I must admit that I was totally wrong in my thinking about Guatemala and what I would find there. Sometimes we're happy to be wrong, and so is the case here. I expected to find unrelenting poverty, danger and crime. I saw some poverty driving through Guatemala City, and the local guide's family we visited was poor (but not distressed). But my lasting impression is one of incredible natural beauty, warm and friendly people and a wonderful opportunity for inexpensive eco-tourism with a strong infrastructure.
Once again, we were birding with a group of about 12. Our friend and bird guru Seth Benz, of Schoodic Institute in Maine, told us about this trip running for about 3 weeks in March, 2024. It was partially a benefit for Schoodic Institute and presented by Sabrewing Nature Tours (www.sabrewingtours.com). The trip included one of Sabrewing's principals, another Sabrewing guide, a fabulous and unforgettable local guide named Maynor and The Bird Whisperer, Seth. Lots of smart and talented birders.
The trip was expertly planned to cover a wide range of bird habitat, from grasslands to cloud forest to the lowland jungle. We started in the lovely town of Antigua and traveled mostly by van, and then, for the "extension" to Tikal, flew from Guatemala City to Flores. Perhaps the most memorable place we stayed was Guacamayas Lodge, perched on the Laguna del Tigre National Park. We saw no people other than those who worked there, and we boated out on the river at night to find owls, bats and nightjars. Another excellent stop was Las Tarrales, a large natural reserve in Patulul.
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| view from the lookout tower in Laguna del Tigre |
Our guide Maynor found excellent places to eat when our lodges and hotels did not provide meals, and the food was always delicious and plentiful. My personal opinion is that the food of Central and northern part of South America is overlooked and written off without justification. The soups, stews and sauces are rich and complex and the fruits and beverages are fresh and nourishing. We met a local chef named Gabriela Requena in Flores at her restaurant, Nativo. The food was world class, creative and labor intensive. This woman deserves culinary fame, and her main dishes from local ingredients went for like $16!
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| Incredible crepes before birding |
I should add that the birding was superb. We saw over 300 species and some of them were incredibly rare and beautiful (resplendent quetzal -- national symbol of Guatemala, the pink-headed warbler, jacamars, king vulture, trogons, motmots, etc.).
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| resplendent quetzal |
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| pink-headed warbler -- very rare! |
Besides a city tour of Antigua, the other cultural highpoint was spending time exploring the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, which flourished in the first millenia after Christ. It was quieting and fascinating, and Maynor guided us perfectly to see the best of the archaeology and local nature, while keeping us comfortable and hydrated in 104F temps. Our birding activities usually required 1-2 hours hiking per day, but we did as much as 7 miles. There was no difficult or dangerous climbing.
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| Tikal |
I would definitely trust Sabrewing to put together a good nature tour in the future. Of course, trips like this require traveling with others, but birders are generally good folks and pretty easy-going.
