Oaxaca Tour

Oaxaca is the most biodiverse state of Mexico, with more than 700 bird species.

Tour description

9 Day Tour. Route includes all biological regions in Oaxaca, some of them unique to Mexico, allowing us to search for 50 endemic birds and expect a total bird list of over 300 species. Tour also supports and approach local communities, their conservation efforts and gastronomy. Personalized tours are available.

Next dates: April 19 to 27, 2025 Private dates available year round

Maximum group size: 4 Price: $ 1,800 USD in single occupation (1,600 shared) Personalized tours may have an extended size group, please contact us

Includes: Lodging, terrestrial transport, guides, pelagic tour, entrance to locations, cultural activities. Flights and meals are not included (meals may be included if preferred).

Habitats: Karstic jungle, desert, cloud forest, mixed temperate forest, coastal scrublands, lagoons, pelagic and tropical dry forest.

Explore the route and itinerary or Contact us for more information

Central Valley

Cuicatlán Desert

Day 1. We start in the dry ecosystems of the Central Valley of Oaxaca, an important area for endemic birds. These is also a culturally rich area, with several archeological sites, gastronomical importance, historic artisanship workshops and other relevant attractions.

We will search for bird species like: Oaxaca Sparrow, White-throated Towhee, Bridled Sparrow, Boucard's Wren, Dwarf Vireo, Slaty Vireo, Pileated Flycatcher, Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Ocellated Thrasher, Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater, Black-backed Oriole y Dusky Hummingbird.

Sierra Norte

Capulálpam & Comaltepec

Day 2. Birding the rich mixed temperate forest and scrublands of Ixtepeji and Capulálpam, we may find species like: Rufous-capped Brushfinch, Gray-barred Wren, Dwarf Jay, White-striped Woodcreeper, Mountain Trogon, Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem, Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, Mexican Chickadee, rare but posible Aztec Thrush, among others.

Day 3. We start descending through the mountains of the eastern slope, visiting the cloud forest and searching for: Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, Azure-hooded Jay, Unicolored Jay, Middle American Leaftosser, Garnet-throated Hummingbird, BlackThrush, Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush, Slate-colored Solitaire, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, White-faced Quail-Dove, among others.

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Hylorchilus sumichrasti 001 Oaxaca_edite

Chinantla

Western Tropical Karst Forest

Day 4. Descending into the tropical lowlands, we will visit a first area of Karstic jungle in Chinantla Region, where we will search for the Sumichrast’s Wren, which has a very restricted distribution and is endangered, also a lot other interesting tropical birds.

Possible species include: Gray-throated Chat, Mayan Antthrush, White-bellied Emerald, Middle American Screech-Owl, Golden-hooded Tanager, Crimson-collared Tanager, White-collared Manakin, Red-capped Manakin, Dusky Antbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Tody Motmot, Northern Barred Woodcreeper, among other tropical birds.

La Esmeralda

Eastern Tropical Karst Forest

Day 5. Next, we visit La Esmeralda, a small community in the extreme northeast of the state, it presents a Karst Forest vegetation, giving a unique structure and landscapes to the region.

Associated to caves and crevices of the karstic rocks, we can find the microendemic Nava’s wren, and in the jungle dense vegetation there is a lot of other tropical species such as Black-tailed, Black-headed, Gartered and Collared Trogons, Mealy, Red-Lored, White-crowned and White- fronted Parrots, Scrub, Yellow-throated and Olive-backed Euphonias, Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Rufous- breasted Spinetial, Lesson’s Motmot, Barred Antshrike, among others.

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Tolistoque

Isthmus Dry Jungle

Day 6. In the Isthmus we will search for the specialities: Rose-bellied Bunting and Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, and other interesting birds like Orange-breasted Buntings, Green Parakeet, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Citreoline Trogon, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Turquoise-crowned Hummingbird, Green-fronted Hummingbird, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo and West Mexican Chachalaca.

This transition area combines endemic species of the pacific, with isthmus endemics and tropical birds, and the coastal lagoons are great for migrating waders and other water birds. We will stay in Unión Hidalgo, where we will try typical food of the region, including tamales, tlayudas and memelas.

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Huatulco

Pelagic Tour and Dry Jungle

Day 7. We then drive west through Oaxaca’s coast, arriving to Huatulco, an excellent area to look for endemics of the pacific, for example: Red-breasted Chat, Happy Wren, Flammulated Flycatcher, Lilac-crowned Parrot, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Colima Pygmy-Owl, also interesting birds like: Pacific Screech-Owl, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Yellow-winged Cacique and Russet-crowned Motmot.

From the Crucecita marina we embark on the pelagic tour, during which we can find the rare Townsend's Shearwater, among other pelagic birds such as: Galapagos Shearwater, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Black Storm-Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Nazca Booby, Red-footed Booby, and others.

Melanerpes chrysogenys 001 PN Estacas.jpg

Cyanolyca miriabilis 001 Omiltemi_edited

Sierra Sur

San José & Pluma Hidalgo

Day 8. In Pluma Hidalgo we will look for endemic species such as: Blue-capped Hummingbird, Golden-crowned Emerald, Mexican Hermit, Eared Poorwill, Gray-
crowned Woodpecker, Golden Vireo, Blue Mockingbird and Red-headed Tanager.

Day 9. Finally in the highlands of the Sierra Sur, we will visit San José del Pacífico, where we can find species such as: Bumblebee Hummingbird, Red Warbler, Crescent-chested Warbler, Hooded Yellowthroat, Collared Towhee, Brown-backed Solitaire, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Gray-collared Becard, Russet Nightingale-
Thrush, White-throated Jay, among others.

Important notes: Route may be adapted to fit clients’ interests, adding other areas, more days and/or increase cultural approach. Tour extensions and combinations with other routes are also possible, for example, to search other areas of endemism in the center of Mexico, include Raptor River in Veracruz, or adding southern locations of Chiapas and Yucatan Peninsula. Please let us know any particular interests, target birds and/or doubts regarding the tour. Depending on clients interests we may also include strategic touristic attractions (Mezcal tour, black pottery, alebrijes, archeological sites, city tour, among others).

Lodging is mainly in good quality hotels or cabins, but some nights will be spent in rural areas with basic infrastructure and services. Route includes some long drives, but time is well distributed to enjoy the areas to visit and make the most out of birding. For the detailed itinerary please contact us.

Altitude variation ranges from 0 to 2800 meters above sea level, every participant must be prepared for high and low temperatures, be prepared for rainy conditions and protected from mosquitos.

Tour does not include food or flights.