch at the park and bird in the afternoon as well. Night: Los Volcanes.
Day 3: Los Volcanes N.P. to El Imposible N. P.
We will again have the opportunity to do some dawn birding around camp before breakfast. The morning will be spent in the Park looking for other species such as the Highland Guan, Rufous Sabrewing, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Black Robin, Blue Seedeater and Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush.
We will depart Los Volcanes after lunch and head to El Imposible N.P., traveling north by northwest for about 2 hours. We will travel along the coastal highway and then climb to an elevation of about 3,200 ft. where we will stay two nights in some nice cabins near the Park entrance. The cabins are run by solar power and have hot water. There is a restaurant on-site where we will have all our meals.
El Imposible N.P. is considered El Salvadorīs gem. It covers an area of approximately 3,800 hectares and contains the largest tract of Pacific slope deciduous forest, some of it remnants of old growth. The Park is home to a diverse array of El Salvadorīs flora and fauna, and is the last refuge for species that require large territories for their survival. There are numerous trails in the park of varying difficulty, from slightly moderate to strenuous. We will cover the more difficult trails slowly in search of very special birds.
The cabin area is frequented by Mottled Owls, Common Pauraque and Ring-tailed Cats. We will look for them over the next two nights.
The park has a number of Pacific slope endemics such as the Banded Wren, Fan-tailed Warbler, Pacific Parakeet, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Long-tailed Manakin (seemingly hopping everywhere), White-bellied Chachalaca, Pacific Screech-Owl, Bar-winged Oriole, Bellīs Vireo and Ash-throated Flycatcher. Other species include the Berylline Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Blue Bunting, Thicket Tinamou, and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Night: Hostal El Imposible.
Day 4: El Imposible N.P.
Today we will have the opportunity to hike the long, steep "Los Enganches" trail that descends into the valley floor. We will slowly drop approximately 2,000 ft. If for some reason you prefer not to take the hike down to the valley floor there are many shorter trails close to the visitor center that afford excellent birding. This strenuous hike, however, takes us into a beautifully forested valley with a small river running through it. Its lush vegetation is a haven for wildlife where Great Curassows still roam free. Coatimundi, Armadillos and Kinkajous are sometimes seen during the day as they go to the river for a drink. Night: Hostal El Imposible.
Day 5: El Imposible N.P. to Entre Pinos
We will have an early breakfast then go up into the park for a hike. This morning we will go birding along the "El Mulo" loop trail and try to pick up species we may have missed the day before. The loop trail is a particularly good place to observe many of the spectacular Long-tailed Manakins, Banded Wrens and Elegant Trogon.
After lunch we will drive back toward the capital then turn north until we reach Hotel Entre Pinos. Driving time is about 5 hours. The hotel is a mountain resort nestled in the pine-clad mountains just south of the Honduran border. There is a pool, restaurant and bar. Birds that are commonly seen on the hotel grounds include the Plain Wren, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, White-fronted Parrot, American Kestrel, Indigo Bunting and numerous migratory Warblers. Night: Entre Pinos.
Day 6: Hotel Entre Pinos-Border Crossing-Guisayote Biological Reserve-Gracias, Lempira
We will do a short early morning bird walk on the grounds, then have breakfast and depart. After a brief drive (15 minutes) we arrive at the El Salvador/Honduras border crossing which typically takes about half an hour.
We will continue up into the Honduran highlands until we reach the continental divide (about one hour) at an elevation of 6,000 ft. We will bird along a road through the Guisayote Biological Reserve- a small cloud forest encompassing about 35 square kilometres. Possible birds include Barred Parakeet, Rufous-browed Wren, Great Swallow-tailed Swift, Common Bush-Tanager, Rufous-collared Thrush and Garnet-throated Hummingbird. Resplendent Quetzals and Blue-throated Mot-mot are also reported here.
We will then continue on to Santa Rosa de Copan then to Gracias, Lempira (about 3 and a half hours) - the gateway to Celaque N.P., arriving there for dinner. We will spend two nights in this colonial town at the Hotel Guancascos. The hotel is located below an old Spanish fort and overlooks the town. Night: Hotel Guancascos.
Day 7: Celaque N.P.
We will have an early breakfast then depart for the Park entrance (about 50 minutes). Often seen along the entrance road is the Lesser Roadrunner. Within Celaque N.P. is the highest peak in Honduras with an elevation of over 9,000 ft. The Park has extensive tracts of highland pine/oak and cloud forest in its upper reaches. We will take a box lunch and spend the day birding along the Park's main trail. Birds to look for include the Gray-collared Becard, White-breasted Hawk, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Hairy Woodpecker, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Band-backed Wren, Azure-crowned hummingbird and Yellow-backed Oriole, Red-faced Warbler and Olive Warbler. Higher up on the perimeter of the cloud forest are the Mountain Trogon, Unicolored and Azure-hooded Jays, Black-banded Woodcreeper and Golden-browed Warbler. Rarer, but possible, are the Blue-throated Motmot, Black-capped Swallow and White-throated Swift. We will return to our hotel in the late afternoon for dinner. Night: Hotel Guancascos.
Day 8: N.P. to Marcala, La Paz (western highlands)
After breakfast we will load up the bus and bird the lower area of the Park in the morning. We will look for other species including the Brown-backed Solitaire, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Golden-cheeked Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Plain-capped Starthroat and Hepatic Tanager.
After lunch we will drive approximately 4 and a half hours on gravel and paved roads through the western highlands, enjoying some of the most scenic areas in the country. We will keep our eyes out for the rare Solitary Eagle as we pass through highland pine/oak vegetation. We will arrive at our simple, but comfortable hotel in Marcala in time for dinner. Night: Hotel Medina.
Day 9: Marcala/Las Trancas Reserve
We will spend the entire day birding these beautiful highlands of about 5,000 to 6,500 feet. Roadside birding produces many highland hummers while hikes along the forest trails will yield forest dwelling species. Birds we will look for include the Mountain Eleania, Black-capped Siskin, Blue-and-White Mockingbird, Green Violet-Ear, Green-throated Mountain-Gem, White-eared Hummingbird, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Mountain Trogon, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, and Highland Guan amongst others. Lunch will be in the field. Night: Hotel Medina.
Day 10: Las Trancas to Lake Yojoa
This morning we will bird the highland area again in search of other species such as the Resplendent Quetzal, Maroon-chested Ground-Dove, Amethyst-throated Hummingbird, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Black-throated Jay, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Spotted Nightingale-Thrush and Slaty Finch. We will return to Marcala to have lunch and pack our vehicle to leave.
After lunch we will start our 4 hour drive to the picturesque Lake Yojoa. This natural lake is bordered by a lush, tropical humid forest that is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna and is bordered on the east and west by two towering cloud forest national parks-Cerro Azul Meambar and Santa Barbara respectively. We will spend two nights at the charming lakeside Hotel Las Glorias. The hotel has a pool, restaurant and many hammocks for relaxing. Flowering Inga trees on the grounds are visited by the lovely Sparkling-tailed Woodstar, Green-breasted Mango, Rufous-tailed and Berylline Hummingbirds. Turquoise-browed and Blue-crowned Motmots are abundant and both the Ferruginous and Central American Pygmy-Owls inhabit the same area. Night: Hotel Las Glorias.
Day 11: Lake Yojoa (Cerro Azul Meambar N.P.)
We will start our day with a pre-dawn walk looking for hummers on the hotel grounds. After breakfast we will drive up to Cerro Azul Meambar N.P. a trip that covers mid-elevation and cloud forest habitats. The Parkīs spectacle begins in the Visitorīs Center parking lot, located at 3,300 ft. where a wide variety of birds can be seen. We will take a short hike to a nearby waterfall. Species that can be encountered include the Green Jay, Violaceous Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Golden-crowned Warbler, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Northern Bentbill and Plain Antvireo.
We will have lunch at a lakeside restaurant, "Los Remos", and enjoy a plethora of resident and migrant waterfowl in addition to other area specialties. Sightings may include the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (only known records away from the north coast), Wood Stork, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup, Muscovy Duck, and both the Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. Snail Kites abound everywhere.
In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to take a pontoon boat ride along the lake shore in search of Least Bittern, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and other waterfowl.
We will return to our hotel in time for dinner. Night: Hotel Las Glorias.
Day 12: Lake Yojoa to Olanchito
We will again start the day with a predawn walk by the lakeshore in search of timid Crakes and Rails. After breakfast we will go to the nearby Los Naranjos Eco-Archaeological site where one can still see the remains of a pre-Colombian civilization that flourished here some 2,000-3,000 years ago and pre-dated the Maya culture. The park has a nice system of trails that consist of gravel paths and elevated boardwalks that pass through marsh and seasonal flood-forest that provide excellent birding. One of the best sightings here is the Rufous-breasted Spinetail, a usually reclusive bird that stays within thick vegetation, but can be called out into view. Also seen here are the Striped Cuckoo, Barred Antshrike, Rufous-and-White Wren, Rufous-naped Wren, Slender Sheartail, White-throated Flycatcher, Violaceous Trogon, Long-billed Gnatwren and Red-legged Honeycreeper.
After a morning of birding and exploring the site, we will return to our hotel, have lunch and depart for our 5 hour drive to Olanchito. Night: Hotel Olanchito.
Day 13: Olanchito to La Ceiba
Olanchito lies in the Aguan Valley in a large "rain shadow" area created by the Nombre de Dios mountain range. The mountains allow only a small amount of rain to fall in this area and have created a desert-like environment complete with cacti, acacias and other spiny plants (as well as some endemic plants to Honduras). It is one of only two known sites where the country's only endemic bird, the endangered Honduran Emerald, lives. The bird is actually common locally in its appropriate habitat and survives principally on blooming cacti and bromeliads. Unfortunately the birdsī habitat continues to diminish, threatening its survival. Efforts led by Dr. Ridgley, local ornithologists, and conservation NGOīs are underway to protect the habitat of this little jewel and ensure its survival. The Honduran Emerald shares its habitat with the Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Lesser Roadrunner, Double-striped Thick-Knee, White-lored Gnatcatcher, White-bellied Wren and Northern Beardless Tyrannulet.
We will arrive at the Emeraldsī site very early and will have breakfast at a local familyīs house.
We will return to town for lunch, and to pack for our 2 and a half hour drive to the Lodge at Pico Bonito west of La Ceiba. This "Small Luxury Hotel of the World" is equipped with two bird observation towers and one platform along its trail system. The gorgeous Lovely Cotinga is frequently seen throughout the grounds as it feeds on fruiting trees. This is perhaps one of the best places anywhere to observe the Keel-billed Mot-mot who inhabits deep forest.
This afternoon we will have a very relaxed birding time on the grounds of the Lodge that is equipped with a pool, full bar and restaurant. Massage services also available! Hotel: Lodge at Pico Bonito.
Day 14: The Lodge at Pico Bonito
Today we will hike the whole loop trail in search of lowland rainforest species such as the Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Crested Guan, Purple-crowned Fairy, Long-tailed Hermit, White-necked Jacobin, Black-throated Trogon, Keel-billed Motmot, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Green Shrike-Vireo, N. Royal Flycatcher, White-collared Manakin, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Shining Honeycreeper and Black-throated Shrike-Tanager.
In the evening we will have an opportunity to go owling. Species seen here include the Black-and-White Owl, Spectacled Owl, Mottled Owl, Crested Owl, Guatemalan Screech-Owl, and the Great Potoo. Night: Lodge at Pico Bonito.
Day 15: Lodge to San Pedro Sula airport to San Salvador
We start today, our last, with a predawn walk on the grounds. After breakfast we will bird the lower Lodge grounds. Species to look for include the Black-headed Trogon, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Stripe-throated Hermit, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Cinnamon Becard, Green Honeycreeper, Golden-hooded Tanager and Yellow-tailed Oriole.
After lunch we will pack and depart for the San Pedro Sula airport (approx. 2 hour drive) for the return flight to San Salvador and connections to our flights home.
Accommodations Listing
Los Volcanes, 4 Star Camping, private platforms, cots, bathrooms, solar hotwater & lights.
Hostal El Imposible, 2 Star, beautiful ecolodge on park boundary, restaurant, solar hotwater and electricity.
Entre Pinos La Palma, 3 Star, classic retreat lodge with modern amenities
Hotel Guancascos, Gracias, 1.5 Star, basic clean, nice restaurant with views, on hillside below colonial fort. Best available.
Hotel Medina, Marcala, 1.5 Star, clean and comfortable, best available.
Hotel Las Glorias, Lake Yojoa, 2.5 Star, beautiful setting, nice lakeside rooms, modern conveniences.
Hotel Olanchito, 1.5 Star, comfortable hotel in colonial town, best available.
The Lodge at Pico Bonito, 4 Star, "Small luxury lodge of the world", superb accommodations, service and food.
TOUR LEADERS: Robert Ridgley and Robert Gallardo
Robert Ridgely
is undoubtedly today's foremost authority on neotropical ornithology.
He is the author of "A Guide to the Birds of Panama, with Costa Rica,
Nicaragua and Honduras" (illustrated by John Gwynne), one of the finest
field guides ever published for the region. He is also the author of
the multi-volume "The Birds of South America" (illustrated by Guy Tudor),
of which Volumes 1 (The Oscine Passerines) and 2 (The suboscine Passerines)
have been published, and of "The Birds of Ecuador" (illustrated by Paul
Greenfield). He has traveled extensively in Central and South America,
led many birdwatching and research trips to the region, and seen most
of the birds of the Americas in life. Following his spectacular discovery
of a new species of antpitta in Ecuador (Jocotoco Antpitta-Grallaria
ridgelii) , he was instrumental in establishing the Jocotoco Foundation
which is successfully protecting the habitats of endangered neotropical
birds in Ecuador. Following the success of the Jocotoco Foundation,
he was instrumental in establishing the Eisenmman Avifauna Foundation
in Panama for the protection of the Panamanian avifauna. He also works
in conservation projects in Paraguay, Argentina, Honduras and Brazil.
Recently he moved to the American Birding Conservancy where he is the
Vice President in charge of Endangered Bird Conservation. He is fully
committed and enjoys great success in his efforts to protect endangered
birds. He lives with his wife Peg, an accomplished sculptor of mainly
natural history subject, and their pet Chestnut-fronted Macaw "Lola"
in the lake region of New Hampshire.
Robert Gallardo has a degree in Natural Resources Planning and Interpretation from Humboldt State University, CA. He arrived in Honduras in early 1993 as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He worked for nearly two years in the Sierra de Agalta N.P. where he contributed new bird records and carried out the areasī first butterfly inventory (amongst other projects). He then transferred to the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve to serve a third year and was the technical advisor in establishing the countryīs first butterfly farm. Over the years this community project has made the village of Raista a tourist hub for those visiting the Reserve. After Peace Corps he returned to Honduras and installed another butterfly farm in La Ceiba and continued his passion of bird watching. There he met and married Irma who has also become a naturalist. They currently own and operate a Nature Center in Copan Ruins consisting of a butterfly farm, botanical gardens and a native orchid exhibit. Robertīs extensive field work in Honduras has led him to record 11 new birds for the country, more than 20 new butterflies and several orchids. He has published several regional bird checklists for Honduras, one butterfly checklist and an illustrated guide to their orchid collection. He is currently working on a photographic orchid field guide for Honduras. He has led tours in Honduras and now El Salvador for more than 3 years.
Maria Allen will assist the tour leaders as necessary. She is a native Brazilian who started birdwatching a few years ago while living in Panama where she worked for the Panama Canal. Following a bird watching course given by the Panama Audubon Society, she became an avid birder. While in Panama she served in the board of the Panama Audubon Society in the late 1990īs in various capacities, including the acting-President of the organization, and participated in many of the organizationīs projects. She prepared and published a checklist of the Birds of Panama, in 3 volumes, for the Panama Audubon Society. The checklists "bridged" the birdīs English names with their names in Spanish allowing non-English speakers to relate to the birds in their native tongue, and thus afford them a better chance to develop an awareness and love for their avifauna. She met Robert Ridgley in Panama and has collaborated on his projects for many years. Currently she is working in a project with him to digitize the bird distribution ranges of all the birds of South America and make the distribution maps widely available. She is also a member of the board of the Eisenmman Avifauna Foundation. She has organized and helped conduct several bird watching tours, mainly to Brazil. She lives in Tucson, Arizona and Sun Valley, Idaho with her husband Jerry.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
WEATHER:
The weather, depending on our location, will vary from warm and sunny to cloudy, misty, foggy or rainy. We can expect daytime temperature highs in the mid 80s to low 90s in the lowlands. The highlands will be a bit cooler, with highs in the low 80s and 60s at night. Precipitation is one of the key factors in creating the rain forest ecosystem and we can expect heavy rain any day even in the dry season.
TOUR SIZE:
This tour will be limited to a maximum of 14 participants and a minimum of 10 participants.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
A US passport valid beyond your anticipated date of return to the US and $10 tourist card for El Salvador is required upon arrival in El Salvador. Currently no visas or immunization certificates are required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Honduras and El Salvador for details.
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS:
The fee for the tour is $3,298 per person based on double occupancy from San Pedro Sula. Single rates are an additional $550. This includes all food, three meals per day, from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 15; all lodging for 14 nights during the tour; ground transportation; international flight from San Pedro Sula to San Salvador; and guide services provided by the tour leaders and local conservation professionals. It does not include international airfare, departure tax, alcoholic beverages, special gratuities, phone calls, passport fees, or items of a personal nature. It does NOT include international airfare to and from El Salvador, airport departure taxes, phone calls, laundry, alcoholic beverages or other items of a personal nature. It does NOT include tips for the leaders (Ridgley and Gallardo) nor for local guides - these tips will be left entirely up to each participant. Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the group does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement may have to be charged. An additional pick-up/drop-off fee may be charged for arrivals and departures from regularly scheduled international flights.
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS:
For comprehensive information please contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the Internet at www.cdc.gov or by phone at 404-332-4559. The CDC information is a comprehensive listing of any disease reported in a particular region or state. Honduras and El Salvador are included with Central America. We have not had any problems with diseases. Please consult a health care professional with any questions.
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORIES:
Currently there are no travel advisories for traveling in Honduras. You will be updated on any significant developments that pertain to our trip.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Refunds are made according to the following schedule: If cancellation is made eighty days or more before departure date, the deposit less $150 is refundable. If cancellation is made between seventy-nine and sixty days before departure date, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded. If cancellation is made fifty-nine days or less before departure date, no refund is available except for amounts recoverable through our agents. We recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance which you will receive upon registration.
If the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) cancels the tour or the tour must be postponed during a time period starting seven days before tour departure and /or through the duration of the tour, MEA will refund all money recoverable through our agents, not yet spent and/or all refundable deposits. MEA reserves the right to cancel, postpone or suspend any tour based on the judgment of MEA, its staff and representatives, in order to insure the safety of our guests.
RESPONSIBILITY:
MEA, and/or their Agents act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, or airplane and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. They can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour. The right is reserved to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of the tour. Baggage is at owner's risk.
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