Day 1 Arrival and Transfer to Crooked Tree

Afternoon arrival to Phillip Goldson International Airport where we continue on to The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. On the way we look for Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures among the open savanahs, very similar to Turkey Vultures. Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-ducks are often found in the huge flocks of Blue-winged Teal which winter in the area.

Night at Bird's Eye View Lodge.

Day 2 Crooked Tree

The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a superb area of marshes, lagoons, pine, and hardwood forests. It has an extensive complex of shallow lagoon streams, rivers and marshes, linked to Belize River via Black Creek and Mexico Creek. The aquatic and riverine habitats are a highlight of our visit; we could encounter Tiger-Herons, Agami and Boat-billed Herons, Snail Kite, Black-collared Hawk, Great and Common Black-Hawks, Muscovy Duck, Sungrebe, and American Pygmy Kingfisher. There are nesting Jabirus on Western Lagoon, which we will make a special effort to locate.

Our night-time Spotlight River Safari should turn up Potoos and pauraques as well as lots of other interesting wildlife including Crocodiles, Turtles and fish-eating bats. During our stay, we visit the Pine Savanna, with its strong Yucatán assortment of birds: Yucatán Woodpecker, Yucatan Parrot, Yucatán Flycatcher and Yucatán Jay. Aplomado Falcons cruise the grasslands and Grace’s Warblers grace the pines. The short tropical and second-growth forest support Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Squirrel Cuckoos, Gray Hawks, Laughing Falcons, and an array of orioles, saltators, flycatchers and seedeaters.

Night at Bird's Eye View Lodge.

Day 3 Mountain Pine Ridge

We leave Crooked Tree and make our way down the Western Highway to the Cayo District, the hilly areas of Belize. Our trip along the road to Mountain Pine Ridge will be punctuated with frequent stops, as this area is excellent for raptors – from White Hawk to Bat Falcon and Black Hawk-eagle.

Night in the Mountain Pine Ridge – Five Sister Lodge.

Day 4 Mountain Pine Ridge

We explore the pine forests, broadleaf stream valleys and cliffs of this wonderful area. In the pine forests around the lodge we look for mixed flocks containing Grace’s Warbler amongst the northern migrants and, with luck, we may even find a roosting Stygian Owl or Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl.

The broadleaf gullies are home to Little Hermits and Blue-crowned Motmots, and on past tours we’ve found Tody Motmots and White-throated Spadebills there. In addition, the gardens of the lodge are frequented by Acorn and Golden-olive Woodpeckers, Rusty Sparrows, Azure-crowned Hummingbirds, Black-headed Saltators, and Yellow-tailed and Yellow-backed Orioles. We take excursions to the nearby Thousand Foot Falls (the highest waterfall in Central America), where we search for the rare Orange-breasted Falcon, and then to King Vulture Falls, where we will hopefully see the vultures that gave it its name.

Night in the Mountain Pine Ridge – Five Sister Lodge

Day 5 Caracol

An early start the next morning will allow us to reach the forests and ruins at Caracol where we will search in particular for the rare Keel-billed Motmot amongst the ruins. The foothill forests here support a diverse array of birds, from Crested Guans to Black-crested Coquettes, and we should have a great day exploring this beautiful area.

Night in the Mountain Pine Ridge – Five Sister Lodge.

Day 6 Tikal

Before breakfast we investigate once again the areas around the lodge, looking for mixed species flocks. We then drive to the international border and, after crossing into Guatemala, we will bird some of the roadside marshes and lakes. In the mid-late afternoon we should arrive at Tikal National Park, an internationally renowned site for both its magnificent Mayan ruins and its incredible wealth of wildlife. We will have some time to do a little birding around the lodge, where we should see Ocellated Turkeys feeding close to our lodge at dusk.

Night in Tikal National Park – Tikal Inn

Day 7 Tikal National Park

There are few more exhilarating experiences than walking among the fabulous Mayan ruins at Tikal and watching a wealth of wildlife. The view atop Temple VI is amazing as one looks in all directions over the top of unbroken tropical forest and observes several raptors circling over the canopy. The list of potential raptors is so impressive that it even includes The Crested Eagle! Ocellated Turkeys and Great Curassows stroll through the clearings. Motmots and puffbirds perch quietly along forested trails and Thrush-like Manakins (Schiffornis) whistle melodiously from the undergrowth. Mixed-species flocks containing an interesting mixture of tanagers (led by Black-throated Shrike-Tanagers), warblers and flycatchers move through the canopy, while woodcreepers, ant-tanagers, and antbirds follow army ant swarms. Our time at Tikal will be full and exciting.

Night in Tikal National Park. Tikal Inn

Day 8 Tikal/Yaxha/Belize

Late morning departure from the Tikal National Park enroute back to Belize. On the way we stop at the Yaxha Archaeological Site with its impressive lake and temples. Being in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Yaxha boasts an abundance of wildlife and hundreds of bird life.

Night at Hotel in Belize City - The Radisson Fort George.

Day 9 Depart for International Flight Home

After breakfast we head to the Belize International Airport, where our wonderful tour concludes.