A 12 day / 11 night Mayan tour to explore the Yucatan peninsula's most diverse ecosystems with over 700 species of birds, both endemic and migratory. Encounter with the ancient civilization and legacy of the Mayan Culture.  The tour includes caverns, archaeological sites and nature reserves that are home to a great number of bird species.

This exceptional birding experience will explore some of the most impressive Mayan ruins in the Mayan world: Palenque, Uxmal, Chichén Itzá, and Calakmul. This learning adventure will journey through time – from modern Yucatan to the cradle of Mayan civilization – and through eleven eco-zones ranging from humid rain forests to coastal scrub. Some of the 700 bird species recorded on this circuit are very rare or endangered with another 20 endemic species. Tour participants will gain an understanding of the many birds observed against an historical background and an ever-changing landscape.  This is a physically active program with light hiking up to 2-4 hours a day on undulating trails. sometimes climbing old, uneven steps at some ruins.    

Begins in Cancun and ends in Villahermosa Mexico.

The following itinerary may vary slightly from program to program. Some activities may not be available because of local conditions. Comparable activities will be substituted in these cases. All field trips have site lectures, while excursions and extracurricular activities do not. Except for Day 1 all meals are included with the program.

Day 1 – Cancun - Arrival in Cancun for a transfer to hotel and a welcome for all participants and a briefing on the specifics of the tour activities.  Dinner and overnight accommodations at the Radisson Hacienda Hotel .  (D)

Day 2 – Chichén Itzá - After an early breakfast and orientation the tour will depart for Chichén Itzá. Once there tour participants will check into the at Club Med-Villas Archaeologicas.  In the afternoon there will be birding activities around the gardens and trails of the hotel and an evening lecture before dinner and overnight.

Day 3 – Chichén Itzá - After breakfast there will be a morning tour of the Mayan ruins with a walking site lecture.  Returning to the hotel for lunch, the afternoon will be devoted to time at leisure and a birding walk around the property.  This night there will be dinner with a musical presentation.  Overnight accommodations are again at Club Med-Villas Archaeologicas. 

Day 4 – Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Mérida - This day will begin with an early morning birdwalk and breakfast before the tour departs for Mérida.  Along the way there will be excursions to the Colonial City of Izamal with site lecture.  Afterwards there will be lunch at Hacienda Teya with a lecture on "The Boom of Sisal Industry" and a birdwalk at the Hacienda's gardens.  In Mérida there will be dinner and overnight accommodations at the Castellanos Hotel.

Day 5 – Mérida, Celestun -  The tour will depart for the estuary of Celestun right after breakfast.  There there will be a boat trip in the Rio Celestun with birdwatching, a site lecture and lunch.  The highlight of this tour will be the search for the Yucatan Pink Flamingo and many other endemic species such as the Pigmy King fisher.  In the afternoon the tour will return to Merida for dinner and overnight at Castellanos Hotel.

Day 6 – Uxmal, Mayapán,  Oxkutcab, Ticul - After breakfast the tour will depart for Uxmal.  On the way there will be a side trip for birding,  and  excursion and site lectures at the Mayan ruins of Mayapán,  Oxkutcab and Ticul.  After lunch there will be a lecture of the ruins of Uxmal and a bird walk at the ruins.   Dinner and overnight will be at Mision Uxmal.

Day 7 – Uxmal, Campeche - An early morning breakfast will precede a field trip to Uxmal Ruins for bird walk with site lecture.  After lunch the tour departs for Edzna and Campeche City.  At Campeche tour participants will check into hotel before a walking lecture of the historic city of Campeche.  Dinner and overnight will be at the Hotel Baluartes.

Day 8 – Palenque - Breakfast will be served before transfer to Palenque via the Sabancuy estuary for birdwatching.  After lunch and check in at the Hotel Villas Kin Ha there will be a formal lecture on Palenque by the noted archaeologist Dr. Christopher Powell.  Dinner and overnight accommodation will be at the Hotel Villas Kin Ha.

Day 9 – Palenque - An early breakfast will allow the tour to experience the early morning birding of the fabulous rainforest surrounding Palenque Ruins.  In late morning, as the crowds descend on the ruins, our tour will return to the hotel for lunch and time at leisure.  Once again, dinner and accommodations will be at Villas Kin Ha.

Day 10 – Yaxchilan, Bonampak, Lacandon Jungle, Usumacinta River - Tour participants are in for an exceptional day.  After breakfast the tour departs for excursions to Bonampak and Yaxchilan with bird watching in the Lacandon jungle and along the Usumacinta River.  The tour includes lunch.  After this full day the tour return to the hotel Villas Kin Ha for dinner and overnight.

Day 11 – Villahermosa, Usumacinta Marshes, Catazaja Coast - Before breakfast there will be an early morning bird walk around the beautiful grounds of the hotel.  Afterwards the tour will transfer to Villahermosa.  Along the way there will be birdwatching excursions to the Usumacinta marshes and the Catazaja coast and, of course, lunch.  Continuing to Villahermosa the tour will check into the hotel for a free afternoon to relax.  This evening there will be a Farewell Dinner and overnight accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Villahermosa.

Day 12 – Departure - After breakfast tour participants will be transferred to Villahermosa airport for departure.