Day 1, Saturday 14 Nov. This morning we will leave our hotel for a transfer to Hacienda Temozón for our early morning bird walk. Parrots and parakeets are notorious visitors to the extensive grounds, as are the colorful orioles and euphonies. The swimming pool draws more birds than people for their early morning bath. Breakfast on the terrace permits a “birder’s view” of the gardens. After breakfast we will head out for the remarkable archeological site of Uxmal for a tour and more birding opportunities. The area is a good place to find the very local Gray-throated Chat, in addition to the Lesser Roadrunner, Greenish Elaenia and Orange Oriole among many others. From here we will dive a short distance east to a partially restored ex-hacienda called Xocnaceh near the town of Ticul. After a cooling dip in an oversized swimming pool, we will sit down to lunch in the restored ruins of the 19th c. chapel. There will be time to walk off our meal and do some more birding along the paths bordering a partially restored 4th c. BC Maya ruin. Dinner and overnight, Hacienda Temozon.

Day 2, Sunday 15 Nov. This morning we will leave the hacienda at 5:00 a.m., taking a box breakfast with us, in order to arrive at the private reserve of Kaxil Kiuic in southern Yucatan when the abundant and diverse bird life is waking to the sun’s first rays. Here, amid the towering forest and monumental Maya ruins, we will have the opportunity to see the five species of woodcreepers found in the region, plus the endemic Rose-throated Tanager and other deep, humid forest birds such as Collared Forest-Falcon, Northern Bentbill, Long-billed and Tropical Gnatcatcher, among many others. We will have lunch at the research station and after taking a nap in a locally made hammock, we will head back to Hacienda Temozon. But first, we will stop for the last tour of the day at the incredible Loltún Cave, carved out over the centuries by an underground river and later used as a place of worship by the ancient Maya. Dinner and overnight, Hacienda Temozon.

Day 3, Monday 16 Nov. This morning we will pack our luggage into the van and drive less than half an hour to Hacienda Itzincab for an early morning bird walk on the grounds of the hacienda where both Blue-crowned and Turquoise-browed Motmot species are very visible, in addition to the endemic Yucatan Woodpecker, Yucatan Flycatcher and Yucatan Swallow. After a breakfast on the terrace of Itzincab, we will head for the northwest coast of Yucatan and the Ría Celestún Biopshere Reserve for a boat ride in the estuary to see the only colony of American Flamingos in Mexico. Lunch at the beach and birding in the coastal dune to look for the endemic Yucatan Wren, and semi-endemic Black-throated Bobwhite and Mexican Sheartail, among others will bring a close to a full day. From Celestún we will drive two hours to the beautiful restored hacienda of San Jose Cholul. Dinner and overnight Hacienda San Jose Cholul.

Day 4, Tuesday 17 Nov. This morning we leave 6:00 a.m. after our European breakfast, and head for a private ranch southeast of the town of Izamal. On the way into the ranch, we will make a couple of stops to look for seedeaters, warblers and Singing Quail, among other surprises in the open areas before entering the ranch. One can either ride or walk, or do a little of both, while birding along the 2 km dirt road leading to an enormous aguada (water-filled depression) set deep amid the surrounding forest. The waterhole provides habitat for several Morelet’s endangered crocodiles that can be viewed from a safe distance. We can then walk the trail that leads around the aguada through the broken forest where Yucatan Jay, Turquoise-browed and Blue-crowned Motmots abound along with screeching parrots. Or, one can simply sit in the shade high above the aguada and contemplate the scenery while listening to the birds.
From here, we will drive an hour further east via a toll road to another private property, Rancho Xocempich, containing three magnificent cenotes (sinkholes), one of which is conditioned for easy access for swimming. Lunch will be served in the shade of an enormous tree, surrounded by the ruins of 19th c. structures and singing birds! And you may even find an Ocellated Turkey feeding along the dirt road that connects the cenotes. Bath and dressing rooms are available, as are towels. The day ends with a return to the Hacienda San Jose Cholul. Dinner and overnight Hacienda San Jose Cholul.

Day 5, Wednesday 18 Nov. Transfer to the Mérida International Airport.

Includes:
• Air conditioned van with chauffeur
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) Bird Guide
• 2 Nights Temozon
• 2 nights San Jose Cholul
• 1 Box breakfast
• 4 Breakfasts at haciendas and hotels
• 4 lunches (picnic and restaurant)
• 4 Dinners at the haciendas
• Entrance fees to Uxmal, Lotún, Xocnaceh, Chacmultun, and Xocempich.
• Boat ride in Celestún
• Bottled water and soft drinks; beer and wine with lunch.